Slightly confused (nothing new, there :))

Yesterday I went to the opticians for my annual check up (just a normal eye test because I am short-sighted, nothing to do with being T2, though it is my first since being diagnosed). I use one of the big chains of opticians and part of their blurb is now that they offer free digital retinal photography for the over 40s, as part of a normal eye test and for no added charge. Their website says:

Digital retinal photography is a sophisticated process that allows your optician to take a detailed picture of the back of your eye. It helps us to closely monitor your eye health and it’s available in over 690 stores in the UK and Ireland. But digital retinal photography doesn’t just help us spot sight-related problems. It can also highlight a range of other conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, risk of a stroke and symptoms associated with brain tumours.

Click to expand...

All quite clear, I thought. As it happens, the branch I go to was suffering from a technical problem and their camera wasn't working, so I mentioned to the optometrist that it was OK because I'd had a retinal scan before Christmas, to which he replied that what they offered wasn't a scan for signs of retinopathy. This left me a bit confused as to the way in which it differs. Anyone got any ideas?

On the plus side, my distance vision has actually improved, although I believe this is common as you get older, but I am finally bowing to the inevitable and giving varifocals a go - Mrs hay-char is no longer prepared to tolerate me peering over my glasses at anything near me, to get it into focus.

Things not to do, Number 517: Before the main examination, when they carried out the glaucoma test, I was asked if I was aware that they also provided hearing aid advice. Apparently cupping my hand to my ear and saying "What"? was (a) the incorrect answer and neither (b) big nor (c) clever. I guess the woman doing the test had heard it before .... a few times ....