Diabetic eye screening in the UK: why attendance matters

Everyone in the UK aged twelve and over with diabetes is invited to retinal screening. The programme exists because early retinopathy has no symptoms at all.

What screening detects

Microaneurysms, haemorrhages and early new vessel growth — changes visible on a photograph long before vision alters.

What happens if something is found

Most findings need monitoring only. More advanced changes are treated with laser, injections or surgery, and treatment given early preserves far more vision than treatment given late.

Cataract and diabetes together

Cataracts often develop earlier in people with diabetes. Surgery is very effective, but the retina must be assessed and stabilised first so that the result is not limited by disease at the back of the eye.

The single most useful action

Attend the appointment when it arrives, even when your vision feels perfect.

What this means if you are considering surgery in the UK

New technology only helps when it is matched to the right eye. Ms Tahmina Pearsall FRCOphth is a UK consultant ophthalmic surgeon on the GMC specialist register with more than 40,000 eye procedures performed, and she assesses every patient personally before recommending anything. If cataract surgery with diabetes is relevant to you, a consultation will tell you whether it changes your options — or whether a simpler, better-established treatment gives you a safer result.

Book a consultation with Ms Pearsall

Consultations are available at clinics across the UK, including London Harley Street, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Reading and Southampton. You can book a consultation, arrange a free 15-minute call, see treatment prices, read verified patient reviews or find your nearest clinic.