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Retinopathy Screening

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dorcas61

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I've just made the appointment for my first retinopathy screening and am rather concerned by the receptionist's initial insistence that I should bring someone with me because my eyes will be dilated and my vision blurred afterwards. Is it really so bad that I need an escort? I have a 10-miniute walk to the bus station after the appointment, a well-known route, but now I'm wondering if I really should ask a friend to come along and pick me up, or at least walk me to the bus station, or come home with me on the bus... can anyone give me advice, please? Thanks
 
I'm not diabetic so hopefully someone will be along later with a bit more info. Having said that my husband is and i've taken him many times to have his eyes checked and I have had mine dilated a few years ago. Everyone is different and the affects can last longer on some people. My husband could certainly not have driven afterwards, but could easily walk out of the hospital without any assistance. i however, did find my vision took some time to get back to normal and was pleased to have my someone with me. I would also recommend taking a pair of sun glasses along as your eyes will be sensitive to the light for a little while afterwards.
 
They didn't need to use the eye drops with me, so I had no problems afterwards, so you might be lucky too.
 
I have had Retinal Screening done many times. They always warn you that your eyes will be blurry, they have to in case you have an accident on the way back due to your blurry vision ! You should not drive after the screening until your eyesight is back to normal.

My eyes are dilated every time. It's painless and is nothing to worry about. I have gone there and back on my own usually using the Bus as I would normally drive, but that is a definite no no here !
I have never had any problem seeing but am still careful, when crossing the road etc. I have never needed sunglasses either. It's bright, but not any more than a really sunny day. Wear them if you like.

Your eyes may be blurry for quite some time and sensitive to the light. If you are not sure then it would be best to take someone with you, just in case.
 
I've had mine done a few times now. Every time they have used the drops and couldn't have driven home. I probably could have got to the bus stop, but in sunglasses in February would have looked odd. My appointment was 3pm and I couldn't go back to work afterwards and use a computer so went home. I also had a bad headache. The effects of the drops didn't wear off until after I went to bed.
 
I would strongly advise taking someone wih you and a pair of sunglasses and putting them on before you ;eave the hospital WHATEVER the weather.
I am a constant visitor to the eye clinic at the hospital. Sometimes the effects of the drops last for hours and someimes not. The most frightening experience of my life happened when I left the hospital several hours after having drops insilled. It was a very dull overcas day but just as I stepped out of the building the sun came ou and I was temporarily totally blinded. Although my husband was wih me he was totally unaware of how I was affected as i had yold him a few minutes previously that my eyes had almost returnrd to normal. I carried on walking as a sort of reflex because I was compleely disorientated - and almost sepped under an ambulance .Forunately it was just stopping but I was very fortunate that the driver had seen me and instinctively felt I was going to step ou tin front of him.
I have my own screenings at he hospital routinely to check on the treatment I have undergione but have often thought that letters from the hospital should advise the use of sun glasses as do the opticians@.
It is not just a question of how drops normally afffect you. Some medical personnel instill more df the drops than so others. Certain eye conditions which you may not be aware you have can also affect your reactions to light. Better to take no chances.
 
I've not had problems - I have about 10 minutes walk at both ends of the bus ride, & went on my own quite happily.
I was able to read after the drops, while waiting. It wasn't that bad - they have to cover themselves.
BUT
I am fit & active
I would have had difficulty driving
I needed sun glasses
With bifocals I sometimes have difficulty judging where my feet are - so getting on & off the bus; judging the hand grips, etc, with blurred vision could be a problem.

I recommend you ask a friend if possible. Otherwise allow an hour before going home - go to a cafe for a cup of tea, & go home when you feel confident.
 
I have had it done 4 times and had different effects each time I have had it done.

One time I could have driven home safely, another I couldn't see properly for hours after, and I certainly couldn't read after the drops and while waiting to go in for the appointment. And one time is was quite sunny outside and I couldn't see to cross the road safely.


So I would say take somebody with you to be safe the first time.
 
ive been ok not too blurry, just close up is fuzzy so managed the bus easy enough :D
 
I've just arrived home this minute after having my retinal scan. I can already see to use the computer although not as well as usual. I was waiting outside a restaurant for my husband to come and pick me up and could read the menu chalked up outside. I found the car headlights (and they all seemed to have them on) very dazzling. Luckily its a very dull day today so I didn't even need the dark glasses I had brought with me, or the hat. They asked me what medication I was taking and I forgot one as I take so many. They measured my glasses then they tested my eyes. First they photographed them. Then I had to read letters off a chart then look at a grid - could I see the edge of the grid, were the lines straight. If this had been the test for a driving licence (I don't know if it was) I could easily have cheated on that one! The drops did sting a bit but only briefly, nothing to worry about. He looked into my eyes with a bright light.Then he put more drops in before testing the pressure inside the eyes. They stung a bit more but again very briefly. I could perfectly well have walked home if it hadn't been too far, taken a bus or the train on my own (and read the number on the front of the bus) but wouldn't have been safe to drive. All in all not too bad at all :) All was OK, just the added risk of having diabetes plus high blood pressure.
 
Might be a good idea to take someone along on your fist visit dorcas61, the drops do make the eyes blurry and vision is impaired for a while afterwards due to the pupils of the eyes being dilated and this is why they suggest that a companion may be needed.

Normally my wife drops me off and picks me later, failing that I just walk there and back as it's only a 6 mile walk but always take a pair of sunglasses as the eyes are very sensitive to light (due to dilation) and this takes away the discomfort. Hope all goes well on your first visit! :)

Nigel
 
It is very true to say that each time you can react differently ..That is why it is best not to take things for granted.
I certainly wouldn't consider this procedure painful. I have the reina of both eyes screened every few months and it is the simplest and most painfree of all the procedures i have to undergo.
If you are ever referred o an eye clinic most of the procedures and tests carried out by the optician as detailed above will be carried ou at each visit as a matter of course.
I was diagnosed shortly before he system changed and eyes were still tested at the GP's annnual review. I had mine 5 weeks after diagnosis. The nurse accidentally "overdosed" me with dilating drops and the doctor managed o strain my eye muscle ,. He thought he could see a shadow on the macular and kept asking me to look to my left. He did this for a much longer period than any optician would ever do - and he was trying to see through a small eye glass.
Don't worry about the optician. You are mush safer there,
 
Many thanks for all the responses, especially the advice about sunglasses, the optician never mentioned I might need them!

I feel much more easy about the procedure, knowing more details about what will/might happen - personal experiences are much more useful than official advice! I don't drive anyway, and as the optician's is inside a shopping centre, I plan to walk (about 5 minutes) to the entrance, sunglasses at the ready, and get a taxi home :) Or I may have a cuppa in the cafe next door first - the whole thing may take up to two hours, so I may need a pot of tea to build my strength ;)
 
To Dorcas,
My visit only took an hour. Before they put the drops in they asked me how I was going to get home. You have to wait 20 minutes (normally - I have heard it can take longer for the eyes to dilate) for the drops to work. The part with the doctor is quite quick. I didn't have to wait at all as I was early and jumped the queue as the person before me was late. My eyes took at least all afternoon and evening (went to bed with them still dilated) to go back to normal but with my glasses I could see fairly well (enough to use my computer). I gather that's not the case with everyone though - everyone's different (as we hear so often here!). The light - even indoors when near the window and I had to draw the curtains - troubled me a lot though. And the computer screen was a bit too bright for me.
 
I have my retinas photographed every year at my normal eye check - I've worn contact lenses for 40 years. I've never either been warned about problems/driving or had any problems.

I'm going for my first diabetic retinopathy screening this month, and I asked the appointment-maker if they used different drops to my normal optician becuase of the fuss about driving. He thought not. Does anyone know whether the drops are different? I shall have to drive because there is no one to take me and no public transport. Fortunately it's at one of our GP surgeries only 9 miles away, so no navigating unknown roads.

V
 
viviennem said:
I have my retinas photographed every year at my normal eye check - I've worn contact lenses for 40 years. I've never either been warned about problems/driving or had any problems.

I'm going for my first diabetic retinopathy screening this month, and I asked the appointment-maker if they used different drops to my normal optician becuase of the fuss about driving. He thought not. Does anyone know whether the drops are different? I shall have to drive because there is no one to take me and no public transport. Fortunately it's at one of our GP surgeries only 9 miles away, so no navigating unknown roads.

V
Click to expand...

This is from the MHRA ( Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ) regarding the Advice on administering eye drops in retinal screening programmes conducted by the NHS and for and on their behalf by other agencies.
http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Howweregulate/Me ... /index.htm

Care should be taken to ensure that people presenting for screening are aware, prior to the appointment, of risks with regard to eye drops, actions they should take in the event of problems, and the fact that it will not be safe to drive for at least four hours after the appointment. The programme manager should ensure that the information that is sent to patients with the letter of invitation adequately covers these facts, and screeners should ensure that those attending to be screened have understood that information.
Click to expand...

It should be common knowledge by all those qualified to do Retinal Screening and is usually carried out to the letter.......however, it seems not always. :(
 
Thanks for that advice and the info. I'll double-check with both my own optician and the screening people - if it's that bad it sounds as if I probably won't be able to get my lenses back in anyway, and I don't have glasses. Maybe I can root someone out to take me - it seems ridiculous to have to ask for an ambulance!

Many thanks

Viviennem
 
I was told at the doctors that if you have diabetes yes they need you to have the drops. Otherwise not quite so often.
 
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