Diabetic Retinopathy Screening
The health of your eyes and vision is important to us.
What is diabetic retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is an ocular complication of diabetes that damages blood vessels inside the eye. Whilst a patient may initially experience no symptoms, the condition can lead to marked vision impairment or loss of vision.
Diabetic retinopathy can develop in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The longer a patient has had diabetes, the more likely they are to develop retinal complications. Diabetes is one of Australia’s fastest growing chronic health conditions. Despite this, many patients are still unaware of the damage that diabetes can do to eye health.
Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy
Initially, there may be few or no symptoms of diabetic retinopathy. As the condition progresses, symptoms may include:
Changing eyesight
Blurry vision
Floaters (spots) in your vision
Dark or empty areas in your vision
Eyesight loss
What do I need to do if diagnosed with diabetes?
Regular eye examinations are essential. We recommend that you have an annual eye examination. Patients with diabetes are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. Management involves control of your blood sugar levels together with regular review of your vision. Early diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy may prevent severe vision loss.
Please make sure that when you book online through our website that you select Diabetic Eye Examination, and the consultation time will be extended to 45 minutes. Alternatively, when you call our practice request an extended diabetic eye examinatio. This allows time for a thorough examination and discussion of your vision care with your optometrist.
Diabetic Screening FAQs
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For a diabetic eye examination, please allow between 45 to 90 minutes. This allows for a detailed eye examination, including dilation of your pupils.
Please let the staff know that you are booking in for a diabetic eye examination when you make an appointment so that we allocate an appropriate amount of time.
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We do not recommend that you drive for at least two and a half hours after we have dilated your pupils for a dilated fundus examination. Please arrange to either be collected from the eye examination or arrange to return home via public transport.