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Derbyshire
Diabetic Retinopathy Screening
Service (DDRSS)
From April 2007, people living in
Derbyshire, with diabetes, will be
offered an appointment to have
photographs taken of the back of
your eyes as part of the new
National Screening Programme for
Diabetic Retinopathy.
An invitation will be sent to you,
asking you to arrange an appointment
for the photographs to be taken. The
photographic screening will be done
in a number of different locations
across Derbyshire but if you are
registered with Avenue House, the
screening can be done in Suite 10 at
Chesterfield Royal Hospital.
This new retinal screening service
replaces the screening provided by
optometrists but you will still need
to see your local optometrist for
sight checks and monitoring for
other eye conditions such as
cataracts and glaucoma. Your
optometrist will advise you how
frequently you should attend.
If you become aware of any change in
your vision, you should contact your
optometrist, NOT the screening
service.
The photographs are assessed for
changes at the back of the eyes
caused by diabetes. This is called
diabetic retinopathy and can cause
severe damage to vision unless found
early and treated appropriately.
The risk of having sight threatening
retinopathy increases the longer you
have had diabetes, if you have poor
glucose control, if you have high
blood pressure or if you smoke.
In the early stages, diabetic
retinopathy may have no symptoms –
you will not know you have it,
therefore it is important to have
your eyes screened regularly.
Further information is available
from:
Derbyshire Diabetic Retinopathy
Service
Tel: 01332 868860
or
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