Virtual diabetic retinopathy: outpatient clinic
Information for patients from the Ophthalmology Department
Thank you for coming to your appointment today at the Eye Clinic.
What happens after my appointment?
One of the following may happen after your appointment.
You may be asked to come back to the hospital outpatient Photographic Diabetic Retinopathy Clinic (the time and date will be noted in your results). This will be because your diabetic retinopathy / maculopathy is stable, but not at a level yet where you can go back to your local Diabetic Eye Screening Programme.
You may be discharged back to the care of your local Diabetic Eye Screening Programme because the level of your Diabetic Retinopathy / Maculopathy has improved, or is unlikely to get any worse.
You may be referred for a face to face consultation with a retinal specialist and need further tests. This may be because your condition has got worse, or that the images taken during your appointment did not provide enough information about the condition of your eyes. It may also be that another eye condition has been seen which needs further investigation.
Your results letter will explain which of the above is relevant to you.
What do I need to know about my dilation eye drops?
The eye drops given to you to dilate (open up) your pupils are Tropicamide 1% and Phenylephrine 2.5%. The following are normal reactions to the dilating drops.
Blurred vision and sensitivity to bright light (you may find it helpful to wear sunglasses after your appointment).
Temporary stinging and a dry mouth after using the eye drops.
The effects of the drops can last between two and four hours but can be up to six hours, so you should not drive or operate heavy machinery until your sight returns to normal and your eyes are comfortable.
If you have any of the following reactions / symptoms you should go to your local Emergency Department immediately
Very rarely the drops can cause a sudden dramatic rise in pressure within your eye (known as acute glaucoma), this will need to be treated quickly in an eye unit. The symptoms of this include:
pain or severe discomfort in your eyes, with a redness of the white in your eyes
constant blurred sight, sometimes with rainbow halos around lights
nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting.