Background retinopathy

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Northerner

Northerner

Admin (Retired)
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Just got a letter after my retinopathy scan about 6 weeks ago, and it appears that I have background retinopathy. I'm a little dismayed and upset, as I didn't have this on my previous scan and my control has been pretty good. Although, having said that my previous scan was shortly after diagnosis so the latest one was after my first year of diabetes.

Still, it doesn't require treatment and I will have another scan in 6 months now, so I'll just have to do the best I can to keep my levels good.
 
Sorry to hear that you have got some background retinopathy. Your control has been excellent so all you can do is keep up the tight control you currently have. Plenty of people have this and it doesn't progress to cause any problems so hopefully that will be the same for you. For me when I found that I had neuopathy I was upset and quite angry as my control has been pretty good, it's one fo those things sometimes we just get unlucky, not any fault of our own.

Good that they will keep a close watch on you by re-testing in 6 months.
 
I have background retinopathy too, and was scared when i found out about it. Am trying to keep my levels better to stop it getting any worse
 
Sorry to hear that and sorry that you are upset, you can only do your best. Chin up x

Julie x
 
Sory to hear that Northerner. You have really good control so hopefully it won't get any worse?
 
Hope it doesn't go any further for you. I hate the thought of eye problems more than any of the other complications.
 
Sorry to here about your eyes hope their not worse in six months
 
Thanks everyone. Apart from being on the verge of permanent hypo, I don't really see how I could improve my control - my last two HbA1c's have been 5.4% and 5.2%.

What I'm wondering is this: I had my first scan last year and this was my second scan. Is it only apparent that I have BR because they are now able to compare this year's with last year's, or would they have been able to tell on last year's if my eyes had been affected by diabetes? If you see what I mean! I think I need to research this further...
 
Northerner said:
Thanks everyone. Apart from being on the verge of permanent hypo, I don't really see how I could improve my control - my last two HbA1c's have been 5.4% and 5.2%.

What I'm wondering is this: I had my first scan last year and this was my second scan. Is it only apparent that I have BR because they are now able to compare this year's with last year's, or would they have been able to tell on last year's if my eyes had been affected by diabetes? If you see what I mean! I think I need to research this further...
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yes i know what you mean, they had nothing to compair to last time, i do wonder about my eyes as they are definatly worst since my last eye test. Hope you are ok

Julie x
 
Northerner said:
Thanks everyone. Apart from being on the verge of permanent hypo, I don't really see how I could improve my control - my last two HbA1c's have been 5.4% and 5.2%.

What I'm wondering is this: I had my first scan last year and this was my second scan. Is it only apparent that I have BR because they are now able to compare this year's with last year's, or would they have been able to tell on last year's if my eyes had been affected by diabetes? If you see what I mean! I think I need to research this further...
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There are some things they can tell straight away, such as bleeding or blocked veins. What they may spot with background retinopathy is an increase in the number of small veins on the back of the eyes.
 
Hi Northerner

I remember how worried I was when I was in my early 20's and they said that I had background retinopathy but touch wood it has stayed as just background retinopathy for nearly 20 years with no need for laser treatment so I hope that reassures you (and I've never had a HBA1C below 7.5 despite trying very hard to lower it)

PS ironically it is the glaucoma that has caused my eye problems............:confused:
 
AJL said:
Hi Northerner

I remember how worried I was when I was in my early 20's and they said that I had background retinopathy but touch wood it has stayed as just background retinopathy for nearly 20 years with no need for laser treatment so I hope that reassures you (and I've never had a HBA1C below 7.5 despite trying very hard to lower it)

PS ironically it is the glaucoma that has caused my eye problems............:confused:
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Thank you AJL, that is reassuring. Sorry to hear about the glaucoma - I'm thinking now that I really ought to book an appointment with my optician (well, I say 'my optician', but I've only had one appointment in 35 years and that was in 2006!)
 
Northerner,
Nothing more I can add to what's already been said but I wanted to add my support as you do so much for everyone else.
I hope that doesn't sound too soft. 😱
Regards
Chris
 
Northerner said:
Thank you AJL, that is reassuring. Sorry to hear about the glaucoma - I'm thinking now that I really ought to book an appointment with my optician (well, I say 'my optician', but I've only had one appointment in 35 years and that was in 2006!)
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Hi Northerner I would strongly recommend seeing an optician to anyone who is not diabetic i.e. don't just rely on the retinal screening. Glaucoma can be caused by diabetes and mine was only picked up during a routine visit to the optician when I was 30 (very young for glaucoma) - if they hadn't done that I wouldn't have been referred to the hospital and started the treatment so quickly. Similarly it was the opticians who were able to see me quickly and picked up on the retinal vein occlusion that has caused me some loss of sight. Hopefully these conditions won't affect anyone else on this site but I would strongly urge everyone to have their yearly appointment with the optician just to be on the safe side
 
Northerner said:
Thank you AJL, that is reassuring. Sorry to hear about the glaucoma - I'm thinking now that I really ought to book an appointment with my optician (well, I say 'my optician', but I've only had one appointment in 35 years and that was in 2006!)
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wasn't it the optician who did your retinopaphy scan then northe?
 
ChrisP said:
Northerner,
Nothing more I can add to what's already been said but I wanted to add my support as you do so much for everyone else.
I hope that doesn't sound too soft. 😱
Regards
Chris
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Thanks Chris, much appreciated!🙂
 
Northerner - like you I got the same message 3 years ago, my appt was just weeks after Mam died.

I was really worried as my optician (a family friend, said rubbish). She wrote to them giving them the results she had arrived at based on her examination, (she has the same eqpt).

I have had 2 Diabletic retinopathy checks since, and have been given th the all clear - twice.

Conclusion - we arrived at the thought that as I had been crying so much after Mam died, it resulted in a duff result - who knows.

Whilst any result should not be ignored, perhaps another one could be organised?

Hazel
 
Northerner said:
No, I go to the hospital for that. Right, I'm going to try and book an appointment now!🙂
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Oh I see. I go to the optician and the eye test comes free with the retinopathy scan :D Think the trick is to go to a little local optician hehe.

Sorry to hear about the backgroud retinopathy. As you know, I have the same problem! All we can do is try to maintain a good blood pressure reading and excellent blood glucose levels 🙂
 
Well, the appointment with the optician is now booked for next Tuesday. They have a camera there and will do the retinal scan for ?10 - in the light of what Hazel has just said, it might be worth having since at least I will be able to talk through the results with someone. The letter I got just said to see my GP if I had any worries, but that's not quite the same as talking the pictures through.

I'm pretty sure my eyesight is worse than it was last year, but think that's mostly down to my age.
 
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