LOCALISING a crucial eye-screening service has been hailed as a huge success.

The diabetic eye screening team from Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust held a clinic at Wombwell Medical Centre giving patients a choice of locations to make the service more convenient and accessible.

The facility saw more than 25 patients who opted to attend their local medical centre at Wombwell.

Diabetic eye screening is an integral part of diabetes care and checks for diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to sight loss if it is not detected early and treated.

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by high blood sugar levels damaging the blood vessels at the back of the eye and can cause blindness if left undiagnosed and untreated and is the most common cause of sight loss in people of working age.

Everyone aged 12 and over with diabetes is invited to attend once a year as early detection through screening allows prompt treatment before any change of vision is noticed.

Kate King, Barnsley and Rotherham lead nurse/programme manager, said: “Screening is a way of detecting the condition early before you notice any changes to your vision as diabetic retinopathy doesn’t usually cause any noticeable symptoms in the early stages.

“Alongside our sites at Barnsley and Rotherham hospitals, we also attend a number of community venues offering ‘pop-up’ clinics giving patients a choice of where they would like their screening delivered.

“If you have diabetes, there are a number of things you can do to reduce your risk of sight loss. As well as attending annual screening appointments, make sure you exercise regularly, eat well and control your blood sugar levels and avoid smoking.”

If you think you have missed your diabetic eye screening appointment, you can call the Barnsley and Rotherham team on 434576 to arrange another one.