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I’ve had glaucoma for 21 years. Although there seems to be a higher proportion of diabetics with glaucoma I was told that a link between diabetes and glaucoma had not been proved. I don’t know if that’s still the case. My glaucoma pressure levels have not been affected by my HBA1C. However, as you possibly know, there is a link between HBA1 C level and diabetic retinopathy and diabetic maculopathy. You therefore want to keep your HBA1C at a good level to reduce the risk from those eye conditions. Good luck with your glaucoma testing - which is very simple and straightforward. If you have any questions about glaucoma please post them on here and I will try to answer.
I had a test at specsavers but not as in-depth as at a hospital and was told I am not at risk for developing it but I will find out more with the proper test at the hospital
So if the optician said NO - who on earth has referred you to the hospital for testing? and why? Personally I haven't had an opticians 'puff of air' test for many years because my optician doesn't have such a machine.
Why did the GP refer you to the eye department at the hospital? From my knowledge and experience if the optician has checked your pressures and said they’re ok then there’s no need to be checked by the hospital. It might be worth letting your surgery know what the optician said because if you don’t need the hospital appointment it could be used by someone else.
However I would encourage everyone to have their eye pressure checked at least every two years at an opticians, unless already under the care of an eye department, because unthreated glaucoma can bit by bit steal your sight without you realising and any sight that is lost can never be got back with any treatment. Treatment can only stop/slow down sight loss from progressing.
Well I haven't had em at Boots or Asda. Used to get them when I went to Specsavers, but would have to go right into Coventry city centre to access one of them. No parking that close to the pedestrian precinct and besides - it costs money. The other thing is because all the frames in the chains are equally expensive - I'd still just grab the eyetest certificate and take it to Asda!
Glaucoma can be detected perfectly well by a regular optician (my eye problems were more serious so it was my optician that referred me to the hospital) but if the optician didn't pick anything up or find anything then I think the hospital appointment may be a wasted trip for you whereas someone who really needs it could have it, I don't mean to sound nasty or harsh by saying that but the hospital really don't do any more in depth tests than an optician, my optician is a small partnership not a chain and they examine, photograph and check pressure, these are the exact same tests I receive every time I have a check up at the ophthalmology department with no added extras so it really isn't any more in depth like you seem to think
If Eye pressures are high there are three things that they can do at the hospital which the optician can’t. 1) a much more detailed visual field test 2) a scan of the optic nerve which is completely different from the retinal/ macula scan c) an examination to check whether the eye angle is closed or open. Some hospitals, such as Morrfields, also check the thickness of the cornea.
But as far as I’m aware these are only mainly done if you are considered at risk of glaucoma because eye pressures are higher than they should be.
My diagnosis of glaucoma was suspected by my optician 18 months before I was diagnosed with diabetes - my HbA1c at that time was normal. Mine was inherited from my grandfather, who never had diabetes.
Since being diagnosed with both diabetes and glaucoma, I get tested once a year at hospital (glaucoma monitoring), once a year at the optician (routine test), once a year at the GP surgery (diabetes monitoring) and once every 3 years at Specsavers (DVLA monitoring). This year I had all 4 tests in the space of 8 weeks. Overkill perhaps, all slightly different, but all A OK!
The testing in hospital will be neither better or worse than that done in the opticians. The whole point of the “puff of air” test is that it is a perfectly adequate check for glaucoma.
I get it done at Specsavers when I get my routine eye test done.
I’ve spent 22 years with glaucoma and a) the puff of air test is nor as accurate as that checked by an eye doctor at the hospital - those by the optician tend to read higher b) high eye pressure does not automatically mean glaucoma - it is possible to have high pressures without the damage caused by glaucoma.
I have high readings at the opticians due to thick corneas. They referred me to the hospital and they have set the level for my readings. I will be referred back if I go above the hospital recommendations.
I had my hospital appointment today which was a lot quicker than specsavers one, it consisted of reading letters at distance and having eye drops put in and photographs of my eyes.
Didn’t have puff air test and was told that specsaver test wouldn’t be able to detect diabetes in the eyes which I was being tested for, need to have it annually and results will be sent to my doctor as soon as ready
Hi AJLang, sorry but I haven’t a clue it was over quickly first I read letters at distance then eye drops and had to sit in waiting room for several minutes before being called in again then green light shone in each eye, which I was told was to photograph each eye. Will soon find out, I always tend to ask questions later lol
Well I haven't had em at Boots or Asda. Used to get them when I went to Specsavers, but would have to go right into Coventry city centre to access one of them. No parking that close to the pedestrian precinct and besides - it costs money. The other thing is because all the frames in the chains are equally expensive - I'd still just grab the eyetest certificate and take it to Asda!
Just looked at the Asda opticians page on their website and I can honestly believe their prices. I’m looking at getting varifocals and at their price point I have to ask, are they actually ok? What’s the customer service like if you have any issues?
It's most likely as good as everything else Colin, but there again the only issue I've ever had was a few years ago when I needed eg a side piece re-bending cos they didn't stay put or dug in the top of one ear - ie nothing serious.
Not at all unusual - one ear is higher/lower than the other! LOL
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
