Retinopathy test.

The camera cannot see through to the retina if the cataract is severe.
Depending on your age, you may consider getting the cataract fixed. I got one eye fixed 3 years back, as today its more or a less a standard routine with a very high success rate. It literally only takes a few minutes and its done with micros surgery, needing only like 3-5 mini-stitches that all just dissolve by themselves over a couple of days after the intervention. I too waited for maybe 4-5 years until my vision on the right eye no longer served any use, as the cataract became more severe. Amazing the clarity and light I now see with that eye, much better even than the other eye (with no cataract so far). Prognosis is that I will not need any further procedures on that eye for the rest of my life, so clearly worth doing while still being able to benefit from added pleasures in life.

Have you never been offered cataract surgery in your bad eye it sounds like it needs to be done.
I have had both my eyes done the first one in December last year was very straightforward and I was only in the theatre for about 20 minutes and no stitches as that is not usual practice only if they think the implant is a bit unstable
My second one was a bit more complicated I had some pressure build up in the eye during the op so it took a bit longer and I did have a stitch in that one I had that removed 5 weeks later an anaesthetic gel was put in my eye the same as they use for the operation and I didn't feel a thing and everything was ok the eye had healed well and my long distance sight is now good just need to get new reading glasses now

carol43 said:

I was told, nicely, that because of my age and the fact that I don't use the eye, the NHS wouldn't do the operation.

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Wow - that was a harsh message...
Do you read? Do you drive a car or other vehicle in traffic, e.g. bicycle? Do you walk in cities?
A yes to any of those ought to make you candidate for the cataract procedure, as to ease your daily life and make you a safer person in traffic. Also what is your vision on the left eye? Always better to maintain good vision on both as long as possible. Getting the lens on the right renewed would keep that good for life. And function as backup for the left. You will also feel less tired in the head when sharing the load between the two eyes and not just one. And the right also make your brain more fatigued when blurred image coming back. If you have courage for the procedure, then I would certainly challenge the care provider and/or go to alternative place for second opinion.

carol43 said:

Going for my retinopathy test on 30th June but I have a cataract in my right eye which I have had for a number of years long before my diabetes developed. My sight is very poor in that eye so much so that I could only just read the top letter on the chart so when the cataract developed nothing was done. How will the camera see past the cataract?

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I would go back to your doctor and ask for another opnion, if you have an advanced cattaract then you are entitled to have it removed. It is a simple operation and I have had both my eyes done. As far as the retinopathy test goes they will do the test on both eyes wheather you can see or not, I am blind in my left eye but still had the check done on that eye, it's a simple procedure and they will explain the process to you when you attend. I have hust had my letter too for my second test. They won't have to go through the cattaract as they take photograghs of the back of the eye which shows the macular retina etc, don't worry, keep your appointment and all will be explained to you

So are they saying you don't need the use of that eye anymore and I don't quite understand about them saying because of your age the NHS won't do it. People can have cataracts at any age but the most cataract operations are done on the elderly and I have not heard of anyone being refused the procedure because of age I am 76 and my sister-in-law was over 80 when she had hers done

The NHS do cataract ops on children who develop cataracts, So no excuse go back and ask for it to be done.

The NHS guidelines on Cataract and access to care:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cataract-surgery/Pages/When-it-should-be-done.aspx

When cataract surgery is offered
Cataract surgery is usually offered on the NHS if you have cataracts that are affecting your ability to carry out daily activities.

For example, surgery may be offered if problems with your vision are causing difficulties reading, driving or looking after someone under your care.

In the past, people with cataracts were encouraged to wait until they could hardly see. These days, surgery to remove a cataract can be done at any stage once your ability to function is affected.

There are no national guidelines stating what your level of vision needs to be before cataract surgery is carried out, although individual NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) may have their own criteria outlining when cataract surgery should be offered.

In some cases, cataract surgery may be recommended if you have another eye condition that cannot be monitored or treated properly while you have cataracts, such as diabetic retinopathy.

.The surgeon who did my cataracts said it is not just a problem in older people he said they are now doing far more cataract removals on people in their 40's than ever before. Some clinics may think they are more of a priority that older people but that certainly was not the case where I went plenty of very elderly people have it done
Reading the messages here I feel I was very lucky when I had mine done my sight was not really very bad just getting a bit blurred but my optician said there was no point in giving me stronger lenses as they would not make much difference because of the cataracts I had. Had the first one done.. the worst eye.. and when I went back for the check up I was asked if I would like to have the second eye done so of course I said yes.

I had both of my cataracts removed 18 months ago. I was driving in the dark one evening and just sort of realised I could not see the road very well! I was told that they were both severe and needed surgery but could take 18 months on the NHS. I was fortunate that my ex-husband still had me named on his health cover and so I went private. I saw a consultant a week later who was concerned as my left eye was so bad that he operated on it the following day. I had the second op a week later. It is only afterwards I realised how bad my vision had been, everything looked so clear and bright, I also realised that my housekeeping skills had declined as there was dust everywhere . I was 52 at the time and classed as 'young' to have them, it was thought that it was due to the amount of steroids I had taken. I really think that you need to push to get it done, it must surely be a relatively small cost to the NHS?

If you cataract is so bad you can no longer see out of that eye you are obviously more at risk now of falling or tripping over and seriously hurting yourself.

Go back and get a second opinion. Tell them if you fall over due to lack of sight in that eye and have to be hospitalised it will cost the NHS far more money.

It is literally a five minute operation. You will be in and out within a a few hours. Amazed they won't do this !