Diabetes patients warned of sight loss risk

Diabetes UK has warned that sufferers of the condition are at risk of losing their sight because they have not been screened using a digital camera to spot signs of retinopathy.

Retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in the UK’s working-age population and is linked to diabetes complications.

The charity says the latest Department of Health (DoH) figures show almost a quarter of people with diabetes aged 12 and over did not receive retinal screening in the period between July 2008 and June 2009.

It added that more than half of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are failing to meet national standards of annually screening 80 per cent of people with diabetes.

The ten PCTs reported by the DoH as having the lowest percentage of screening of diabetes in their population were topped by Newham, which screened just 18.7 per cent of people, followed by Wandsworth, Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT and South Gloucestershire.

Simon O’Neill, director of care, information and advocacy at Diabetes UK, said: “PCTs need to ensure they are promoting and inviting all eligible people with diabetes for retinopathy screening.”