Meet Kayleigh Christopher Retinal Screener

Our Diabetes Eye Screening Service are set to launch an innovative pilot project where people from the local area who have or had diabetes will be able to have their eyes checked for diabetic retinopathy at Hillsborough football ground.

The clinics are being run in collaboration with Sheffield Wednesday Football Club and the Hillsborough GP collective as part of a pilot project.?

The new clinics will begin in early November (6-8) and December (4-6).?

Kayleigh Christopher , Retinal Screener at the Sheffield Diabetic Eye Screening Clinic, explains:

Why is diabetes eye screening important?

Until recently, changes in the retina caused by diabetes were the leading cause of blindness in the working age population.?

Regular attendance at diabetic eye screening clinics, where images of the retina are taken and checked by trained members of staff, is the safest and easiest way of checking for diabetic retinopathy.??

How important is regular attendance?

Attending these appointments is important as specialist staff can see changes in the retina before people notice a deterioration in vision. The earlier problems are found and treated; the less likely vision will be affected.??

These checks are not available as part of your normal eye examinations with an optician.?

How will the new initiative encourage uptake of diabetic eye screening appointments?

Diabetic eye screening appointments are normally carried out at least once a year or every two years if your last two screenings were clear.?To try and encourage attendance for our working age population, we have been requesting new venues to hold our clinics close to patients GP surgeries and home addresses, making it easier for people to attend without the need for long journeys on public transport to unfamiliar places.?

Who will be able to access the new clinics?

The first of these clinics will be available to those registered with a GP surgery in Hillsborough to ensure uptake is improved for patients in our region.

Clinics at the Northern General Hospital, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, and at other GP surgeries across the city will continue to run as normal.

Further information about diabetes eye screening can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetic-eye-screening/

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