We began offering additional eye screening to women with diabetes who become pregnant nationally in 2023, following a successful pilot in Dublin maternity units in 2022. Through this initiative our aim is to protect the sight of women with diabetes who become pregnant.
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes that affects the small blood vessels at the back of the eye, in an area called the retina, potentially damaging a person’s sight. When retinopathy is found early, it can be monitored carefully through screening, and if treatment is needed it is effective at preserving vision.
Deputy Clinical Director with Diabetic RetinaScreen, Prof Louise O’Toole said: “Pregnancy may increase the risk of diabetic retinopathy, so women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who become pregnant need eye screening more often during this period.”
Professor O’Toole emphasises the importance of women connecting with the diabetic eye screening programme as soon as possible after becoming pregnant. She said, "You should ideally get your first extra eye screening before you are 13 weeks pregnant, unless your routine screening has been very recent. If we find early signs of diabetic eye disease during your first test, we'll schedule another test for you between week 16 and 20 of your pregnancy. And everyone should undergo another eye screening at week 28 of their pregnancy.”
Women who have diabetes at the time they become pregnant are referred to our Diabetic RetinaScreen programme by their maternity service as part of their initial assessment, or by their diabetes nurse or hospital doctor. We link with the 19 national maternity hospitals. Women can attend their appointments locally in community-based settings, across a network of over 130 screening locations. The screening is free and if treatment is required, this is also free.
The initiative was piloted with the support of a grant from the Women’s Health Fund and became available nationally in June 2023. There is no national data available to estimate the number of women with diabetes who become pregnant each year.
Since the start of 2023, we found that:
- 686 women have had additional screening. 432 women attended for screening during 2023, and in the first six months of 2024, 254 women were part of the new initiative.
- 30% of these women had not been screened by us previously
- 90 women were referred to treatment clinics following screening
- 394 women completed the eye screening cycle during their pregnancy
- most referrals came from Dublin maternity hospitals.
Our Diabetic RetinaScreen programme manager, Helen Kavanagh said: “By partnering with our maternity hospitals to offer this free and potentially sight-saving screening service to women with diabetes during their pregnancy, we are making it easier for women to choose screening.
“We are improving equity in screening and have increased the number of women with diabetes newly registered with our Diabetic RetinaScreen programme. The benefit to these women extends beyond their pregnancy and they now have the opportunity to access diabetic retinal screening for the rest of their lives. We will continue to work together with our maternity services to provide accessible, compassionate care for women with diabetes.”
Women attending diabetic retinopathy screening for the first time remain on our register for routine screening following their pregnancy.
In 2024 we are enhancing our data collection to better understand why women with diabetes may not previously have been registered with Diabetic RetinaScreen.
- Mum-of-two Vicky Williams shares her experience of diabetic retina screening during her pregnancy.
- Find out more about diabetic retina screening in pregnancy.
- Diabetic RetinaScreen is for everyone with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes aged 12 years and over. You can register online. Your GP or healthcare professional can also register you.
- We answer your questions about Diabetic RetinaScreen.
- We’ve developed a new 15-minute eLearning resource about diabetic retina screening for health and social care staff.
- We spoke with Erika Strofe about her work with Diabetic RetinaScreen supporting women who become pregnant on their screening journey - “Coming for screening is one way of looking after your health – and that’s important for you, and your baby.”