• Reference Number: HEY-453b-2022
• Departments: Diabetic Eye Screening
• Last Updated: 1 October 2022

IMPORTANT INFORMATION – Please keep for reference

There is an extremely small risk (less than 1 in 20,000) of causing a sudden rise in pressure in the eye(s) a few hours after the dilating drops have been put in the eyes at your screening visit. This is known as acute angle closure glaucoma.  There is no increased risk of this happening if you have chronic glaucoma and it is perfectly safe for you to have the standard dilating drops.

If you experience any of the following symptoms in the 24 hour period after you have attended for screening you should attend your local Accident and Emergency Department for assessment and treatment by the on-call Ophthalmology (Eye) Team.  

Symptoms to look out for: severe aching pain in the eye(s) associated with worsening blurred vision, severe redness of the eye, seeing coloured haloes around lights, headache and nausea/ vomiting.  

Telephone numbers for Accident and Emergency Departments are:

This advice slip should be used in conjunction with “Your Guide to Diabetic Eye Screening” Ref: HEY-913/2021E which was produced by the NHS National Diabetic Eye Screening Programme.  The leaflet should be provided with your invitation letter.

Additional copies and further advice can be found using the following link: Diabetic eye screening: information leaflets – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.