Hi all,

Sorry its been quite a while since I last updated my Diabetes blog so thought it was about time to get a new one written 😊

A few years ago there seemed to be quite an influx of new Diabetes Blood Glucose Meters but I myself haven’t seen any new ones released over the past 6 months unless I have been missing something ? I currently switch between the Roche Accu-Chek Mobile and Ascensia Contour Next 2.4 which also links to my Minimed 640g Insulin Pump.

I know I am not the only one but my fingers take such a battering from the daily BG testing which I know cant be helped but I would love to be able to use a CGM especially like the Dexcom G6 but for me the cost is just too much – is it possible to get help with funding ? How accurate is the Dexcom G6 CGM compared to doing a normal BG test as surely there must be some kind of difference as a few years ago I tried the Abbott Libre CGM but found it was just not accurate enough for me.

The reason a CGM System interests me so much is that in August just before our family holiday I had a bit if a scare with my eyes and going back to about 15 years I had treatment for Retinopathy in both eyes with about 10,000 laser burns in each eye along with a Vitrectomy in both eyes. My right eye has complications to the central vision and night vision is very bad due to all of the laser treatment so during the winter months getting around is a pain to say the least. Sorry going back to my scare in August 😊 I had what I thought was a bleed in my left eye as I could see a slight shadow which was very scary so I called my local Diabetes Eye Dept to try and get in to see my Consultant but was told if I either need to go to Amersham Emergency Dept or make an appointment at my own clinic which could be months away, I kept pursuing this with no help at all from my local NHS Eye Hospital which was extremely upsetting. I explained the situation to my boss at work who is very understanding, and he suggested I called BUPA which I am a member of through work, they were extremely helpful and managed to get me a Private appointment at a BMI Clinic 2 days later with a Specialist Eye Consultant. The Consultant I saw was very nice and really did put my mind at rest as he said what had happened is when I had my Vitrectomy all those years ago there is sometimes a small piece of jelly stuck to the inside back of the eye which eventually detaches and dissolves and is nothing to worry about but until I had heard this it was a big worry. I went back twice and everything seems to be stable which is such a huge relief.

I am always worrying about my sight which drives me mad so having good blood sugar control is key which is why I think I would benefit from a CGM System.

We had been saving up for quite a long time to have a family holiday to Bulgaria in August last year which the children were really looking forward to and I thought I had everything covered in terms of my Diabetes equipment. The first day we were there I went in the sea with the children (Minimed 640g pump still on as its waterproof) and I got out the sea hearing a beeping OMG it was my pump. I really panicked as it had taken on water due to a small crack so I called the Emergency Number and was on hold for about an hour which was so frustrating, I then decided to post something on social media which did the trick, I received a call the next morning to be told a replacement was being sent direct to the hotel which arrived the next morning so very good service once someone had replied. Lesson learnt in that I need to take a holiday pump next time 😊

If you do have any suggestions on funding for CGM I really would appreciate the advice please ?

My BG levels are okay but it is so difficult to keep them level especially as we have three very excitable young children that can be quite stressful 😊

Thanks for reading 😊

Andrew

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Hi

I just wanted to write a blog to say once again how impressed I was with the superb care and service I received from my local Specsavers.

As you may or may not already be aware I have had numerous problems with my eyes and ensure I have regular eye checks to make sure nothing is missed, for my Diabetes Care I attend my local Diabetes Clinic but prior to this was the Western Eye Hospital in London where I went for many years and had numerous procedures – this is my last blog Western Eye Clinic.

My family and I have been going to Specsavers for the past 8 years for our yearly eye check whereas I attend my local Hospital for looking at issues with my eye health and any related Diabetes damage like Retinopathy etc. The reason I chose Specsavers is that the service I have received from Maidenhead Store has been superb and they give a great range of tests not just interested in selling you a new pair of glasses.

This time my prescription had changed ever so slightly and I had the choice of either staying with my current glasses or going for a new pair, my current glasses were three years old so I opted for a new pair with reaction lenses. These took about 1 week to come in and I was extremely happy as always.

Just for reference the checks I have had usually entail the following :

1. The Retinoscope

The optometrist may use an instrument called a retinoscope, which bounces a light beam off the back of your eye and back into the instrument. Different lenses focus the reflected light beam until it is steady, giving a close guide to the prescription you need.

The retinoscope is very accurate – it is used to test the sight of very small children, or people with communication difficulties who can’t easily describe how clearly they can see.

2. The test chart

The optometrist fine-tunes his findings by asking you to read the test chart through different strength lenses. The results for one eye often vary from those for the other, so each eye will be tested individually before both eyes are finally tested together.

The optometrist flips different lenses in front of your eyes that change how clearly you can see. Depending on your answers, the optometrist changes the lenses until you have the clearest, most comfortable vision possible.

3. Using the ophthalmoscope

The optometrist uses an ophthalmoscope to examine the retina at the back of the eye, including the blood vessels and the front of the optic nerve. This important test can detect changes which can indicate diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

The optometrist darkens the room and sits quite close to you, while they shine a bright light into each eye in turn using the ophthalmoscope. The light may leave shadows on your vision, but these soon fade.

4. The oxo box

You are also asked to focus on an oxo box, and say whether the illuminated lines are in line horizontally and vertically.

This indicates whether your eyes work well together – balanced and coordinated eyes are essential for clear comfortable vision.

5. Testing your focus

The optometrist may test your ability to focus at varying distances to decide if you need different prescriptions for distance and reading.

After these tests you sit down with one of the Sales People to go through the findings and choose some glasses which for me was all okay, the only issue I have is sitting in front of a laptop all-day and having to strain to see the words clearly. We then looked at the digital images of the backs of my eyes which are incredible to see as I could see all the scarring from the laser treatment I have had going back about 7 or 8 years – all this laser also affects my night vision massively but nothing I can do about this.

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