Eye sight

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ShazzyBey

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
After diagnosis 2 weeks ago, I booked an eye test for tomorrow to check all okay with my eyes.

I have just had a call back to say I’m not due an eye test until the 15th September, so the NHS won’t pay for an early test ‍♀️

Firstly - I have always paid myself, so what difference does it make to the NHS if it is early?
Secondly - what if there is damage - why should I wait until the 15th to find this out? And what if it was another year away?

This doesn’t make sense to me - has anyone experienced similar?

MTIA
 
ShazzyBey said:
After diagnosis 2 weeks ago, I booked an eye test for tomorrow to check all okay with my eyes.

I have just had a call back to say I’m not due an eye test until the 15th September, so the NHS won’t pay for an early test ‍♀️

Firstly - I have always paid myself, so what difference does it make to the NHS if it is early?
Secondly - what if there is damage - why should I wait until the 15th to find this out? And what if it was another year away?

This doesn’t make sense to me - has anyone experienced similar?

MTIA
Click to expand...
Did you tell them you'd just had a diabetes diagnosis?
 
so theres 2 eye tests, the regular opticians one and the diabetes eye screening.

the screening will be arranged via your health team and its a basic vision test and they take some photos of your eyes. This has nothing to do with ones to get glasses. They will flag up any eye damage done.

With the opticians one, it is better to hold off on that one, esp if you pay for glasses. as levels change and come down, your eyes change a little and can throw off you vision again meaning yet another prescription change.

Wait it out until your blood glucose levels are stable and then give yourself another month or so for your eyes to adjust and settle down.
If you can't see (because your prescription lens' are no longer suitable for your eyes), see if you can pickup some pre made glasses in a shop. I think home bargains had some last time I was in. Much cheaper temp solution.
 
ShazzyBey said:
After diagnosis 2 weeks ago, I booked an eye test for tomorrow to check all okay with my eyes.

I have just had a call back to say I’m not due an eye test until the 15th September, so the NHS won’t pay for an early test ‍♀️

Firstly - I have always paid myself, so what difference does it make to the NHS if it is early?
Secondly - what if there is damage - why should I wait until the 15th to find this out? And what if it was another year away?

This doesn’t make sense to me - has anyone experienced similar?

MTIA
Click to expand...
If you mean an optician test for glasses, then do not go as your eyes will have changed due to high blood sugars.
Wait until things have settled down and your numbers are in the normal range.

Come Sept, then you will be given a free eye test due to having diabetes.
The retinopathy test is a different thing altogether, this checks the back of your eyes for damage. It normally takes many years for any damage to appear so please don't worry, you will have a letter at some point to get you in the system for these checks and then just keep your normal optician schedule.
 
gll said:
so theres 2 eye tests, the regular opticians one and the diabetes eye screening.

the screening will be arranged via your health team and its a basic vision test and they take some photos of your eyes. This has nothing to do with ones to get glasses. They will flag up any eye damage done.

With the opticians one, it is better to hold off on that one, esp if you pay for glasses. as levels change and come down, your eyes change a little and can throw off you vision again meaning yet another prescription change.

Wait it out until your blood glucose levels are stable and then give yourself another month or so for your eyes to adjust and settle down.
If you can't see (because your prescription lens' are no longer suitable for your eyes), see if you can pickup some pre made glasses in a shop. I think home bargains had some last time I was in. Much cheaper temp solution.
Click to expand...
This makes perfect sense now - I haven’t seen anyone medical since diagnosis 2 weeks ago - so will hold on for the ey appointment- September will probably work out well in terms of timing x
 
I can confirm the above posts as I'm recently diagnosed with type 2 and I have my diabetes eye screening coming up next week at my local hospital, hang on a bit for the letter making an appointment for you - it will come.
 
Diabetic Eye Screening is not necessarily done at a hospital, some areas use various facilities to do the screening. My last 2 have been in a function room at small Town Hall, previously been room in a pharmacy, GP surgery(not my own), health authority offices.
 
Since being diagnosed diabetic and a 72 year old pensioner, I always had a free normal eyesight test every year. But not this year - I was told I would have to pay, as the optician no longer did NHS tests. Having been with them 23 years I was NOT impressed.
 
Felinia said:
Since being diagnosed diabetic and a 72 year old pensioner, I always had a free normal eyesight test every year. But not this year - I was told I would have to pay, as the optician no longer did NHS tests. Having been with them 23 years I was NOT impressed.
Click to expand...
You need to change Optician then. I got a free eye test from Specsavers, though I didn’t buy my specs from them. I just asked for a copy of my prescription and ordered online. Even if you do have to pay, it’s about £20-30.
 
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