Your Screening Result

NHS

You'll get a letter about your result within 6 weeks of having an eye screening test. Tell your GP surgery if you do not get a letter within 6 weeks. There are 3 types of result.

No eye changes

This is called no retinopathy. This means:

  • no changes to your eyes were found
  • you'll be asked to come back for another test in 1 to 2 years

Some changes to your eyes

This is called background retinopathy. This means:

  • diabetes has caused some small changes to your eyes (called diabetic retinopathy)
  • your sight is not affected, but it might get worse if you do not follow advice about how to prevent eye damage from diabetes
  • you'll be asked to come back for another test in a year

Eye damage that could affect your sight

This is called referable retinopathy. This means:

  • diabetes has damaged your eyes
  • your sight could be affected
  • you'll be referred to a specialist to talk about what happens next
  • you may need to have screening tests more often
  • you may need treatment for eye damage from diabetes

Sometimes the pictures of your eyes may not be clear enough to give a result. If this happens, you'll be asked to have another test.

Useful resources

Eye Care Liaison Officers (ECLOs also known as Eye Clinic Liaison Officers) have lots of...
Design for every gamer is our initiative to create a better gaming world for people with...
RNIB can help you understand the needs of disabled people to ensure that your business is...
RNIB’s free, informal, community-based courses provide information, advice, support and...
We can help you deal with the uncertainty of living with sight loss. Our Sight Loss...
If you are a parent or carer who has recently found out your child has been diagnosed...
We offer grants to registered blind or partially sighted people for useful technology...
Meet or connect with others who are blind or partially sighted to share interests,...
Our Connect Facebook groups are a supportive space for anyone affected by sight loss to...
Our Sight Loss Counselling Team runs support groups for people affected by sight loss...
Our employment assessment tool kit for recruitment professionals can help you assess the...