What is the difference between an NHS sight test and a diabetic eye screen?
For an NHS sight test, the optometrist will test your near and distance vision and assess if you need glasses and then give you the correct lens prescription. You will also have a general examination of the health of your eyes. The pupils are not usually dilated with an NHS sight test. People with diabetes are normally now entitled to a free NHS sight test every two years. This is a change from the previous free annual test. The NHS sight test alone is not robust enough to routinely detect sight threatening diabetic eye disease. When you have a diabetic eye screen, your distance vision is tested, then drops are used to dilate the pupils and this takes about 20 minutes. The next step is to take two digital photographs of each eye using the special camera. These photographs are looked at very carefully to check for any signs of disease.
