Mum-of-two Vicky Williams says the convenience, efficiency and reassurance offered by Diabetic RetinaScreen (DRS) during her pregnancy is a positive development for women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
In 2023 we established a new initiative offering additional screening, including free onward assessment and treatment if needed, to women with diabetes who become pregnant.
Vicky, a Service Arrangements Manager with the HSE’s Social Inclusion team, was one of the first women to be part of the new initiative.
It wasn’t available when Vicky had her first baby, Chloe, now aged three. Instead, she travelled from her home in Celbridge, Co Kildare to central Dublin for eye screening.
Vicky says, “My appointments were at 8am, which wasn’t convenient as it takes more than an hour to get there. For my second pregnancy with Ellie, I went to the centre near my home where I normally have my routine DRS eye screening test. I knew the staff and they put me at ease. I was seen quickly and treated as a priority. I got the results the next day. I’ve never been minded so closely!”
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that happens when high blood glucose levels damage the back of the eye (the retina), and the risk of it happening may be higher for women with diabetes who are pregnant. Screening is free and looks for any early signs of changes which, if left untreated, can affect sight.
The good news is that the earlier retinopathy is caught, the higher the chance that your vision can be preserved.
Vicky says, “The fear of going blind is probably my worst fear out of everything that comes with having diabetes. It gives me the shivers. Anything I can do to prevent that, through my glucose self-management and by going for screening is worth it.
“The service is extremely efficient,” Vicky says. “I felt I was a priority - if an appointment didn’t suit it was rescheduled straight away. That was great as I had Chloe at home and was working, so juggling all of my antenatal care was a challenge.
“In the second trimester of my most recent pregnancy, at around 26 weeks, screening found changes to my eyes and I was referred into the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital on Adelaide Road in Dublin for monitoring.
“A blood vessel at the back of my left eye was slightly bigger caused by the extra blood that flows through the body when pregnant – it was not retinopathy. I was closely monitored, which was reassuring because as the baby grows blood flow increases and the body becomes more and more resistant to insulin.
“Everything can change quite quickly through pregnancy so the faster you’re seen the better. If there are changes in the eyes that doesn’t mean it’s too late. There are so many things that can be done.”
Vicky had Ellie in October and had her most recent eye check at the hospital in February, when she was relieved to be told her eyes had gone back to normal. She was discharged back into routine screening.
The initiative is one of the additional layers of care offered to women with type 1 and 2 diabetes while pregnant. Vicky sees it as a valuable chance to ‘reset’ your diabetes care.
She says, “It gets you back into the mind-frame of screening. It all sets you up for after your pregnancy, giving you information and tools, so you feel more confident into the future. It’s a great opportunity for women who might have lost their way in managing their diabetes and don’t know where to begin.”
- The National Screening Service would like to thank Vicky for sharing her story with us.
- Ask your diabetes nurse or midwife about eye screening during pregnancy, or call us on 1800 45 45 55
- Diabetic RetinaScreen offers free screening to everyone aged over 12 with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Learn more about eye screening for people with diabetes.