OTC scan at opticians vs NHS diabetic eye screening?

[Inka]

https://www.fhft.nhs.uk/media/6650/3b-optical-coherence-tomography.docx

The more I research the more I’m questioning why the NHS bother. So if something does come up on the 2D scan they’d refer me for an OTC scan anyway? Seems like the NHS being cheap and using old technology (as per always)
I’ll ask for a copy of my results. That way I’ve always got them to hand. Specsavers keep copies anyway and can’t see them going out of business anytime soon.
Thank you.

@Emilymay Thats not correct. That document is talking about macular oedema, which is different from the tiny bleeds that the eye screen looks for. I know a number of people who’ve had the bleeds but only one with macular oedema. This is what the NHS specific diabetic eye screens look for.

 

[Flower]

Hi @Emilymay

Retinal screening is a vital part of looking after your diabetes and identifying and treating (if necessary) any changes to protect sight. Hopefully you will never need anything beyond annual or two yearly check ups - a couple of drops every 1 or 2 years. The images are checked and stored for reference.

As someone who got retinopathy before the retinal screening programme existed I would take it as a vital test. It is a small inconvenience for peace of mind. Some people do not need the drops anyway as they have large enough pupils to get good retinal images.

It isn’t a big scary thing, it’s a couple of hours with slighty out of focus light sensitive eyes that could save a whole life time of fear & challenge.

That’s my view as someone living with partial
Sight who didn’t have access to regular retinal screening.

Discuss your options with Specsavers and see what the difference is in the tests and who reviews & keeps the images.

 

[helli]

It’s not just the stinging it’s the blurriness and the light sensitivity. Sounds horrid and unnecessary when I can pay £6 for a painless and more advanced option.

Given the screening is looking at your retinas, I am not sure if it is possible to do without dilating your pupils which is what the drops do.
Dilated pupils are sensitive to light - it's the way pupils work to minimise glare on a summer's day - and cause some blurriness. But as others have said, typically, this does not last long.
I would be intrigued to understand how SpecSavers get a good enough view of your retina to detect tiny retinal bleeds without dilating your pupils. Good luck.

 

[Tdm]

If the nhs could offer a cheaper test that was as good, they would.
They eye drops, from an nhs providers view, make things more awkward. They have to eyedrop you, wait for it to take effect, bring you back in....takes longer, can fit less people in, therefore more expensive.
I'm sure if the eye drops weren't essential they wouldn't do it.
My optitician do a full set of checks that pretty much go as far as the nhs, and will refer through if they see anything of concern. Its £50, involves the eyedrops, and i do it in addition to the yearly checks. The opticians at no point suggested it should be seen as a replacement to nhs tests.
I value my eyesight more than i do my job, and the eyedrops are far from the most inconvenient thing i do for my health.
Of course, everyone is free to make there own decisions

 

[Inka]

I imagine Specsavers use the eye drops too @helli if they’re doing a full screen.

 

[Dragonheart]

For the record i never had blurred vision from the drops and wasn’t aware of being especially light sensitive but I did get a migraine (which I get anyway) 3 yrs in a row so asked not to have the drops as a result. They warned me that they might not get enough light into the eye on the photo to see clearly but would try as sometimes it still works and the drops were routinely used to avoid costly recalls for failures. It has worked twice for me now and no migraine. I ensure my pupil is as dilated as possible by totally shielding light from it and keeping it closed right up until the last moment before the photo is taken. Perhaps ask not to have the drops if you are really that worried about it but it does risk failure in some cases, apparently more so the older your eyes are.

If you can afford it maybe do both tests in case one is less efficient than the other or examined by less experienced staff or records are somehow misleading. Belt and braces.

 

[Martin.A]

I'm more than happy to put up with a few seconds of stinging from the drops if it means they get a good, clear picture of my eyes. I always wear my sunglasses afterwards and I don't drive (as per the advice) until my vision returns to normal. I find that it affects my near vision more than my distance vision.

 

[Drummer]

At my first testing, I had background retinopathy - I found out since that I had a high glucose level flagged ten years before diagnosis, but it was dealt with by not telling me and not doing the test again......
By the second test it had gone, and now I am not going to be called back for two years due to no further problems.
I do seem to encounter any number of errors but I also appear to have the luck of the devil in avoiding serious consequences.