Where does screening take place?
We offer screening at various venues throughout the year. These can all be found on our Venues tab on the website here. The two types of venue include:
- Static sites where we hold clinics all the time
- Mobile sites, often at GP practices or local community hospitals, where we visit at regular periods.
How long will my appointment take?
Your appointment will last approximately 30 to 40 minutes, though it can take longer if you require additional eye drops to dilate your pupils sufficiently. If you are unable to get to your appointment on time, please contact the booking office on 01642 282677.
Can I drive to my appointment?
Dilating drops will be used at this appointment which will blur your vision for two to four hours. You should not drive until your eyes are back to normal as this may affect your insurance.
Why is screening only offered to people with diabetes?
People who do not have diabetes are not at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.
Do I still need to visit my own optician?
Yes. Screening is only designed to detect diabetic retinopathy. You will still need to see your optician regularly for a test for glasses and to check for other eye health problems such as glaucoma or cataracts.
Are there any risks to screening?
The eye drops used to dilate the pupils may cause some stinging for a few seconds and your sight will be blurred for approximately two to four hours after making it difficult to focus. You should therefore not drive following your screening appointment.
Very rarely, the drops used can cause a sudden, dramatic rise in pressure within the eye. This only happens in people who are already at risk of developing this problem at some point in their lives.
Symptoms of acute pressure rise include:
- Pain or severe discomfort in your eye
- Redness of the white of your eye
- Constantly blurred sight
If you experience any of these symptoms after screening and you are still having pain after six hours then you should contact your GP or go to your local accident and emergency department.
Telephone numbers for local emergency departments:
- The James Cook University Hospital – 01642 854096
- Darlington Memorial Hospital – 01325 743472
Do you offer evening and weekend appointments?
We currently offer some evening appointments at Redcar Primary Care Hospital and Friarage Hospital. We do not currently offer weekend appointments.