Herts and West Essex Diabetic Eye Screening Programme

The Herts and West Essex (HWE) diabetic eye screening programme (DESP) is part of a national programme dedicated to screening patients with diabetes to detect diabetic eye disease (retinopathy).

Diabetic retinopathy is a sight-threatening condition that can affect anyone with diabetes. It affects the retina at the back of the eye and is caused when the blood vessels become blocked, leak, or grow haphazardly.  A person with diabetic retinopathy may not be aware of any changes to the retina until their vision is impaired, at which point it may not be possible to completely restore vision; this is why it is essential for a person with diabetes to have their eyes screened regularly. They will be invited annually or every two years dependant on clinical need.

Regular screening enables the monitoring of any retinal changes with subsequent referral to the hospital eye service, if required. The HWE eye screening team is dedicated to making service users comfortable and to ensuring they are kept fully informed at each stage of the screening process.

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