Looking after your eyes

Your eyes should be examined by a qualified retinal screener at least once a year. If there are signs of eye disease then you should be screened more often. Your clinic or GP should be able to direct you to your local retinal screening service for people with diabetes.

Your vision will be assessed using a vision chart.

Then the examiner will need to examine the retina at the back of the eye. To do this some drops will be put in your eyes so that your pupil gets larger, so that the examiner can see into your eye more clearly. The drops may sting a little.

The eye examination

The retinal screening service will be looking for warning signs of developing disease. They will photograph your eyes so that the pictures can be compared at each examination; this will show up any changes.

What if there are warning signs?

If the retinal screener detects any problems then you may need to be monitored more frequently. You may be sent to an ophthalmologist (eye specialist), who will do further tests on your eyes. You may then have the problems treated.

How can I prevent problems in the future?

Keeping your blood glucose levels well controlled reduces the risk of developing eye disease (this is because it is high glucose levels that cause the blood vessels to grow). If your blood glucose levels are high they should be reduced gradually - your nurse or clinic can help you with this.

Your weight, your cholesterol levels and your blood pressure should be controlled through diet and exercise.

As mentioned in the section on diabetic retinopathy, you should attend your yearly retinal screening service appointments.