Everyone with diabetes aged 12 or over should be invited to have their eyes screened once a year.
If you have diabetes, your eyes are at risk from diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to sight loss if it’s not treated.
Screening, which involves a 30-minute check to examine the back of the eyes, is a way of detecting the condition early so it can be treated more effectively.
- Diabetic eye screening is a test to check for eye problems caused by diabetes.
- Eye problems caused by diabetes are called diabetic retinopathy. This can lead to sight loss if it’s not found early.
- The eye screening test can find problems before they affect your sight.
- Pictures are taken of the back of your eyes to check for any changes.
- If you have diabetes and you’re aged 12 or over, you’ll get a letter asking you to have your eyes checked at least once a year.
Information:
You can get other versions of diabetic eye screening information, including an easy read guide, an audio guide and guides in other languages.
You’ll get a letter about the test
If you have diabetes and you’re aged 12 or over, you’ll get a letter every year asking you to have an eye screening test.
Sometimes you may have a choice of:
- when you have the test
- where you have the test – there may be more than 1 place to choose from in your area
Follow the instructions on the letter to book a test.
What to do if you do not get a letter
If it’s been more than a year since your last test and you have not had a letter, tell either:
- your GP practice
- your local eye screening service – check any old letters you have or search for your eye screening service to find contact details
Information:Tell your local eye screening service if you choose not to have the test. Their contact details are on the letter you get.
Before the test:
- plan how you’ll get to and from the test – do not drive, as your sight may be blurry for a few hours afterwards
- bring all the glasses and contact lenses you wear, along with contact lens solution
- bring sunglasses – everything can look very bright for a few hours after the test
- eat and drink as normal
You might want to bring someone with you, or ask someone to collect you after the test.
What happens during the test
- You’ll be asked to read some letters on a chart first.
- Drops are then put in your eyes. These may sting for a few seconds. The drops make your sight blurry after about 15 minutes.
- When the drops start working, you’ll be asked to look into a camera. The camera will not touch your eyes.
- Pictures are taken of the back of your eyes. There will be a bright flash when a picture is taken.
Your appointment will usually last about 30 minutes.
After the test
You can go home when the test is finished.
For up to 6 hours after the test:
- your sight may be blurry – do not drive until it goes back to normal
- everything can look very bright – wearing sunglasses can help
You will not get your test result on the day.
You’ll get a letter about your result within 6 weeks.
You’ll get a letter about your result within 6 weeks of having an eye screening test.
Tell your GP practice if you do not get a letter within 6 weeks.
There are 3 types of result.
No eye changes
This is called no retinopathy.
This means:
- no changes to your eyes were found
- you’ll be asked to come back for another test in a year
Some changes to your eyes
This is called background retinopathy.
This means:
- diabetes has caused some small changes to your eyes (called diabetic retinopathy)
- your sight is not affected, but it might get worse if you do not follow advice about how to prevent eye damage from diabetes
- you’ll be asked to come back for another test in a year
Eye damage that could affect your sight
This is called referable retinopathy.
This means:
- diabetes has damaged your eyes
- your sight could be affected
- you’ll be referred to a specialist to talk about what happens next
- you may need to have screening tests more often
- you may need treatment for eye damage from diabetes
Information:Sometimes the pictures of your eyes may not be clear enough to give a result. If this happens, you’ll be asked to have another test.