Eye Test Results

M

Mark72

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
So I'm about 3 months into the new journey, mostly OK so far but still need to up my exercise. Due back with the docs to check on Statin effectiveness and also for my flu jab. Other than that I had my first eye screening on Friday and this morning got a letter from the NHS. The letter says some background retinopathy but not affecting my sight and not requiring treatment.

So not panicking but also slightly concerned. Given that my diagnosis was at least 12 years delayed I'm guessing this isn't an unreasonable result (and now very glad that kidney function blood tests when I was diagnosed came back normal) and I probably shouldn't worry too much unless anything changes between or at the next?
 
I had to go to eye clinic at end of August for assessment for cataract operations. I was diagnosed with type 2 after a test at my request at the end of July reading 64. I suspect my blood sugar has been high for at least a year and probably longer. I had assumed as I had high blood pressure and am overweight they would have tested me regularly for diabetes perhaps every other year. The eye clinic tested me in 2009 and I wasn't diabetic and I've now discovered the surgery checked me in 2014 and I was 40. The doctor at the eye clinic said it was usually at least ten years before signs of damage but she couldn't say how long I've been affected.
Since 2007 I've had iritis/uveitis which is an autoimmune condition which can be linked to diabetes. When the optician said my developing cataracts were causing me to appear more shortsighted in February I asked her to refer me as she had increased my prescription from November and it was expensive. I now wonder if my blood sugar could have affected things. Various flares and steroid eye drops have meant my pupils are now stuck down and I was always told once you have cataracts done they'll sort it.

Luckily I was referred before my diabetes diagnosis because the consultant says the combination of stuck down pupils and cataract mean it is impossible to see the back of my eyes.
@Mark72 How long did you wait from referral to appointment?

From what I have previously read on the forum your letter at this stage is unremarkable but good luck.
 
Mark72 said:
So I'm about 3 months into the new journey, mostly OK so far but still need to up my exercise. Due back with the docs to check on Statin effectiveness and also for my flu jab. Other than that I had my first eye screening on Friday and this morning got a letter from the NHS. The letter says some background retinopathy but not affecting my sight and not requiring treatment.

So not panicking but also slightly concerned. Given that my diagnosis was at least 12 years delayed I'm guessing this isn't an unreasonable result (and now very glad that kidney function blood tests when I was diagnosed came back normal) and I probably shouldn't worry too much unless anything changes between or at the next?
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Many people get the letter saying background retinopathy but the following test a year later it is all clear. The best thing you can do is keep your blood glucose well managed and don't panic, if they thought it was concerning then your recall would most likely be 6 months.
 
saffron15 said:
I had to go to eye clinic at end of August for assessment for cataract operations. I was diagnosed with type 2 after a test at my request at the end of July reading 64. I suspect my blood sugar has been high for at least a year and probably longer. I had assumed as I had high blood pressure and am overweight they would have tested me regularly for diabetes perhaps every other year. The eye clinic tested me in 2009 and I wasn't diabetic and I've now discovered the surgery checked me in 2014 and I was 40. The doctor at the eye clinic said it was usually at least ten years before signs of damage but she couldn't say how long I've been affected.
Since 2007 I've had iritis/uveitis which is an autoimmune condition which can be linked to diabetes. When the optician said my developing cataracts were causing me to appear more shortsighted in February I asked her to refer me as she had increased my prescription from November and it was expensive. I now wonder if my blood sugar could have affected things. Various flares and steroid eye drops have meant my pupils are now stuck down and I was always told once you have cataracts done they'll sort it.

Luckily I was referred before my diabetes diagnosis because the consultant says the combination of stuck down pupils and cataract mean it is impossible to see the back of my eyes.
@Mark72 How long did you wait from referral to appointment?

From what I have previously read on the forum your letter at this stage is unremarkable but good luck.
Click to expand...
I was diagnosed in mid-ish July and referred around late July after my first face-to-face with the practice Diabetes Nurse so about 6 weeks though I could have been seen a little early but arranged it around work rather than the first available.
Sorry to hear what you've been through, that sounds both unpleasant and really drawn out getting things addressed. I have worsening long sightedness which I need to get tested for whilst I can still manage to read books!
 
saffron15 said:
I had to go to eye clinic at end of August for assessment for cataract operations. I was diagnosed with type 2 after a test at my request at the end of July reading 64. I suspect my blood sugar has been high for at least a year and probably longer. I had assumed as I had high blood pressure and am overweight they would have tested me regularly for diabetes perhaps every other year. The eye clinic tested me in 2009 and I wasn't diabetic and I've now discovered the surgery checked me in 2014 and I was 40. The doctor at the eye clinic said it was usually at least ten years before signs of damage but she couldn't say how long I've been affected.
Since 2007 I've had iritis/uveitis which is an autoimmune condition which can be linked to diabetes. When the optician said my developing cataracts were causing me to appear more shortsighted in February I asked her to refer me as she had increased my prescription from November and it was expensive. I now wonder if my blood sugar could have affected things. Various flares and steroid eye drops have meant my pupils are now stuck down and I was always told once you have cataracts done they'll sort it.

Luckily I was referred before my diabetes diagnosis because the consultant says the combination of stuck down pupils and cataract mean it is impossible to see the back of my eyes.
@Mark72 How long did you wait from referral to appointment?

From what I have previously read on the forum your letter at this stage is unremarkable but good luck.
Click to expand...
My other half has recently had cataracts done on both eyes, time from referral to getting the first one done was 10 days.
However he has still been struggling with his eyesight and swapping between several pairs of glasses. The optician swapped 1 lens (for the eye being done) for a 'plain' lens (£90), to wear until the second eye was done and did some re glazing with some lenses which in theory would suit both eyes another £90 but they were useless. After the 5 weeks post second eye they have done glasses with a reading glasses prescription and some middle distance for using the computer and far vision he is supposed not to need any, so it has been a real palaver and at some cost even though they were using some existing frames which were perfectly good. He is now swapping between 2 pairs of glasses and no glasses.
I think he would have thought twice had he realised it would be so difficult.
 
@Mark72 I saw the diabetes nurse mid August which was when I was referred. I have anterior uveitis which only affects the front of the eye. I self refer if I have a flare up which fortunately happens about every two years. I did hold back referring during covid and the sight in my left eye is now less good but I have had a dvla eye test and am OK.
I'm not sure if the diabetes test is just the photo on the machine or also includes a Doctor with a slit lamp.
 
@Leadinglights how awful. I can read without glasses if hold page a bit closer. I don't bother with glasses in bed. Private clinics offer multifocal lenses. I know someone who had it done on nhs and now just uses glasses for reading. In my area loads of private clinics have sprung up doing cataracts for the NHS. However private clinics wouldn't want to do me so I will have it done at the hospital. I wear varifocals and hopefully will be able to reduce my prescription. My poor sister felt every cut as the eyedrops didn't work. She hasn't had second one ... yet
 
saffron15 said:
@Leadinglights how awful. I can read without glasses if hold page a bit closer. I don't bother with glasses in bed. Private clinics offer multifocal lenses. I know someone who had it done on nhs and now just uses glasses for reading. In my area loads of private clinics have sprung up doing cataracts for the NHS. However private clinics wouldn't want to do me so I will have it done at the hospital. I wear varifocals and hopefully will be able to reduce my prescription. My poor sister felt every cut as the eyedrops didn't work. She hasn't had second one ... yet
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I know I will eventually need one done but I wear varifocals so quite how they deal with that other than having it privately with multifocal lenses. It is a pity that we didn't know about that the OH had his done. It was such a whirlwind time scale and it was never mentioned that was a possibility. I believe it cost about £3000 per eye.
 
@Leadinglights My optician told me many short sighted people opted for a lense that allowed reading without glasses. I'm not sure yet which strength to go for as although I need stronger lenses than before I can still read very small print without lenses. I suspect my eyes will get worse although maybe increases recently were affected by my undiscovered diabetes. I just accept I will need glasses for driving etc. I went to varifocals because when driving with glasses my distance was fine but I couldn't read speed etc when I glanced down.
If the private clinics are doing an nhs op they offer a single focus lense. Private ops also offer lenses for astigmatism. I have astigmatism but it is very mild. Hope your husband finds a happy medium. Before I bothered with varifocals I kept an old weaker pair for computer work.
 
saffron15 said:
@Mark72 I saw the diabetes nurse mid August which was when I was referred. I have anterior uveitis which only affects the front of the eye. I self refer if I have a flare up which fortunately happens about every two years. I did hold back referring during covid and the sight in my left eye is now less good but I have had a dvla eye test and am OK.
I'm not sure if the diabetes test is just the photo on the machine or also includes a Doctor with a slit lamp.
Click to expand...
For me the test was a basic wall chart, drops in the eyes and then wait 10-15 minutes and back in for photos of the eyes, nothing else. Very simple but despite warning I was surprised how much the drops initially stung. Sight was pretty much back to normal, no blurring etc. in about an hour, mild sensitivity to light a bit longer (no problem on a sunny afternoon with sunglasses on).
 
saffron15 said:
@Leadinglights My optician told me many short sighted people opted for a lense that allowed reading without glasses. I'm not sure yet which strength to go for as although I need stronger lenses than before I can still read very small print without lenses. I suspect my eyes will get worse although maybe increases recently were affected by my undiscovered diabetes. I just accept I will need glasses for driving etc. I went to varifocals because when driving with glasses my distance was fine but I couldn't read speed etc when I glanced down.
If the private clinics are doing an nhs op they offer a single focus lense. Private ops also offer lenses for astigmatism. I have astigmatism but it is very mild. Hope your husband finds a happy medium. Before I bothered with varifocals I kept an old weaker pair for computer work.
Click to expand...
I think part of the problem is that he was longsighted with some astigmatism but wore bifocals but had a separate pair which he used with the computer monitors as neither distance was quite right with the bifocals. He tried varifocals a few years ago but just could not get on with them.
I am short sighted and had the same problem as you when I had some single vision sun glasses which were a freeby, the distance was fine but couldn't see the instruments.
Something very small I can actually see better without the glasses as long as I hold it close enough.
 
@Leadinglights I am worried but perhaps resigned to losing my secret power of reading impossibly small writing. I don't particularly like varifocals. I often used contact lenses until I got uveitis. I often go glasses free - obviously never when driving.
 
@Mark72 that is the exam I had for cataracts plus the slit lamp. It is what I have when I self refer for uveitis. Last time I went for uveitis it was a Saturday and photo man not in ( may 23) time before that was during covid where I had delayed going and remarkably in 2020 the Sunday before Christmas camera man was there!
I'm always nervous reading the chart. Maybe the machine can still see the back of the eye it's just the consultant with a slit lamp cannot.
 
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