Retinopathy Review

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Lucyr

Lucyr

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
My retinopathy check up isn’t due until January but I got a letter on Friday and am on the way for my appointment now. Last year was the first year I’d ever had anything other than the all okay, and had background retinopathy in one eye caused by improving my blood sugars too quickly.

What has been other peoples experience with the retinopathy results, have they stayed at background retinopathy or improved / worsened after the first “it’s not all okay” letter?
 
I’ve been getting the Background Retinopathy letter for at least 20 years now.
 
I was alternating background retinopathy and all clear for about 6 or 7 years but been all clear for the last 2 years.
 
I had background retinopathy in one eye last year but this year was clear. Good luck. I hope you have a similar experience and it has dissipated.
 
Well I was surprised not to need the eye drops for the second year in a row. Before this I had them every year since diagnosis! I am wondering if it’s a new process since Covid maybe to reduce time you’re in there? They were doing drops for other people but they looked at least 30 years older than me. They said straight away to me we will try you without drops.
 
So Lucy, did they say anything to you as to what they saw? They usually say something to me. Did have background retinopathy some years ago, then it cleared. I haven't had a check since May 2019 but have now received an appointment for January.
 
No nothing at all, I’ve never had them give any information when taking the photos except when it’s an optician that does it. All he says is the practical stuff like keep your eyes closed, open your eyes, look at my ear, etc.
 
Lucyr said:
No nothing at all, I’ve never had them give any information when taking the photos except when it’s an optician that does it. All he says is the practical stuff like keep your eyes closed, open your eyes, look at my ear, etc.
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I've always had a good in depth discussion after, and gone through my pictures with the optician.
If it's done at the NHS they tend to be a bit faster.
Last one was clear, but the NHS were in and out, I paid for an other private scan when I had an eye test after.
 
When I have it with the optician I have a chat @travellor but this was the annual screening which is in a church not at the opticians.
 
Lucyr said:
When I have it with the optician I have a chat @travellor but this was the annual screening which is in a church not at the opticians.
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I moved counties, last ones were done by the opicians, here it's the NHS, who are more rushed.
The private session was worth it, it's a laser scanner, and the optician was very clued up.
 
grovesy said:
I still had the drops earlier in the year.
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I’m 34, have had the drops every year from age 20-32 then no drops age 33 and 34. The people having drops I saw were easily beyond their 60s, didn’t see anyone of a more in between age.
 
Lucyr said:
My retinopathy check up isn’t due until January but I got a letter on Friday and am on the way for my appointment now. Last year was the first year I’d ever had anything other than the all okay, and had background retinopathy in one eye caused by improving my blood sugars too quickly.

What has been other peoples experience with the retinopathy results, have they stayed at background retinopathy or improved / worsened after the first “it’s not all okay” letter?
Click to expand...
I am probably a bit luckier than most. In 2006 an optometrist commented on early retinopathy when I was buying some new specs. I went on a world trip immediately after that and was unable to see the ophthalmologist for several months. When I did he did a deep examination and found scars from healing retinopathy. He commented that he rarely saw that. At my next ophthalmologist check a couple of years later he had difficulty finding the scars and a few years later they were completely gone.

During that period I concentrated on keeping my peak post-meal BGs and A1c in a healthy range.
 
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