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Background retinopathy
- Thread starter Northerner
- Start date
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runner
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1.5 LADA
Northe, I felt quite upset for you too! Seems like there is a lot of optimism about potential outcomes tho'. Good idea to get your eyes checked generally. I am very short-sighted with the added addition of being slightly long-sighted with age too - this may be why you 've noticed a difference, but also, varying blood sugars can affect your eyesight temporarily too.
Eyesight is one of my biggest fears as my mother is blind (glaucoma), and I have free checks every year because of this. If you have a member of your family with this, you are entitled to free eye checks from the age of 40.
Eyesight is one of my biggest fears as my mother is blind (glaucoma), and I have free checks every year because of this. If you have a member of your family with this, you are entitled to free eye checks from the age of 40.
runner
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1.5 LADA
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Thanks runner. I think what threw me was I wasn't expecting it, as the scan was back in July so I'd more or less forgotten about it. Also, when I read it I got a feeling of inevitability - like if I get something like this after only one year and with pretty much spot-on control, what hope is there?
But I'm an optimist by nature, punctuated by periods of extreme doubt and uncertainty, so it's par for the course!😎
Hi Northerner,
Sorry i have only just noticed this post. I am really sorry that your feeling worried about your results, but like everyone who has had some experience of this sort of thing has said, there doesnt seem to be a desperate need to worry (easier said than done i know), perhaps you will feel better about your eyesight once you have been to the opticians. I know that when A was diagnosed i realised very quickly that i needed new glasses as i couldnt see the small print for the carbs on the packets - so i had a test and ended up with bi-focals - so part of why you think your eyesight is getting worse could be simply because of your age - my optician said its when you reach 40 that things start to change dramatically with eyesight.
I hope you have found some comfort from those who have had experience of this.🙂Bev
Sorry i have only just noticed this post. I am really sorry that your feeling worried about your results, but like everyone who has had some experience of this sort of thing has said, there doesnt seem to be a desperate need to worry (easier said than done i know), perhaps you will feel better about your eyesight once you have been to the opticians. I know that when A was diagnosed i realised very quickly that i needed new glasses as i couldnt see the small print for the carbs on the packets - so i had a test and ended up with bi-focals - so part of why you think your eyesight is getting worse could be simply because of your age - my optician said its when you reach 40 that things start to change dramatically with eyesight.
I hope you have found some comfort from those who have had experience of this.🙂Bev
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi bev, my eyes are getting worse because of my age - I do believe the letter when it says the BR won't affect my sight. I know because I have to use my reading glasses far more often these days, and sometimes even they aren't enough!
Thanks to everyone for their kind words!🙂
Thanks to everyone for their kind words!🙂
runner
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1.5 LADA
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Interesting - I was just reading that a rapid decline in HbA1c can cause BR, and mine went from 11.8 to 6.4 very soon after diagnosis - maybe that is a factor. It also said that:
So that might have a bearing too, particularly as I suspect my control was poor for some time before diagnosis. My raised blood pressure might also be something I could work on improving. Although I feel like a drink now, so I'm off to raise it for a bit - the wagon can wait until tomorrow!😉
(the page I was reading was http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/easdec/back_diabetic_retinopathy.html )
So that might have a bearing too, particularly as I suspect my control was poor for some time before diagnosis. My raised blood pressure might also be something I could work on improving. Although I feel like a drink now, so I'm off to raise it for a bit - the wagon can wait until tomorrow!😉
(the page I was reading was http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/easdec/back_diabetic_retinopathy.html )
Another similarlity.(very strange)
I got told I had some background retinopathy last year when they did an flurorescein(sp?) angiogram before going on the pump. Before that, with just slit lamp checks (no photos for routine checks here ) I'd been told that I had no problems. They checked again 6 months later and it hadn't changed so I've gone back to yearly checks. The next ones due in November.
I know how miserable I felt at the time but to be honest neither optho or diabetologue seemed very concerned. C'est normal! (well I think that's what they said)
Like you I often wonder if its because I went quickly from no control to tight control ; I also read the Birmingham site.I remember it shows a graph that suggests that any changes due to tight control tend to stabilise over about 3years.
Enjoy your drink, I think its good medicine and more likely to lower the BP than getting stressed.
I got told I had some background retinopathy last year when they did an flurorescein(sp?) angiogram before going on the pump. Before that, with just slit lamp checks (no photos for routine checks here ) I'd been told that I had no problems. They checked again 6 months later and it hadn't changed so I've gone back to yearly checks. The next ones due in November.
I know how miserable I felt at the time but to be honest neither optho or diabetologue seemed very concerned. C'est normal! (well I think that's what they said)
Like you I often wonder if its because I went quickly from no control to tight control ; I also read the Birmingham site.I remember it shows a graph that suggests that any changes due to tight control tend to stabilise over about 3years.
Enjoy your drink, I think its good medicine and more likely to lower the BP than getting stressed.
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Northerner, have you seen this site www.diabeticretinopathy.org.uk ? I have issues with my eyes and this is the first site I have seen that illustrates and explains what is/has happened to my eyes since diagnosis. It also explains how problems can surface once good control of sugars has been achieved.
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Alan, Yes - this is the site that I found my information on, it is excellent - and thank you also Helen because it was you that first directed me to it some time ago!😉
And yes, having a drink is reducing my stress levels, if not my BP! I tested my BP on my home meter and it was 109/70 with heart rate of 46 bpm - I couldn't be healthier!🙄
And yes, having a drink is reducing my stress levels, if not my BP! I tested my BP on my home meter and it was 109/70 with heart rate of 46 bpm - I couldn't be healthier!🙄
Hi Northener,
Just to add to all the positive notes - I had BR for ages & it only got worse post pregnancy & pre eclampsia...which I am guessing won't apply to you! 😉 Hopefully it's just a few minor changes due to getting on an even keel during the first year - fingers crossed for your next check! 🙂
Just to add to all the positive notes - I had BR for ages & it only got worse post pregnancy & pre eclampsia...which I am guessing won't apply to you! 😉 Hopefully it's just a few minor changes due to getting on an even keel during the first year - fingers crossed for your next check! 🙂
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Update
I have been for my optician's appointment today, after the scare of last week's letter about the BR, I thought I should get my eyes checked out for any other problems.
Good news! The optician was a very lovely lady, who was herself Type 1 (17 years since diagnosis!), so she understood my concerns and all about how diabetes might affect the eyes! She agreed with me that the BR was most likely a result of the rapid decline in my sugar levels after diagnosis, and possibly also that raised blood pressure might have played a part. She did a visual examination and said she couldn't see any signs of retinopathy and concluded that the changes had been re-absorbed since my scan - although she did say that a scan shows greater detail so there may be some minor changes still there. In addition, she said that the blood pressure medication I am on (candesarten) may actually have side-effect of improving microvascular health - hurrah!
My eyesight is only slightly worse than it was 3.5 years ago and I didn't need to get new glasses (I only use them for reading anyway). She said the slight deterioration was most likely due to my age.
The only slight problem was the pressure of my right eye which was at the high end of the normal range (measuring for glaucoma). She didn't think this was a big problem, but said I should go back for another check in 6 months time. This will be free again on NHS, as there is a medical need for it - normally you are only allowed one fee check per year.
So, I was very happy with the outcome, and glad I went - that letter gave me a kick up the pants!
I have been for my optician's appointment today, after the scare of last week's letter about the BR, I thought I should get my eyes checked out for any other problems.
Good news! The optician was a very lovely lady, who was herself Type 1 (17 years since diagnosis!), so she understood my concerns and all about how diabetes might affect the eyes! She agreed with me that the BR was most likely a result of the rapid decline in my sugar levels after diagnosis, and possibly also that raised blood pressure might have played a part. She did a visual examination and said she couldn't see any signs of retinopathy and concluded that the changes had been re-absorbed since my scan - although she did say that a scan shows greater detail so there may be some minor changes still there. In addition, she said that the blood pressure medication I am on (candesarten) may actually have side-effect of improving microvascular health - hurrah!
My eyesight is only slightly worse than it was 3.5 years ago and I didn't need to get new glasses (I only use them for reading anyway). She said the slight deterioration was most likely due to my age.
The only slight problem was the pressure of my right eye which was at the high end of the normal range (measuring for glaucoma). She didn't think this was a big problem, but said I should go back for another check in 6 months time. This will be free again on NHS, as there is a medical need for it - normally you are only allowed one fee check per year.
So, I was very happy with the outcome, and glad I went - that letter gave me a kick up the pants!
SilentAssassin1642
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Northe, I think I'll go and see this lady next week - the GP is utterly useless about it, so maybe itll be a good idea to chat to someone who knows more what they're talking about!
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Good idea! I got an appointment at pretty short notice, so you shouldn't need to wait too long. Might be worth asking if the lady with the short hair does all the eye tests so you can be sure of getting her (it was a man last time I went). I think her name was Rachel, but I could be wrong! The phone number is 023 80221749 or 023 8022 0314. They just need your national insurance number.
It was nice because with 17 years of experience of diabetes herself, she knew exactly what I was talking about! You can also have a retinal scan done but it costs ?10 - I think you might need to ask for tat at the time of making the appointment, and I'm not sure if they go through it with you there and then. With me, she just looked deeply into my eyes....😉
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