# Should I go to the opticians or wait?



## Stitch147 (Nov 22, 2016)

Ive wore glasses for approximately 8 years now, long before being diagnosed at diabetic.
I wear them mainly for distance but as the prescription isnt too strong I tend to wear them all the time. 
For the past couple of weeks Ive noticed that my eye sight seems to be getting a bit worse. I struggle to read captions on the telly from about 10-12 feet away, this is more noticable in the afternoon/evenings. My last check up was in november last year and they have me down as 18 monthly check ups, so not due to go until May next year. 
Should I wait until then and see what happens blood sugar wise or is it worth me getting the checked sooner?
My bg levels are better (still not perfect) than they were last november when I had them checked last. 
My next retinopathy test is due on the 23rd January. Not sure what to do.


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## grovesy (Nov 22, 2016)

I would go to opticians, having been a glasses wearer  for nearly 50 years. Retinopathy screen does not tell if you have a prescription change.


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## Amigo (Nov 22, 2016)

Stitch147 said:


> Ive wore glasses for approximately 8 years now, long before being diagnosed at diabetic.
> I wear them mainly for distance but as the prescription isnt too strong I tend to wear them all the time.
> For the past couple of weeks Ive noticed that my eye sight seems to be getting a bit worse. I struggle to read captions on the telly from about 10-12 feet away, this is more noticable in the afternoon/evenings. My last check up was in november last year and they have me down as 18 monthly check ups, so not due to go until May next year.
> Should I wait until then and see what happens blood sugar wise or is it worth me getting the checked sooner?
> ...



I agree with grovesy there Stitch. I'm in this position presently and Specsavers did me a free re-test.


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## grovesy (Nov 22, 2016)

Stitch147 said:


> Ive wore glasses for approximately 8 years now, long before being diagnosed at diabetic.
> I wear them mainly for distance but as the prescription isnt too strong I tend to wear them all the time.
> For the past couple of weeks Ive noticed that my eye sight seems to be getting a bit worse. I struggle to read captions on the telly from about 10-12 feet away, this is more noticable in the afternoon/evenings. My last check up was in november last year and they have me down as 18 monthly check ups, so not due to go until May next year.
> Should I wait until then and see what happens blood sugar wise or is it worth me getting the checked sooner?
> ...





Amigo said:


> I agree with grovesy there Stitch. I'm in this position presently and Specsavers did me a free re-test.


I  got annoyed in Specsavers a couple of years ago when I went to book a test, was told I was not due one I said that is not a problem I will pay. When I mentioned this on been tested, which I did get free, that if your having problems that is alright, and the screen on their system for booking appointment does not flag up the Diabetes.


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## Stitch147 (Nov 22, 2016)

Thanks all, i'll make an appointment for the weekend.


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## Stitch147 (Nov 22, 2016)

Amigo said:


> I agree with grovesy there Stitch. I'm in this position presently and Specsavers did me a free re-test.



I always use specsavers anyway.


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## grovesy (Nov 22, 2016)

I do now after having a bad experience at Boots, where when I put my new  £500 + for the first time and told them immediately I could not see properly, I was told to go away and try them for a month. In 40 years of wearing I had never had it happen before always seen better. Only gave it a week and went back, and was retested and changed, they said we won't charge. They also lost some of my records.


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## eggyg (Nov 22, 2016)

@Stitch47, I work in an Opticians and know the rules re testing inside out. The NHS allow one test per year for ALL diabetics regardless of type, age, medication. Regardless of that, if you feel your eyes aren't right (within the year) you must go for a test. If there is no change you may be asked to pay. If there is a change or good reason ie GP recommended you have a test, the optometrist can code the NHS form to enable us to claim the cost of the test. You are also allowed to go 14 days before due date, as your last one was last November there is absolutely no reason any optician should refuse you a test, if they do change to a one that will. Shame we live such a long way from each other I would have booked you in ASAP!


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## Stitch147 (Nov 22, 2016)

Made an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. The girl I spoke to was lovely. Explained that if there is a change in my prescription I would not need to pay for my eye test, but if there isnt I would have to. But she did say, if I look on line there are vouchers for a free eye tests and to print one off just in case!
And if I do need to change my prescription I can claim the money back for my glasses through work.


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## Ralph-YK (Nov 22, 2016)

I believe it's possible that, as diabetics, we should have our eyes tested once a year.  I've also heard, from a optometrist at a diabetic support group, that we shouldn't "rush out to get new glasses when first diagnosed", we should wait a bit "for our eyesight to settle down".  (This was four months after I'd got new glasses. lol)  I don't know how long though.


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## trophywench (Nov 22, 2016)

Bollards, Stitch - the NHS says diabetics are entitled to a FREE eye test every TWELVE months - end of story - and eggyg has confirmed that from a shop's POV.  It isn't just HER shop in HER town - it's all opticians everywhere !  Have the eye test then if they ask for dosh refuse to pay.


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## Ralph-YK (Nov 22, 2016)

trophywench said:


> Bollards, Stitch - the NHS says diabetics are entitled to a FREE eye test every TWELVE months - end of story - and eggyg has confirmed that from a shop's POV.  It isn't just HER shop in HER town - it's all opticians everywhere !  Have the eye test then if they ask for dosh refuse to pay.


I am having mine yearly.  There was no hint of a sugestion of me paying.  (D%£$£$^ [edited deleted] squigerly red lines, I can't go on like this)


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## trophywench (Nov 22, 2016)

No there hasn't ever been any hint of me paying either Ralph - and I wore glasses before I had Diabetes, so I merely told the optician I'd now got T1 since the last time I'd been and we proceeded accordingly with free tests.  I have had to go back in between twice - first time turned out the scrip was completely wrong so didn't cost me and most recently my cataracts had, 7 months after my last test progressed to where they needed referring to the hospital, so that was free too.


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## Ralph-YK (Nov 22, 2016)

Oh. I've had glasses for 36 years.  Well 36 and six months.  I got them just in time for me leaving school. Short sighted. lol.
I told opticians I was T2, then heard someone say they were going for their yearly optician check up.  Went back to optician.  "Oh yes, we'll do that" they said.


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## eggyg (Nov 22, 2016)

Stitch147 said:


> I always use specsavers anyway.





Stitch147 said:


> Made an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. The girl I spoke to was lovely. Explained that if there is a change in my prescription I would not need to pay for my eye test, but if there isnt I would have to. But she did say, if I look on line there are vouchers for a free eye tests and to print one off just in case!
> And if I do need to change my prescription I can claim the money back for my glasses through work.


You definitely do not have to pay! Do they know you're diabetic? And as @trophywench so succinctly put it, it's bollards that you would have to pay regardless of any change. You should be given a NHS form before your test, there is an option to tick "I have diabetes/glaucoma ( delete as applicable) and my doctors details are below". I do this day in and day out, we know if our patients are diabetic and it's on their records, and one of the first questions I ask a new patient is if they have diabetes/glaucoma/family history of glaucoma (if they're over 40). And check about work and glasses, they may only pay if they're safety glasses and/or for VDU work.


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## trophywench (Nov 22, 2016)

Oh yep - it's so 'normal' I forgot about the form!  You do it whilst you're waiting to be called in !


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## Vicsetter (Nov 23, 2016)

eggyg said:


> @Stitch47, I work in an Opticians and know the rules re testing inside out. The NHS allow one test per year for ALL diabetics regardless of type, age, medication. Regardless of that, if you feel your eyes aren't right (within the year) you must go for a test. If there is no change you may be asked to pay. If there is a change or good reason ie GP recommended you have a test, the optometrist can code the NHS form to enable us to claim the cost of the test. You are also allowed to go 14 days before due date, as your last one was last November there is absolutely no reason any optician should refuse you a test, if they do change to a one that will. Shame we live such a long way from each other I would have booked you in ASAP!


Can people remember to post their location as all eye tests are free in Scotland, you don't have to be diabetic.  You are talking about NHS England.


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## grovesy (Nov 23, 2016)

I think most of the contributors to this post are in England. 
I understand where you are coming from as I feel it when people suggest Walk in centres ( ours closed last year), and minor injuries ( never had).


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## FergusC (Nov 23, 2016)

I agree with @Vicsetter Posting where you are helps clear up the differences in levels of treatment we get/are entitled to!


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## Northerner (Nov 23, 2016)

FergusC said:


> I agree with @Vicsetter Posting where you are helps clear up the differences in levels of treatment we get/are entitled to!


Can someone in Scotland please send someone down to England to see Jeremy Hunt and tell him how you manage your NHS so much better than ours, please!


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## FergusC (Nov 23, 2016)

Would mutch prefer them to give him a great big "Glasgow Kiss!"


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## Northerner (Nov 23, 2016)

FergusC said:


> Would mutch prefer them to give him a great big "Glasgow Kiss!"


I think there's a long queue for that!


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## mikeyB (Nov 23, 2016)

This happens over on the pancreatitis forum. There is such a difference in the NHS services, and follow up care joined up to local authorities. I'm so used to this that I sometimes forget that I'm talking about things that just don't happen in England. They once did, but successive governments of all stripes have eroded this in England. You don't need Scotland to teach you how it's done, you just change things back to how it was run prior to the last three reorganisations.


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## grovesy (Nov 23, 2016)

There is Scottish SNP member in Parliament who is  a Doctor and she talks alot of sense, tried giving them a history lesson yesterday of the changes and what went wrong, I doubt he will take notice! She has worked since the earliest 80's in NHS. She has many a time given them examples of things that the Scotland are doing that is working.


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## Ralph-YK (Nov 23, 2016)

Vicsetter said:


> Can people remember to post their location as all eye tests are free in Scotland, you don't have to be diabetic.  You are talking about NHS England.





grovesy said:


> I think most of the contributors to this post are in England.
> I understand where you are coming from as I feel it when people suggest Walk in centres ( ours closed last year), and minor injuries ( never had).





FergusC said:


> I agree with @Vicsetter Posting where you are helps clear up the differences in levels of treatment we get/are entitled to!


In another place I feguent  people use intro cards a lot.


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## Stitch147 (Nov 23, 2016)

Oh well. Glad I went, sort of! New glasses needed, no change in left eye, quite a change in right eye (which is what I thought). But the optician also til me that she noticed a couple of small cloudy bubbles in each eye which could be early signs of cataracts developing. No treatment at the mo but will be monitored.


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## grovesy (Nov 23, 2016)

Pleased we were justified in encouraging you to go and not wait.


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## Amigo (Nov 23, 2016)

Stitch147 said:


> Oh well. Glad I went, sort of! New glasses needed, no change in left eye, quite a change in right eye (which is what I thought). But the optician also til me that she noticed a couple of small cloudy bubbles in each eye which could be early signs of cataracts developing. No treatment at the mo but will be monitored.



I have exactly the same problem Stitch with the beginning of a cataract starting in my right eye. Left is spot on. Problem is a change of prescription doesn't make the affected eye clear and it's frustrating as hell when you're used to new glasses correcting the vision.
Glad you went though.


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## trophywench (Nov 24, 2016)

They don't Amigo - however it wasn't that long until my one progressed to 'referral' stage - couple of years from when he first noticed them and warned me they were 'budding' - he was surprised that the one had got that bad that quick, even with D bearing in mind how well controlled it's been.  So was I but actually it was a relief cos it meant my eyesight would (well not guaranteed obviously - but SHOULD) get better 'soon'.  And, it did, once they eye had got over the op and I'd had the proper new specs to deal with my binocular vision, it was orrible for close work whilst waiting long enough for the new scrip I would need to be a sensible investment!  (ie c.4 weeks after the op)


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## robert@fm (Nov 24, 2016)

Am I the only one here who finds that this thread title reminds them of this?:


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## Stitch147 (Nov 24, 2016)

Love that song.


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