Devon Diabetic Eye Screening Programme

👶👁️ Living with diabetes and expecting a baby? Don't forget about your eye health.

Pregnancy can increase the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that can affect your sight.

If you're pregnant and living with diabetes, you'll be offered diabetic eye screening during each trimester. These additional screening appointments are safe for both parent and baby and can help detect changes early, often before any symptoms are noticed.

✅ Attend all your screening appointments
✅ Keep your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol within your target range
✅ Speak to your healthcare team if you have any concerns about your vision

Early detection and treatment can help protect your sight.

For more information, scan the QR code in the image or speak to your healthcare professional.

Exeter Diabetes Support Group 💙

If you, or someone you know has been diagnosed with Diabetes, then pop along to Diabetes UK's Exeter Support Group at Exeter Library on the first Saturday of each month.

Pop along to their coffee morning to meet others affected by the condition and chat informally about Diabetes.

📆 Date: First Saturday of each Month
🕑 Time: 10:30am - 12:00pm
📍 Location: Exeter Library, Rougemont Place, Exeter EX4 3PQ

To learn more, please visit their website 👉 https://volunteer.diabetes.org.uk/teams/exeter?cookieconsent=set

We have 40 venues across Devon all located on a bus route and with disabled access.
It is important to attend your eye screening appointment, if the date, time or location of your appointment is not suitable, please contact us, we will do our best to rearrange a more suitable appointment.

01392 241000

Alternatively, if you are registered with the NHS app, you can use your log in details to access our patient portal where you will be able to view your previous screening results as well as book or rebook your diabetic eye screening appointment. - https://portal.devondesp.co.uk/login.html

A downloadable list of our venues is available on our website: https://www.inhealthgroup.com/diabetic-eye-screening/contact-and-locations/

You can also see where your closest venue is through our interactive map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=19GQXL944oGT-EygUVCD54rXyOUQI5c0&ll=50.75452632033655%2C-3.6908074000000113&z=9

Did you know diabetic eye screening can detect changes in the back of the eye before you notice any symptoms?

Last week, our service:
👥 Screened 1,196 patients
🔍 Completed 1,230 grades
🏥 Made 13 referrals for specialist eye care

Every appointment is an opportunity to detect problems early and help protect sight.

📩 If you've received an invitation for diabetic eye screening, don't put it off. Screening is quick, painless, and could help save your sight.

👁️ Protect your sight with diabetic eye screening

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of preventable sight loss, but early detection can make a real difference.

You can help reduce your risk by:
✅ Attending your diabetic eye screening appointment every year
✅ Keeping your blood glucose levels within your target range
✅ Managing your blood pressure and cholesterol
✅ Not smoking
✅ Staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle

Don't wait for symptoms to appear. Regular screening can help spot changes before they affect your vision.

👁️ Another busy week helping to protect sight across our communities.

Last week, our diabetic eye screening teams:
✅ Screened just under 1,000 patients
✅ Completed over 1,200 grades
✅ Identified 6 patients requiring referral to Hospital Eye Services

Diabetic eye screening plays a vital role in detecting changes before they affect vision. If you receive an invitation, please attend your appointment. Early detection can help prevent sight loss and protect your long-term eye health.

👁️ What is SLB Screening? 👁️

During your diabetic eye screening appointment, you may be invited to have an SLB examination (Slit Lamp Biomicroscopy) if the photographer needs a closer look at the back of your eyes.

A slit lamp is a specialist microscope that allows trained eye care professionals to examine your retina in greater detail. This helps them to identify any signs of diabetic retinopathy or other eye conditions that may not be as clearly visible on retinal photographs alone.

✅ Why might I need SLB screening? • The retinal photographs are unclear or incomplete. • Additional detail is required to assess changes in the retina. • There are signs that need a closer examination.

✅ What happens during the examination? • You will sit comfortably in front of the slit lamp. • The examiner will ask you to look in different directions while they check the back of your eyes. • The examination is painless and usually only takes a few minutes.

✅ Why is it important? SLB screening provides a more detailed assessment of your eye health and helps ensure that any diabetic eye changes are identified as early as possible.

Early detection is one of the best ways to help protect your sight and ensure that treatment can be offered if needed.

📅 If you are invited for an SLB appointment, please attend. It is an important part of maintaining your eye health and safeguarding your vision for the future.

Another busy week for the Diabetic Eye Screening team! 👁️

Last week we screened over 1,000 patients and completed more than 1,000 grades, helping to support the early detection of diabetic eye disease. We also made 6 referrals to Hospital Eye Services for further investigation.

Did you know? Devon DESP currently has 84 leaplings eligible for screening. A leapling is someone born on 29 February, making them part of a very exclusive club.

Thank you to our dedicated teams for continuing to deliver high-quality care and helping us make healthcare better.