National Eye Health Week ran from the 23 to 29 September and promoted the importance of good eye health and regular eye tests for all. This year, the team were focussing on eye screening for those living with diabetes.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you should be invited to attend retinal screening every year from the age of 12. Screening is done to detect any signs of diabetic retinopathy which is where blood vessels burst in the eye and cause sight loss. The test involves a special camera taking a photograph of the eye to pick up any changes and treat the condition early if it is detected.
Emmeline Webb, Diabetic Retinopathy Screener at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, said: “If you have diabetes, it’s very important that you attend your annual screening appointments. Monitoring your eye health with regular checks means that we can detect any signs of blood vessels bursting and treat them before they cause any permanent damage to your eyes or lead to any sight loss. The test is quick, simple and non-invasive.”
If you have diabetes there are a number of things you can do to reduce your risk of sight loss. As well as attending your screening appointments every year, make sure you exercise regularly, eat well and control your blood sugar levels and avoid smoking.
If you think you have missed your screening appointment you can call the team on 01302 642596 to arrange another.