SCREEN NOW: a new educational resource for diabetes and eye health

Diabetes and eye health are very important care considerations for everyone with diabetes. Visual impairment and blindness as a consequence of diabetes retinopathy are one of the most feared complications of diabetes (Rafferty et al, 2021). Good glycaemic control and blood pressure management are pivotal in both the primary prevention and the prevention of progression of diabetic retinopathy (Rafferty et al, 2021). Practice nurses are pivotal in ensuring that people with diabetes have been invited to retinal screening at annual reviews, and also checking that individuals have had their annual digital retinal photograph in accordance with the UK National Health Diabetes Eye Screening Service (Public Health England, 2014). The recent re-opening of services for diabetes retinal screening has been welcomed after a prolonged period of limited or no screening due to COVID-19 and social distancing. However, a multitude of unrealised diabetes-related complications have occurred during lockdowns which now require diagnosis and urgent care escalation (Ghosal et al, 2020). These in particular affect eye health and, as such, promoting diabetes retinal screening is essential for everyone (Scanlon, 2021).