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Message: <blockquote data-quote="chris2112" data-source="post: 2263827" data-attributes="member: 524011">I posted this as a reply a another question - hope it helps.  Hi. I'm not a diabetic sufferer, although my nan (T1) and dad (T2) were. I'm an (mature) optometry student about to take final exams (at some pint with all that going on in the world). I though I'd offer some help/advice if needed around the topic of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). Diabetes is a large portion of our degree as, as you can imagine it's a large part of what we are looking for when we observe the back of a patients eyes. Diabetic Retinopathy is a topic thats very interesting to me due to the family ties and also as it's an area of work where the correct observation, advice and action can benefit patients immensely and have a very positive outcome for their vision and life moving forward. It's an area I wish to take further education and qualification in, to become more specialised in, so I am able to offer greater help to the community and to support the NHS as the inevitable changes occur over the next few months and years. The crucial part is that you keep your regular screening appointments. The is because visual symptoms generally only occur later on. Diabetic Retinopathy is avoidable if everything is reviewed and spotted early. I guess it's the easiest thing in the world to say but if the blood/sugar levels are kept in order, then that really is a large part of preventing it's progress. DR is a progressive disease so if you have a little background DR it DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL ALWAYS progress to more severe forms. Generally progression is slow but it can happen relatively quickly if someone is very unlucky. Treatment is A LOT more effective these days - anti VEGF injections (ocular) are more effective than laser surgery and do not have the side effect of damaging any healthy retinal cells. An injection into the eye always sounds horrific but the eye would have anaesthetic applied (via a drop of medication onto the eye) so the patient is barely aware of any sensation/feeling on eyes after that. So the important part is that the retinal screening is attended (chase them up for appointments if you ever become overdue). Also important to still have your regular eye examinations at the opticians - routine eye examinations are free to diabetics. The retinal screening is focused on the retina. The Optometrist will look at other areas of the eye also including checking for any cataract presence, checking the pressure in the eye and visual fields, amongst other things. Hope this helps with understanding the disease progression (or hopefully non progression).</blockquote>

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