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Retinopathy Screening

I have just had the recall for my next screening, the info in it says that I must not drive as my insurance may be invalidated by the drops.
 
sugarless sue said:
So far, I have never needed the drops as my pupils dilate very well in the dark.
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Wish mine would Sue, often they have to put in a second drop to dilate my eyes! :(

Nigel
 
This is the information that is sent with my annual appointment from the DECS (Diabetic Eye Complication Screening) department at my local hospital.

"WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT YOUR FIRST VISIT TO THE DECS CLINIC....

You will see a nurse first. She/he will ask you about your diabetes and your eyes. She will check your eyesight with your glasses on. She will put drops in your eyes and you will wait for 20 minutes for them to work.

The drops make your pupils bigger for about 2 hours. The pupil is the black opening at the front of your eye which acts like a camera shutter. Big pupils help when we do the next test BUT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS and you may want to wear sunglasses.

The next test takes a digital photograph of the back of your eyes, to check for any changes caused by diabetes.

We will talk to you about the result and send a report to your GP. We will save the photographs on the computer so we can compare them with next year's results.

Regular tests like this help keep your eyes healthy.
Your visit to the DECS clinic will last about 40 to 60 minutes."
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In my experience the drops will sting for about 20 seconds and when I leave the hospital I am unable to see the number of the bus home until it's nearly at the stop. I also take extra care when crossing the road, just to be on the safe side. There is no way that I would risk even cycling for at least double the recommended time due to the risk of (possibly) causing an accident. There are enough idiots (who can see) on the road already without me adding to it!

Regards,
Klair

ps. The capitals are not me shouting, it's just that I can't write in italics or underline anything via my phone.
 
Squadron Leader said:
The drops make your pupils bigger for about 2 hours. The pupil is the black opening at the front of your eye which acts like a camera shutter. Big pupils help when we do the next test BUT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS and you may want to wear sunglasses.

The next test takes a digital photograph of the back of your eyes, to check for any changes caused by diabetes.

Your visit to the DECS clinic will last about 40 to 60 minutes."
Click to expand...
In my experience the drops will sting for about 20 seconds and when I leave the hospital I am unable to see the number of the bus home until it's nearly at the stop. I also take extra care when crossing the road, just to be on the safe side. There is no way that I would risk even cycling for at least double the recommended time due to the risk of (possibly) causing an accident. There are enough idiots (who can see) on the road already without me adding to it!

That's great, much more detailed advice than I received! As for idiots on the road, I quite agree, and it's why I don't drive - I reckon everyone is safer without me behind a wheel, blurred eyes or not! ;)
 
Had my first one on Friday, not painful at all the drops just stung a little. However, it took hours for my pupils to contract again and despite it being heavy rain and very cloudy here everything was dazzling! I couldn't text or use the computer and headlights were awful. Luckily I had a friend to drive me. I haven't any prescription sunglasses at present due to the diabetes being diagnosed mid way through a glasses change which was a bit of a pain.

Ali
 
Hi
I'm newly diagnosed and so I have not had a retinal screening but I do know what is involved as I work in the optometry industry.
Pupil dilation will cause light sensitivity as your pupils will be letting infar too much light especially if its sunny so a pair of sunglasses is recommended.
General or distance vision is not usually affected but close up vision and your ability to read or see anything within armslength will definitely be blurred probably for the rest of the day but distance vision like i said is not usually affected.
Hope this is of help
regards
 
Ali H said:
Had my first one on Friday, not painful at all the drops just stung a little. However, it took hours for my pupils to contract again and despite it being heavy rain and very cloudy here everything was dazzling! I couldn't text or use the computer and headlights were awful. Luckily I had a friend to drive me. I haven't any prescription sunglasses at present due to the diabetes being diagnosed mid way through a glasses change which was a bit of a pain.

Ali
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How annoying about your sunglasses Ali H. No doubt you will have them for next ime bu as you couldn't see much anyway any sunglasses would have helped. I don't actually wear glasses of any kind as i didn't need hem before I had retinopathy and my vision has been too distorted during trreatment to make them worhwhile.
I now possess several pairs of sunglasses however . Essential for hospital visits and other imes when he sun might unexpexctedly shine. I have recently had a cataracs operaion and found that even my best polaroids were not wuite up o the job,
 
Eye screening Q

I had my eyes checked today, drops put in at 3.30pm.

I have just had a look in the mirror and my pupils are the size of dinner plates, do they take long to go back to normal?
 
Re: Eye screening Q

DazG said:
I had my eyes checked today, drops put in at 3.30pm.

I have just had a look in the mirror and my pupils are the size of dinner plates, do they take long to go back to normal?
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Hi DazG,

mine took around 4/5 hrs to go back to normal :wink:
 
Re: Eye screening Q

I dont half look weird.

I hope they go back to normal soon, they are aching and feel tired :(

Thanks for your replies :)
 
Re: Eye screening Q

DazG said:
I dont half look weird.

I hope they go back to normal soon, they are aching and feel tired :(

Thanks for your replies :)
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I wore my sunglasses in the house saves you straining your eyes and making the feeling worse :roll:


Lanzlady
 
Re: Eye screening Q

No but yeah it certainly looks like ive been on something :lol:

Think I will put my glasses back on 8)
 
Re: Eye screening Q

I'm going for my first tomorrow. Looks like I'll be sitting in the surgery for 6 hours until I'm safe to drive home - everyone is either away or lambing!.

And no - no buses, no taxis. The joy of country living! :lol:

Viv :)
 
Re: Eye screening Q

Good luck Viv.

Its not bad, only stung a little when they put drops in, vision back to normal-ish about an hour later, eyes not really sensitive, just tired, pupils still huge tho but Im sure they will be back to normal at some point :roll:
 
Re: Eye screening Q

Hi Viv and good luck with your test. Let us know how you got on. When I had my test at the beginning of January I wrote a detailed account of what happened there on another thread called Retinopathy Screening (which you might like to read in its entirety @Mods maybe these two threads could be amalgamated?). I wrote 2 posts and one of them I actually wrote an hour after my test - so I could see to use the computer with my glasses on. I had the curtains drawn for a while though as the light hurt my eyes. The screen seemed very bright too. With most people it takes more time to be able to drive though (and you must be completely safe to drive) but I wouldn't think it was as long as 6 hours for most people. I think the danger could be that you could misjudge distances. I also found when I was going home that oncoming headlights (it was during daylight too) were dazzling. I had to shield my eyes. I didn't drive home by the way - got my husband to pick me up. The pupils took a very long time to get back to normal size though - overnight - and my test was early afternoon. So you really do need sunglasses even if there's no sun. The Opthalmo gave me the results verbally straight away but he never did send a written report to my Endo.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=18659
 
Re: Eye screening Q

I've had my retinas photographed twice before by my own optician, as part of my annual contact lens screening, and never had any problems at all, even with driving. They must use different drops! At least I'll find out how good my own optician is! :lol:

Viv :)
 
Re: Eye screening Q

Hi Viv,
Photographing retinas is a different procedure. It's done by a machine and takes a few seconds whereas the opthalmologist actually looks inside your eyes 20 mins after you've had the drops put in. When I went I had both done.
 
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