Tag: retinopathy

Stinging eyes

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Ouch! When you have the back of your eyes photographed you have to have eyedrops put in that sting. Then for a few hours afterwards your pupils are dilated so that if you walk around in the sunshine everything is dazzling and the world is blurred.

Of course I asked how the pictures looked and the technician said she couldn’t go into detail it they looked OK and she would send the results on to be reported on.

I’m really pleased my eye are OK, I don’t want damage to my retinas. It would be awful not to see things properly. Not be able to paint things or draw. I’m relieved, it’s an annual checkup so I hope to continue to be OK.

Retinopathy test

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I have had my annual retinopathy screening and all looks fine.

We are really lucky to have this service on the NHS. We pay for this in our tax and National Insurance contributions.

A technician puts some very stinging drops in your eyes, that’s the worst bit. The drops open your irises to let the light into the back of your eyes. Once your eyes are dilated you sit down in front of a machine. You put your chin on a rest and lean your forehead on a bar. Then you stare at a green flashing dot. First directly in front, then to the side. Each time the technician takes a photo of your retina.

Finally you get a set of four pictures of your retinas. The technician let me take a photo of one of them to show my hubby. I’ve included a close up of one of them here, plus my (still) dilated pupil. The technician could not see any problems but I should get the full results in a week or so.

I was lucky to get the appointment locally. I had been offered one 10 to 20 miles away, but as I was not allowed to drive with the eye drops in it would not have been feasible to travel.