Latest News

World Diabetes Day on 14 November is seeing to raise awareness about the disease to help people prevent, spot and manage it more successfully.  The link between diabetes and eye health is profound: blurred and variable vision can be one of the first  signs of diabetes, and diabetes is one of the leading causes of blindness.

The impact of diabetes on eye sight

diabetes eye health blindess

Diabetes can cause diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease in which the blood vessels in the eye are damaged by high blood sugar levels and high blood pressure.  The damaged blood vessels may become leaky;  which means the blood flow to the important cells in the retina is interfered with.  if left untreated, this will damage your eye sight.

 

The types of retinopathy

There are different  stages of Diabetic retinopathy:

  • Background retinopathy – also called early stage, stage one or R1.  At this point, your eyesight won’t be affected but you need to take action to prevent it getting worse.
  • Non-proliferative retinopathy – also early stage, stage two or R2.  The damage is more serious and you will need more regular eye screening to keep on top of any changes.
  • Proliferative retinopathy – stage three or R3.  This presents with the growth of new blood vessels which grow to replenish the eyes with oxygen but since they grow so quickly, they themselves are very leaky and cause further complications.  This present a high risk of losing your eye sight, so it is important that people with R3 are offered treatment. 
  • Maculopathy – sometimes called M0 or M1, this occurs when fluid begins to build-up in the most sensitive part of the retina which ultimately affects your eyesight.  This can happy in conjunction with Background, Pre-proliferative or Proliferative retinopathy.  It is a different type of retinopathy affecting the middle of the eye; it can mean that you can no longer read or even drive.  Our OCT Retinal Scan is invaluable in detecting maculopathy; fluid inside the retina is difficult to see, but as the three-dimensional scans go right through the retina, we can see fluid quicker and easier and are able to quantify it as it worsens or improves.

Cataracts and glaucoma

People with diabetes are also at higher risk of developing both cataracts (and glaucoma); the problems are again caused by high blood sugar levels.  Cataracts cause your eye to become cloudy.  Glaucoma leads to damage to the retinal nerves which pass through the retina at the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, which can lead to loss of vision; this happens due to poor circulatory supply to these vital retinal cells.  Although glaucoma can’t be cured, if diagnosed early, we can try to control the speed at which it will ultimately affect your vision.

Picking up the early warning signs

Early detection of retinopathy and glaucoma can mean the difference between saving or losing your eyesight.  With the right eye-health screening, we can also pick up the early warning signs of diabetes, before you are even aware that you may have the condition, which can help you make the lifestyle changes necessary to manage or even reverse the disease.

That’s why at Kings Hill Opticians we invest in state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, so we can identify any changes in your eye health as early as possible. 

  • 4D OCT Retinal Scan provides retinal screening modules to detect early changes in the optic nerve for glaucoma screening.  The 4D element is that we take scans over time, enabling us to spot any changes in your eye health, which can be crucial for detecting conditions early.
  • Our retinal fundus photography produces the highest-quality optical images available, providing vital information about the blood vessels at the back of your eye, enabling us to detect diabetes and other diseases that can affect our normal blood circulation, like high blood pressure and cholesterol.
  • We use state-of-the-art equipment to assess your field of vision; glaucoma affects peripheral vision first, so identifying any changes in what you can see out of the corner of your eye accurately and early is vital to stop the disease progressing.

The importance of regular eye health screening

The link between diabetes and eyesight is such that everyone with diabetes over the age of 12 is entitled to an NHS eye screening (or retinal screening) once a year.  It’s really important that you don’t miss this as any changes in your eye sight can be picked up early to make sure you get the right treatment.

Even if you don’t have diabetes, regular eye checks can help detect any changes in your eye health that could indicate an underlying serious condition, such as diabetes, so we recommend everyone has an eye test every two years, regardless of whether or not you notice any changes in your eyesight yourself.

Managing diabetes to minimise the impact on your eye health

Managing your blood sugar levels will reduce the risk of diabetic complications with your eye sight.  High blood pressure and high cholesterol (fat in your blood) also increase the chances of diabetic complications, so it’s important to keep on top of them.  Diabetes UK has lots of advice on how to manage your diabetes so you enjoy the best possible health, including your eye health. 

It is possible to live well with diabetes, but you need to take extra care of your health, espcially your eye health.

 

To book a state-of-the-art eye test call 01732 875544

Kings Hill Opticians provide expert eye tests, eye care, glasses, lenses, spectacles and contact lenses

 for patients in Kent and Sussex,

 including Kings Hill, West Malling, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Paddock Wood.

News

Open day: Your most comfortable pair of glasses - unique to you

Open day: Your most comfortable pair of glasses - unique to you

Kings Hill Opticians are delighted to be one of only a handful of practices in the country to be able to offer patients the dispensing revolution of VisiOffice X. This 3D, cutting-edge technology redefines optics dispensing to create bespoke glasses for each patient, offering the clearest, most natural vision possible.

15/05/2019

Understanding cataracts

Understanding cataracts

Cataracts are a well-known disease caused by the clouding of the lens of the eye. The condition is mostly associated with the aging process. Detecting it early allows us to track the changes which can occur in your prescription which sometimes help predict the speed of changes, this in turn allows us to ensure that you are referred to the correct specialists to ensure you enjoy the best eye health and vision possible.

27/03/2019

Have Age-related Macular Degeneration? We may have the answer

Have Age-related Macular Degeneration? We may have the answer

If you or a loved one suffer from AMD, you may be resigned to poor vision. But you don’t need to be! Our innovative E-Scoop lenses can be amazing at improving vision for AMD sufferers, giving them a new lease of life.

13/03/2019

Night driving with confidence

Night driving with confidence

Do you find driving in the dark difficult? We have the solutions to get your night-driving confidence back, especially during these long winter evenings.

27/02/2019

Don't give up on your New Year's resolutions, they're great for your eye health

Don't give up on your New Year's resolutions, they're great for your eye health

How are your New Year's resolutions going? We're mid-February and many of you may have forgotten about them, but we've got a reason to motivate you to help keep on track: New Year's resolutions can be great for your eye health. Our guide will help strengthen your resolve to help you stick to your guns.

20/02/2019

An award-winning start to the year

An award-winning start to the year

We've kicked off 2019 with a flying start, being shortlisted as finalists for the national Opticians Awards 2019 and winning Essilor's National Bespoke Varilux Practice of the Year!

13/02/2019

How to look after your eyes on the ski slopes this winter

How to look after your eyes on the ski slopes this winter

If you're planning on hitting the slopes this winter, it is important to look after your eyes. Ultra violet light can be more powerful on the ski slopes because of the snow's reflectiveness, so it's vital that you prepare properly and get the right protection. Our expert opticians explain the dangers high levels of exposure can cause, and what you need to do to look after your eyes.

19/12/2018

How our interest-free credit can benefit you this Christmas

How our interest-free credit can benefit you this Christmas

We all know that the main role of glasses is to enable you to see clearly, but they become part of your face and personality, so it’s important that they make you feel and look fabulous as well.

05/12/2018

Optician stopped me having a major stroke

Optician stopped me having a major stroke

As seen on South East News on Saturday Evening,....

03/12/2018

How copper mesh lenses help you look after your eyes

How copper mesh lenses help you look after your eyes

Copper mesh spectacle lenses are a revolutionary product that can help with a whole range of eye conditions, many of which are aggravated at this time of year, when we spend more time indoors with drying central heating and working by electric light for more hours of the day. If you suffer from tired eyes, headaches, motion sickness, Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia or even reading difficulties, they could be the solution you’ve been looking for.

28/11/2018

Alcohol Awareness Week, the problems of being blind drunk

Alcohol Awareness Week, the problems of being blind drunk

Alcohol Awareness Week, running between the 19 and 25 November, aims to encourage people to change their relationships with drink. We all know that drinking too much can have serious consequences on your health, but did you know that it can also impact your eye health?

21/11/2018

Looking after your eyes this winter

Looking after your eyes this winter

Winter can be a magical time for everybody. To make sure it is kept that way, we've put together a short guide on the signs to look out for to ensure you keep on top of your eye health during the colder months so that you don't run into any future problems.

14/11/2018

Kings Hill Opticians Saved My Life

Kings Hill Opticians Saved My Life

14/09/2018

2018 Sports Sunglasses range

2018 Sports Sunglasses range

16/03/2018

Opticians awards 2018

Opticians awards 2018

We are delighted to be selected for the Finals of the National Awards as Independent Practice of the Year.

16/02/2018

Read About us in the papers!

See what the news has to say about us

08/12/2017

Copper Mesh Spectacle Lenses to help eliminate glare and eyestrain

Copper Mesh Spectacle Lenses to help eliminate glare and eyestrain

17/11/2016

Eyezen lenses: relaxing eyes to help protect visual health

Eyezen lenses: relaxing eyes to help protect visual health

Eyezen focus reduces eyestrain and improves small character readability. Light scan reduces glare, improves contrast and helps prevent premature aging of your eyes.

07/03/2016

New hope for Macular Degeneration Suffers

06/07/2015

Crizal Prevencia

Blocks UV + Harmful Blue-Violet light (transmitted by modern digital devices) and helps prevent premature eye ageing

28/03/2014

Diagnosis error revealed 15 years on

A KINGS Hill woman who has been treated for an eye condition for 15 years has found out she never suffered from the illness.

06/08/2012

I was lucky not to lose my eyesight

WAITING for her father-in-law at an opticians’ appointment, Susan Stratful began trying on some frames.

05/08/2012

Kings Hill Opticians
2 Liberty Square
Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent
ME19 4AU


Free Local Parking


  • optician awrds 2018 finalists
  • opticians awards 2019
  • opticians awards 2019
  • Varilux signature practice

Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy
Terms & Conditions

© Copyright Kings Hill Opticians

Registered co. number 06501309
Our registered office is at 2 Liberty Square, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4AU.