As the covid crisis eases, the national sight loss charity RNIB Scotland is emphasising it is more important than ever that people with diabetes attend their regular eye-examinations now that these have resumed.
During Diabetes Week this week [June 13-19th], the charity is pointing out that diabetic retinopathy, a complication of the condition, is a leading cause of sight loss among working-age Scots.
Director James Adams said: “Diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes, can affect the small blood vessels at the back of the eye and is a major cause of sight loss among working-age adults. But damage to vision can be arrested if detected early enough.
“While it’s possible that diabetes won’t cause any changes to your vision, the most effective thing you can do to prevent sight loss is to go to your retinal screening appointments and eye examinations, where safety measures are in place.”
Each year, 5,500 patients with diabetes in Scotland need to undergo further imaging or see an NHS eye specialist for the first time due to worsening in their retinopathy.
Angela Clelland, 47, from Inverness received a diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy during lockdown.
“Getting diagnosed was very, very scary,” Angela said, “because I was isolated in the pandemic. If you are on your own, it affects everything from simple things like making a cup of tea, having the confidence to go out, or not being able to check your diabetes because you can’t read the monitor.
“You need to take your eye health seriously. You need to make sure that you are going for your eye health checks. Even with the slightest change, go to your optician. As things were delayed due to COVID, I would urge anybody who is maybe late or due an appointment to go and make one, because the effect on your life if you don’t go and something happens is devastating.”
There are 3.5 million people in the UK who have been diagnosed diabetes, and an estimated 500,000 people living with undiagnosed diabetes. Within 20 years of diagnosis, nearly all people with type 1 diabetes and almost two-thirds of people with type 2 diabetes will have developed some form of diabetic retinopathy. People with diabetes are also at increased risk of glaucoma and cataracts.
People from a South Asian or African-Caribbean background are two to four times more likely to get type 2 diabetes. They tend to develop it at a younger age which means they live with the condition for longer.
The risk of complications increases with the length of time people have the condition. It is not known why this is the case, but it is likely to be a mixture of genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors.
* If you’re worried about your vision, contact RNIB’s Sight Loss Advice Service on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk/eyehealth.
For more information on the NHS Scotland eye-screening service, visit:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/diabetes/diabetic-retinopathy.
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