General Advice

We are striving to balance the risk between maintaining a safe DiabeticRetina Screen Treatment Clinic service for our patients who are most at risk of visual loss, while not exposing them to the risk of contracting Covid-19. Like many other services, we must reduce normal activity within the hospital. We aim to minimise the movement of people to and from the hospital to ensure that it remains as safe as possible for staff and for those in need of urgent care. Therefore, we are deferring all non-urgent appointments.

Patients attending the Diabetic RetinaScreen Treatment Clinic in the RVEEH attend for review appointments, laser treatment or eye injection treatment. The healthcare team are carefully reviewing clinical notes and taking your condition and requirement for appointment/treatment into consideration. A decision will be made as to whether to continue with your appointment, undertake a phone consultation, or reschedule your appointment. Should your appointment for review or treatment be deferred as a result of the the current coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, we would like to reassure you that we are still here to support you and are available to answer any queries you may have in relation to your care.

Self-Monitoring at home

During this period, we encourage you to self-monitor your vision at home. There is a chance your vision may deteriorate during this time hence the healthcare team have asked that you check your vision in each eye daily, and if you have any concerns/deterioration in vision you can contact the Accident and Emergency helpline on 01 664 4600. During the COVID-19 pandemic the Accident and Emergency department is operating an appointment-only system.

For Emergency Department appointments please phone; 01 664 4600
Monday to Friday: 0800hrs – 2000hrs
Saturday and Sunday: 0800hrs – 1700hrs

We have also established a helpline for the Diabetic RetinaScreen Treatment Clinic patients. This will be staffed on Mondays and Wednesdays 0900hrs – 1500hrs only. We may not always be available to answer your call but if you leave a message, we will answer your query as soon as possible. Phone: 087 900 4801

Frequently Asked Questions

I am being monitored in the Diabetic RetinaScreen Treatment Clinic for Diabetic Eye Disease, but my appointment has been postponed, what should I do?

Maintaining good diabetic control is an important way of preventing sight loss. We encourage you to keep your blood sugar and blood pressure under control. It is important to continue with your usual medication as advised by your GP or diabetic specialist.

Your notes will have been reviewed by the clinical team, and it is deemed that your condition is not high risk. In accordance with self-monitoring advice as outlined above, you should seek attention should you notice an abrupt change in the vision of either eye, floaters, flashes of light, or blurred vision. You can contact our emergency department on 01 664 4600.

I am receiving injections into my eye for Diabetic Eye Disease

Diabetic eye disease is sometimes treated with injections into the eye for a condition called diabetic macular oedema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic macular oedema is a condition that tends to change slowly and often treatment is not so urgent therefore your injection appointment may likely be postponed.

I have proliferative diabetic retinopathy; will my appointment be postponed?
Each individual case will be considered by the clinical team as to whether your condition has high-risk features. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy refers to the condition where new blood vessels have grown, usually on the retina and this is treated with retinal laser treatment and/or eye injections. Appointments for patients who have not high-risk features will be postponed in the current situation.

I am being monitored in the National Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Service (DRSS)?

Current information related to the DRSS appointment schedule in response to the COVID-19 pandemic can be accessed here www.diabeticretinascreen.ie

My Appointment was cancelled when will I get a new appointment?

If your appointment was cancelled it will be rescheduled in turn. Our hospital staff are working extremely hard to ensure that all patients who have been cancelled during this time receive a new appointment as soon as possible. This may take time as we do not have a definite date as to when clinics will be fully operational again. Please bear with us.

My appointment was not cancelled, should I still attend?

If you received a text message or phone call informing you of you scheduled appointment please attend as advised.  Please do not present at the check-in desk more than 10 before your appointment.

If at any stage you are feeling unwell, are exposed to, diagnosed with or develop symptoms of Covid-19 we would ask that you do not attend but let us know so we can reschedule your appointment once you are fit to attend.