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Diabetic eye screening

What is diabetic eye screening?

Diabetes is one of the main cause of preventable sight loss in the UK.1 
1Diabetes UK Diabetic Retinopathy. Available at: Diabetic retinopathy | Diabetes and eye problems | Diabetes UK [Accessed: January 2026]

If you have diabetes, high blood sugar (glucose) or big changes in blood sugar levels can damage the back of the eye (retina). This is known as diabetic retinopathy. These early changes to your retina can often go unnoticed. Diabetic eye screening can find changes in your eyes before it affects your eyesight.

Diabetic eye screening involves having photos taken of your eyes to check for changes.

Everyone aged 12 or over, diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and registered with a doctor in Wales will be invited for a free diabetic eye screening test.

If you have been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes your doctor will let us (Diabetic Eye Screening Wales) know.  We will send you an invitation letter with a date and time for an appointment, each time you are due for diabetic eye screening.

If your last two diabetic eye screenings found no sign of diabetic eye disease you will be screened every two years. This is because you are at low risk of diabetic eye disease.  If diabetic eye disease was found you will be screened more often. 

If you notice any changes in your eyesight contact your optician.  Do not wait for your next screening appointment.   

About diabetic eye screening

Taking part in screening is your choice. The information in the following sections tells you more about what happens when you take part in diabetic eye screening.

  1. Reasons to attend diabetic eye screening
  2. Your diabetic eye screening invitation
  3. Your diabetic eye screening appointment
  4. About the diabetic eye screening test
  5. Your diabetic eye screening results
  6. Signs and symptoms of diabetic retinopathy

Why is diabetic eye screening important?

Going for your diabetic eye screening is one of the things you can do to look after your eyesight.

Diabetic eye screening is important because:

  • Screening can find changes in your eyes before they start to affect your vision.
  • Diabetic retinopathy does not usually cause any symptoms in the early stages. 
  • Monitoring and treatment can slow or reverse changes caused by diabetic retinopathy.
  • Diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness if not diagnosed and treated. 
Information:

Public Health Wales are currently telephoning adults who have not attended their screening invitation. The purpose of this is to help re-book screening tests for those individuals who wish to take up the offer screening as well as to better understand the reasons why people may not take up the offer. This information we collect, along with our evaluation of the impact of this work, will help inform how we develop our screening services in the future. Members of the public who receive a phone call from 02920 537280 and wish to verify that they have been contacted by Public Health Wales or would like assistance in organising a screening test can call Public Health Wales on 0300 003 0500 or email [email protected]

Table of contents:

Further information

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Resources

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Reports

Diabetic eye screening programme reports

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Data

Diabetic eye screening uptake/coverage data

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