Diabetic eye screening service saves people’s eyesight

26 September 2003

In a report to mark the first twelve months of the service, Richard Dewhirst, head of the service, said that 19 people were found to have ‘proliferative diabetic retinopathy’, which can result in blindness if left untreated.

From July 2002 - when the service began - to July 2003, 5520 diabetics from throughout west Suffolk were screened.  71% of patients had no diabetic retinopathy, 24% had mild retinopathy, and 5% were referred to a consultant ophthalmologist for further investigation.

“It is important that we identify people with mild diabetic retinopathy so that we can monitor them and make sure their condition does not deteriorate,” said Richard Dewhirst. “The condition is reversible if proper attention is paid to diet and blood sugar levels.”

Key to the service is a state-of-the-art digital camera which takes photographs of the retina, the light-sensitive membrane at the back of the eye.  These images are carefully looked at to determine whether there are any changes to the retina as a result of diabetes.

 A team of screeners take the camera around GP surgeries in West Suffolk, so that the 6,000 adults with diabetes registered at the 32 GP practices in Suffolk West PCT area benefit from an annual eye check.

Diabetes is the single biggest cause of preventable blindness in the working age population of the UK and people with the condition are recommended to have their eyes screened every year. A condition called diabetic retinopathy, which causes haemorrhaging at the back of the eye, can result in blindness but can be prevented, and also treated successfully, if people with diabetes are screened regularly.

The 19 patients found to have retinopathy were previously undiagnosed and were not aware they had a problem. They have since all been successfully treated at the West Suffolk Hospital. A further 68 patients were referred to a consultant because of other eye problems not linked to diabetes, including 12 with cataracts.

Over the past year, the number of people seen by the service each week has increased thanks to improved efficiency. Also, the maximum waiting time for urgent referrals to a consultant is just 5 working days. Often a patient only has to wait two days from having their eyes screened to receiving laser treatment for retinopathy.

If a screening shows that a patient has a problem with their vision which needs correcting with spectacles, then staff advise them to visit their optician.

“We are pleased with the progress which the Diabetic Eye Screening Service has made over the past year,” said Richard Dewhirst. “The service is entirely focussed on the needs of patients and we aim to make it as convenient as possible for people to attend for screening. The fact that we have been able to treat 19 people who may otherwise have gone blind testifies how important the service is. In many other cases we have identified retinopathy at an early stage, and have prevented people’s eyesight from deteriorating to the point where laser treatment is the only option.”

Disc Jockey John Peel, famous for his groundbreaking Radio One shows, officially launched the mobile diabetic eye screening service at the Rookery Centre in Newmarket in October 2002.

“As a diabetic, I am aware of how vitally important it is for people with the illness to have regular eye checks,” said John Peel.  “There are few things in life as precious as sight, and it seems ridiculous and tragic that someone might lose their sight due to diabetes when a simple eye test can identify problems before it is too late.”

Note:

Suffolk West PCT was formed on 1 April, 2002, from the merger of West Suffolk Borders and Bury St Edmunds PCGs. It serves a population of 218,000, has an annual budget of about £145m and includes GP practices in Barrow, Botesdale, Brandon, Bury St Edmunds, Glemsford, Great Cornard, Haverhill, Hopton, Ixworth, Lakenheath, Long Melford, Mildenhall, Newmarket, Sudbury, Wickhambrook and Woolpit.