I went for my annual eye screening this morning and was told that NICE guidelines say if 5 years of eye screening are low risk, in the future screening will only take place every two years. I am not happy about that. Has anyone else been told this?
-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
-
Learn more about joining the Diabetes UK Support Forum team here: https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/volunteering-opportunities-why-dont-you-join-us.112862/
Eye screening
- Thread starter Sharron1
- Start date
- Status
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Other people have definitely mentioned on the forum that they have gone on to 2 yearly screening if they get the all clear. I think initially it was believed to enable them to catch up with the post Covid backlog, but I believe that it is now becoming general guidance. Not all areas have implemented it yet.
I have no problem with making it 2 yearly. I think for those of us who manage out diabetes well, there is very minimal risk. The way I see it is that the level of changes that they monitor are very low, so even background retinopathy is not something that requires more frequent testing that yearly, so I don't see why the "all clear" patients can't go 2 years. Provided diabetes is managed well, background retinopathy can resolve itself in a year.
I think it is important that these resources are more readily available for people who have serious issues with retinopathy and need more frequent testing. It is nice to get the all clear but I don't think the NHS has appointments to waste purely on giving us peace of mind. There are more and more people being diagnosed diabetic so it is understandable that they will need to streamline the system and gear it towards those who are at higher risk.
Just my thoughts and as someone who has had the background retinopathy letter I would still be happy to have checks every 2 years straight after getting the all clear, let alone waiting 5 years.
I have no problem with making it 2 yearly. I think for those of us who manage out diabetes well, there is very minimal risk. The way I see it is that the level of changes that they monitor are very low, so even background retinopathy is not something that requires more frequent testing that yearly, so I don't see why the "all clear" patients can't go 2 years. Provided diabetes is managed well, background retinopathy can resolve itself in a year.
I think it is important that these resources are more readily available for people who have serious issues with retinopathy and need more frequent testing. It is nice to get the all clear but I don't think the NHS has appointments to waste purely on giving us peace of mind. There are more and more people being diagnosed diabetic so it is understandable that they will need to streamline the system and gear it towards those who are at higher risk.
Just my thoughts and as someone who has had the background retinopathy letter I would still be happy to have checks every 2 years straight after getting the all clear, let alone waiting 5 years.
eggyg
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 3c
They told me that too in January. I’m ok with it as my optician always takes a photo when I go for my annual eye test. I get mine free as I’m a former employee. Ask your optician and see if they offer that service if you’re in anyway concerned.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Yes that is the case for me where I live.
Lucyr
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Yes it’s changed in most areas, yours seems a more cautious approach though only moving to 2 yearly screenings if 5 clear years. In most areas I’ve seen it’s after one or two clear screenings.
Lucyr
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Here’s the guidance for this, every 2 years is the recommendation
Attachments
I'd insist on more often than that! I have an eye screen every 6 months!
I have no vision issues (besides being near-sighted but I've been -near-sighted since 10 years before I was diabetic so no relation), but I do have "background diabetic retinopathy".
Lucyr
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Pay for a screening at your opticians in between then?
Lucyr
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Why do you have a screening every 6 months if no issues other than background retinopathy?
It's just what the diabetic clinic in my city (Newcastle) does as standard, I think
Bruce Stephens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I imagine there's some variation between regions, and sometimes there may be individual factors. Mine's always been annual (apart from once) because it's R1M0 in both eyes (and has been for years and years).
I presume the service has evidence that reducing that to once every 2 years makes sense for people who've been at R0M0 for a few years. (They've got lots of data so can see easily enough the risks of making that change.)
Yes, that was my thinking.
- Status