Diabetic RetinaScreen - the National Diabetic Retinal Screening Programme is on target to complete its first round of national diabetic screening for the eye.

Diabetic retinopathy is a diabetes-related eye disease whichcan lead to blindness.

Diabetic RetinaScreen has already invited in excess of 120,000 people with diabetes aged 12 and over to participate in free, regular screening for diabetic retinopathy.

It is a Government-funded screening programme, which aims to reduce sight loss from diabetic retinopathy by providing regular screening to those with diabetes aged 12 and over.

By the end of 2014, Diabetic RetinaScreen says it will have invited over 145,000 people with diabetes to attend free screening (using specialised digital photography) at a local screening centre.

From 2015 onward, annual invitations for diabetic retinopathy screening will be issued to all those who are registered with the Diabetic RetinaScreen programme. It is expected that the population to be screened will increase each year.

Information is available at www.diabeticretinascreen.ie.

If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and aged 12 or over, find out if you are on the register at Freephone 1800 45 45 55. Once on the register, you will be invited by letter to attend a free screening at a local screening centre.