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Worried by my Retinal Screening Result

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
17,546
Location
Oxford
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was diagnosed Type 2 on 9th May last year with an HbA1c of 70. I had my first retinal screening ten days later and results were clear. My next Hba1c two months later was 45, then in the Sept was 36, and has been in the 30s ever since. I just received this year’s results and I have “some background retinopathy”
Why? I have been so strict with myself, controlling my blood sugars, my blood pressure is down and I’ve lost shed loads of weight. It’s not fair
 
Hi,

Ironically, fast A1c control can cause these changes? (Possibly the tightening of BP too.)
Things should settle down...

I can empathise it's not the sort of news you need after all the hard work on the management..
 
Resurgam said:
I don't have any idea why it might have happened, but I had background retinopathy at diagnosis in 2016 and a few weeks ago had a second test and the results were normal - so it is not a permanent state.
Click to expand...

That’s reassuring that it could become clear again.

Jaylee said:
Hi,

Ironically, fast A1c control can cause these changes? (Possibly the tightening of BP too.)
Things should settle down...

I can empathise it's not the sort of news you need after all the hard work on the management..
Click to expand...

That’s useful to know.
It’s going to be a long wait til the next one to see if there’s an improvement
Thank you both for your reassurance.
 
From our experience, the general upset to the eyes, caused by raised blood sugars does seem to carry on one way or another for quite a while after sugars (and, presumably insulin as the improvement is totally due to diet) are brought down to normal levels. However, James' eyes have, overall, improved enormously over the past five years of low carb, I recall the opthalmologist using the word, "amazing", at one point. However, there was one problem at the almost four year point, where a healthy eye got into an over exuberant healing mode, but this was dealt with by one VEGF injection. This shows how important it is to continue to have eye checks, even if diabetes itself has been resolved (other words are available!).
For eyes (and probably everything else), Don't panic, keep low carbing and carry on.
Sally
 
I wouldn't sweat it, @Rachox , background retinopathy comes and goes and is mainly just because the imaging done is so detailed that they'll pick up on tiny things which aren't a problem but require to be noted.

I suspect that if non-Ts were scanned, a fairly high proportion would also show background retinopathy.

I've had a few letters saying the same thing, then the next scan turns out fine.
 
Apparently the pictures pick up the smallest of changes and these changes can fluctuate. As with our bg
and our A1c it is the trends we need to keep an eye on. No pun intended.
My screening appt came in the post yesterday and is scheduled for next month. I had background retinopathy at my first screening last year so it could go either way this time.
 

Interesting.. I get the all clear every year. I tighten up my act about 8 years back & a couple of years later? Macula oedema. (no other issues.)
 

Please don't worry. This seems to be happening to several people at the moment. You could ring the screening service and ask to speak to someone in the know about these things. You may get an explanation. It may just be something very simple such as a different machine, or some very vague and insignificant change, or something and nothing. It is worth making that call and it may set your mind at rest.
 

Rachox - My A1c at diagnosis was 73. At next test (4months, because I'd been overseas for the interim period) was 37, and never got to 37 again. My last test was 30, after almost 3 years toggling, literally 31<>33<>31<>33. After every other test being normal, I had the same letter last time - just earlier this month.

To say I was surprised would be an understatement. I posted a bit about it on this recent thread: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/th...ground-retinopathy.144075/page-2#post-1780446

Honestly; my top tip now would be to get yourself off to a decent optician and have a sight test, with all the bells and whistles and see what they say. I'd also ask for a copy of the letter your GP will receive, as it has more detail than the one we have.

Chin up. Even if there is anything there, background retinopathy can go away again just as mysteriously as it seems to have arrived, and you're doing all the right things to make that happen.

People without diabetes can get retinopathy too.
 
Hi Rachox.
I had a similar thing recently. My control has always been good so I was shocked and saddened too.
I hope as many people have said that it will be clear on your next test fingers crossed.
 
HI @Rachox
I had it too at my retinal scans for the first two years then this year's came back clear..I too reckon it just fluctuates and the optician at Vision Express when I questioned him about it (I have my tests done at the diabetes clinic) remarked that its mostly just very mild and background and comes and goes - "nothing to worry about" was his input.
Hope that makes you feel more upbeat.
hugs
M
 
Yup, moi aussi, didn't think the English would work....
First was clear. Second shocked the zap out of me when it came back "some background retinopathy”, phoned in to be told nothing to worry about!! Since then all clear... with my next test on Wednesday coming, so fingers are into crossed mode.
 

I've got no experience with this issue as I've only had one test so far. Just sending positive thoughts.

It's certainly very reassuring to read of other people's experiences here, hopefully you feel equally reassured.
 

Merci beaucoup!
 
I've been diabetic since the age of 8 in 1970. I've had regular eye checks and remember being told when I was 30 that I'd probably need to start having laser treatment for my eyes when I was about 40. I'm now 56, some eye tests show background retinopathy and then the next eye test doesn't. No one has wanted to do anything other than monitor it. The biggest problem with my eyes (other than the fact that I'm starting to need reading glasses, sigh ) is the beginnings of a cataract on my right eye, which I think has more to do with the fact that I've lived in Australia for the last 17 years (followed by 1 year in NZ) rather than T1.

Eye specialists have got very very good at treating diabetics' eyes and stopping them from going blind, and the constant tests also mean that other (non-diabetic) eye problems get caught too. But I suspect that the nature of the tests now means that you'll get some false positives for eye conditions, and the fact is that mild background retinopathy on its own just isn't that scary.
 
Thanks everyone. I’m feeling much happier now. I’ve stopped closing my eyes in turn to check I can still see the dust on my tv screen! (The down side of a sunny day here!)
I seemed to be jinxed getting bad news just before a bank holiday when I can’t talk to a Dr for three days! My original summons via email, to “talk about my recent blood test”, which turned out to be my HbA1c of 70, was received on the Friday evening of a bank holiday weekend! I hadn’t a clue what it was, so wasn’t a member here then so had to sweat it out til the Tuesday. At least this time I have my virtual friends to reassure me. Thanks again x
 
Hi @Rachox . I'll just add my name to the list of those who are told " slight background retinopathy " only to get the all clear the following check up.
 
Interesting thread. I am waiting for the results of my first test. I won't panic if they find anything and will wait for the second. I dropped my BG very quickly over a 6 month period.

Keeping everything crossed for you @Rachox.
 
Thinking of you @Rachox i don’t have this issue - yet but this years test has yet to happen! However I’m still trying to adjust to my shock cholesterol result so can empathise with you. Don’t know what we’d do without supporters on here who are able to give more information, support and advice.
 
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