Routine screening (RDS)
Anyone over the age of 12 who has diabetes will be offered a routine diabetic eye screening test every 1-2 years.
This is offered as part of your NHS diabetes care and is different from an optician’s appointment.
You will be invited to a routine digital screening (RDS) clinic, where photographs will be taken of the retina at the back of the eye, this is done using a specialist camera.
Your routine appointment will last about 30 minutes. Please see the 'What happens at your appointment' section for more information on this.
Once the photos have been taken, a trained expert will review the photographs for any changes caused by diabetes.
Your results will be sent out to you via post within 1-2 weeks.
In some cases, you may be required to attend another clinic for a different screening test (see examples below).
Digital surveillance clinic
This clinic type is for closer monitoring of maculopathy, pre-proliferative retinopathy, and pregnant patients.
We use digital surveillance clinics to allow us to closely monitor patients who need more regular appointments than our routine screening allows.
You may be called to one of these clinics for the reasons below.
Diabetic maculopathy
If your annual screening test shows changes close to the centre of your retina (diabetic maculopathy), you will be asked to have an additional test within three months.
At this appointment, you will have a retinal photograph and an ocular coherence tomography (OCT) scan. The scan will only take a few seconds longer to capture and you will be seen in the community by the same screening staff but in fewer locations and it might not be at your local GP surgery.
You will be sent an appointment every three, six, or nine months.
How long will I have to come for these scans?
About 25% of patients who attend these closer monitoring clinics are discharged back to annual screening at the first visit. This is because the more detailed scan shows no significant damage.
If you are asked to attend every three to nine months, it is because your eye disease is more likely to progress to a level that needs treatment. However, most people who attend these clinics do not need eye treatment within two years.
Do I really need to attend so frequently?
Yes. If we monitor you closely, we will spot any change that might seriously threaten your sight. We will refer you to see an eye specialist at your local hospital if we think you might need treatment or if your maculopathy gets much worse.
Pre-proliferative retinopathy
If you have signs of diabetic retinopathy that has progressed but does not yet require treatment (pre-proliferative retinopathy), you will be asked to have a further screening test within three months.
At this appointment, we will take about 10 photographs of each eye so that we can see more of your retina. The photographs will only take a few minutes longer than normal. You will be seen in the community by the same screening staff.
You will be sent an appointment every three, six, or nine months.
How long will I have to be monitored more closely?
If you are asked to attend every three to nine months it is because your eye disease is more likely to progress to a level that needs treatment.
Do I really need to attend so frequently?
Yes. If we monitor you closely, we will spot any change that might seriously threaten your sight. We will refer you to see an eye specialist at your local hospital if we think you might need treatment or if your retinopathy gets much worse.
Pregnancy
It is important that you are screened more often if you are pregnant. You are at more risk of serious eye problems during your pregnancy if you were diagnosed with diabetes before you become pregnant.
You’ll be offered screening soon after your first antenatal clinic visit and again around 28 weeks of pregnancy. If early stages of retinopathy are found at the first screening, you’ll also be offered another screening test between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy.
If serious retinopathy is found at any screening, you’ll be referred to an eye specialist at your local hospital.
Gestational diabetes
If you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, we will not need to screen you for diabetic eye disease. For more information, visit the Gov.uk site on screening tests for you and your baby.
Slit lamp clinic
If you are invited for a slit lamp appointment, it's because we could not get a clear view of the back of your eyes using standard digital photography.
At this appointment, you will have a retinal assessment by a trained examiner who will look at the back of your eye with a slit lamp machine. This involves you looking into a bright light for a few moments while the examiner looks at the back of your eye using a small lens. The examiner will be able to see around any obstructions such as cataract, previous trauma to the eye, or anything else blocking the view of the retina.
The examination will only take a few minutes longer than taking photographs. You will be seen in the community by the same screening staff but it might not be at your local GP surgery.
The examiner will explain the result to you at the time of the appointment.
If the obstructed view of the retina is caused by cataract, you can return to photographic annual screening at your local GP surgery if the cataract is removed.
For more information, visit the Gov.uk website page on slit lamp screening.
