pmailkeey - Optician versus NHS retinal screening?

[pmailkeey]

Hi all,

I'm sure I'm not alone in having my optician take photos of my eyes - and then the NHS system does the same ! Is there any need for both services to be duplicating this work ?

Mike.

 

[h884]

I asked that very question when I had my retinal screening done. The reason that I was given was this was that the screening done in the hospital is then reviewed by Opthamologists. They described the screening as being quality assured.

Hope this helps

 

[pmailkeey]

Thanks for the quick response. As far as I'm aware, the optician is quite capable of correctly interpreting the images. The NHS make it extremely and unnecessarily difficult to get the images - whereas the optician either makes them readily available via their website or as happened last time, they just e-mailed me them! The NHS don't seem to care about their patients - and I'll probably not bother going back.

 

[trophywench]

The optician's photography doe snot check specifically for retinopathy and anyway if they could see you'd got it - they can't refer you straight to the ophthalmologist at the hospital who can treat it for you. They'd have to write to your GP, and then he would have to refer you to the hospital. Then you wait for Choose and Book and make an appointment. Of course it could take at least weeks if not months.

However by having the specific annual retinopathy scans, if anything needs doing - you get an appointment through with the right person, pdq.

Plus - I've also had photos taken when having my ordinary eye tests at Asda - but they don't put the drops in to dilate the pupils so they can get an intense look at the back of the eyes. Told me my eyes were perfectly fine with no problems at all. Oh, really? Very odd that, considering I've actually had background retinopathy since 1995, isn't it?

 

[pmailkeey]

It might be the hosp version will spot problems sooner - with dilated eyes. As for action if optician spots an issue, it could be treated that day if urgent - via A+E. Do you know if there's a good place that lists private clinics for the photos ?

 

[mikeyB]

My formal retinal screening is done at Specsavers, the photos being taken after dilation of the pupils. This is probably due to geography and a lightly populated region. Cross checking is done somewhere in darkest Paisley, I think. This means I do get to see the pictures, and get the opinion of an experienced optician before I leave. But not before spending £90 on new reading glasses, two for one.

 

[pmailkeey]

That's interesting, Mike. Are the images in sharp focus or somewhat blurred ? (Is this where we go into the 'you show me yours and I'll show you mine' routine ? 😉 Looking on the web at images, I see many sharp ones and a few blurry ones. Mine are slightly more blurry than the blurry ones! (Vision Express)

 

[mikeyB]

Pin sharp. I could see all of my blood vessels just like in a textbook photograph. I think the eye screening service ensures that although the photos are taken by the optician, the standard is very high. If it weren't, there are other opticians in Oban who could do it.

 

[grovesy]

The last time the guy at my Specsavers did mine without drops it took him about 3 attempts to get a good picture. Where the retinal screening with the drops got them no problems. Also the results for the screening service service seem to be coming back within days recently.

 

[pmailkeey]

Only just noticed this thread had been moved.

I'll ask Vision Express if they do use drops and get sharp images. That'd save me battling with the NHS !

 

[Vicsetter]

Interesting, I have never had drops (either at the hospital or Vision Express) and pictures have been fine. Vision Express referred my wife direct to the hospital (not even a letter to her GP) for further tests (some special camera which does a sort of 3d scan), which then resulted in laser treatment. Vision Express didn't like it when I refused their photo as I just wanted my eyes tested for my prescription and I had just been to the hospital for my photo.

 

[Wirrallass]

Hi Pmailkeey - I had diabetic eye screening a couple of months ago at Specsavers. (This is not the same as a normal eyesight test)

The eye screening is important as it helps to prevent sight loss. As someone with diabetes our eyes are at risk of damage from diabetic retinopathy and the screening can detect the condition early before you notice any changes to your vision.

This condition occurs when diabetes affect blood vessels, damaging the part of the eye called the retina. It can cause the blood vessels in the retina to leak or become blocked which can affect your sight.

Eye drops are put in the eyes to temporarily make the pupils larger. After about an 8 -10 minute wait photographs are taken of the back of the eyes. In my case I was informed that these photograps were sent digitically to the hospital for an expert to review.

As Trophywench says the Optician sends a letter to you & your GP. letting you know the screening results. The NHS were on the ball for a change where I was concerned and I received a letter from the hospital within 3days with the result. My test result appeared normal which meant that I am at very little risk of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy at that time.

I didn't need to have eye screening at the hospital.
WL

 

[trophywench]

Different localities do the screening at different locations WL - ours is the GP surgery - but if we miss when they are there (eg on holiday) we can ring them and they'll get us in at the City of Cov Health Centre, where the drop-in GP service for residents is, and podiatry and dentistry and straightforward X rays are done and all sorts of other things.

 

[Wirrallass]

Yes I realise this Jenny but I took what is on offer in my area as opposed to having the screening at our local University Teaching hospital - where the parking situation is diabolical and expensive since parking charges yet again have been increased

Good that your Coventry Health Centre offers more services than some. There's a Health Centre here just 10mins walk away that has just about everything too except dentistry. I go there to have my bloods taken. In fact GP's are referring more and more patients there for this that and tother taking the pressure off themselves!
WL

 

[pmailkeey]

Interesting, I have never had drops (either at the hospital or Vision Express) and pictures have been fine. Vision Express referred my wife direct to the hospital (not even a letter to her GP) for further tests (some special camera which does a sort of 3d scan), which then resulted in laser treatment. Vision Express didn't like it when I refused their photo as I just wanted my eyes tested for my prescription and I had just been to the hospital for my photo.

Shame - you could have compared image quality ! I've just extracted NHS images from e-mail. They're clueless about IT ! It looks like they've printed them in colour on A4 sheets then scanned them to put them in a PDF to attach to e-mail. So there's the round images and the rest of the paper is black toner colour - except where the laser printer's left gaps! Consequently they're not good reproductions of the original images.

 

[pmailkeey]

Hi Pmailkeey - The eye screening is important as it helps to prevent sight loss. As someone with diabetes our eyes are at risk of damage from diabetic retinopathy and the screening can detect the condition early before you notice any changes to your vision.
WL

But the optician's images are good enough to spot issues - although maybe not quite as early ?

Both my parents had diabetes (2) but I think for different reasons. I was 'diagnosed' a couple of years ago - when I reported to my GP my BM was high ! With having the test kit, I kept an eye on my BMs myself - every few months. They were above normal but not high enough for a 'diagnosis' - until 2015. GP said they wanted to get to the bottom of it - but then failed to do so. I suspect it's a side effect of BP meds that I'd started a few months earlier!

Surgery diabetician said initially to treat it by diet control. I said no, we'll treat it with 4 Metformin a day. The dose hasn't altered and everyone's happy with my reduced Hba1c !

 

[Greyhound Gal]

My local vision express does the full test, with drops. They tell me what they think afterwards, but they are then sent off to NHS who have a really good look, and write to me with the outcome. I get the letter with results within 2 weeks of my appt.
Handily, I also do archery with one of the girls who does the NHS check of the photos and if I have any questions she answers them for me at the club! She was the one who checked my last lot!

 

[pmailkeey]

Thanks for that - so it seems I should be able to get that here! Seems like a good idea to me - optician - short walk, clinic - 18 miles away. Currently doing both at NHS expense! #pointless.