You can read about the condition itself on my Diabetic Retinopathy and maculopathy page, and the treatments page shows my full range of care.
What is Diabetic Retinopathy treatment, and what does it involve?
Diabetes can damage the tiny blood vessels in the Retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. Treatment cannot bring back sight that has already been lost. Its job is to protect the vision you have now and stop the disease moving on to the next stage, as the NHS guide to Diabetic Retinopathy explains.
I monitor patients with Diabetic Retinopathy and treat both the proliferative form and diabetic maculopathy.
Diabetic Retinopathy symptoms and when to get urgent help
Early Retinopathy often causes no symptoms, which is why screening matters. Later, you may notice:
- Gradually worsening or blurred vision
- Dots and lines (floaters) in your vision
- Struggling to see in low light
| Your symptom | Possible cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Eyesight suddenly gets worse, or new blurring | Retinopathy or macular swelling | Urgent GP appointment or NHS 111 |
| New dots or lines (floaters), or poor sight in low light | Retinopathy changes | Contact my practice or your optician |
| Vision suddenly gets worse, or the eye is painful or red after treatment | Complication of treatment | Call my practice on 07438 437366, or NHS 111 |
| Sudden loss of sight or a dark curtain over your vision | Bleeding or retinal detachment | Call 999 or go to A&E |
| Fever, confusion or fast breathing after a procedure | Possible signs of infection | Call 999 or go to A&E |
The NHS advises getting help straight away for sudden vision loss.
Who may need treatment?
Most people with early changes, called background or pre-proliferative Retinopathy, do not need treatment. They are monitored through regular screening instead. Treatment is usually considered for:
- Proliferative Retinopathy, where fragile new blood vessels grow on the Retina and can bleed
- Diabetic macular oedema, where leaking vessels make the macula (the centre of the Retina) swell and blur your central vision
- Bleeding into the jelly of the eye or scar tissue on the Retina, which may need an operation
Your treatment options
Laser treatment (photocoagulation)
For proliferative disease, panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) places many small laser burns across the outer Retina to shrink abnormal vessels or stop them forming. It does not improve vision. The aim is to prevent severe sight loss. Some people need more than one session. Retinal laser treatment is part of my clinic.
Anti-VEGF injections
These medicines reduce leakage from damaged blood vessels and are mainly used when the macula is swollen. They are given as a course of intravitreal injections after anesthetic drops, with the interval between injections adjusted to how your eye responds. In some people vision improves as the swelling settles.
Steroid implant
A tiny implant placed inside the eye releases steroid medicine slowly to reduce swelling. I have used a wide range of intravitreal treatments, including steroids, and will explain whether an implant suits your eye.
Monitoring
If you have early changes, the plan is regular checks rather than treatment. The NHS invites people with diabetes aged 12 or over for screening every 1 or 2 years, and more often once changes appear.
Eye surgery
The NHS also lists eye surgery, to clear blood or scar tissue inside the eye, as a treatment. If you might need one, I will explain what it involves and who would carry it out.
Why patients choose me for Diabetic Retinopathy treatment
Diabetic eye disease is one of my specialist interests: I trained in medical Retina at Moorfields Eye Hospital and co-authored the Diabetic Retinopathy chapter of an online ophthalmology publication.
- Medical Retina training: a Medical Retina fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London.
- Registration: on the GMC Specialist Register since 2014 (GMC 6129624), after qualifying in Southampton in 2005 and gaining FRCOphth in 2012.
- NHS work: Clinical Lead for the AMD service at West Hertfordshire (2015 to 2018), followed by five years as a consultant at Ashford and St Peter’s.
- Research: a published paper in Eye (2015) on orthoptists giving intravitreal injections, and sub-investigator work in retinal trials.
My training and experience are set out on my About page.
Looking after your diabetes alongside eye treatment
Eye treatment goes hand in hand with good diabetes care. Keeping blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol as close to target as you can, and not smoking, all lower the risk of the Retinopathy getting worse.
Your GP or diabetes care team usually manages these, and NICE has published guidance on type 2 diabetes in adults. Please bring your latest results to your appointment.
Alternatives to treatment
If your Retinopathy is at an early stage, regular checks through NHS diabetic eye screening and good diabetes control are the usual alternative to laser or injections. Once new vessels or macular swelling appear, waiting carries a risk of further sight loss, so I will explain the options honestly.
What happens, step by step, on the day of laser treatment
1. Assessment
I check your vision and scan the Retina to plan the treatment.
2. Preparation
Drops widen your pupil, and anaesthetic drops are used. A contact lens holds it steady.
3. Laser
You see bright flashes and may feel stinging. It usually takes 10 to 30 minutes.
4. Afterwards
Your vision is dim and blurred for a few hours, so arrange a lift home.
How many treatments will I need?
It depends on the type of Retinopathy and how your eye responds. Laser is sometimes completed in one session and sometimes needs more. Injections for macular swelling are given as a course, and I look at the scan at each visit before deciding on the next interval. You go home with written aftercare instructions and can speak to my practice directly between appointments.
Recovery and risks after laser and injections
Driving after treatment
You cannot drive home after laser because of the dilating drops. GOV.UK lists Diabetic Retinopathy treated with laser among the eye conditions you must tell the DVLA about if it affects both eyes, or one eye when that is your only seeing eye. You can be fined up to £1,000 for not telling the DVLA about a condition that affects your driving.
Possible side effects
Kingston Hospital’s leaflet on PRP laser lists discomfort as common, and reduced night vision, loss of side vision and macular swelling as rarer effects. It says there is a less than 10% chance of the treatment affecting your ability to drive. Moorfields Eye Hospital puts the risk of a serious eye infection after an anti-VEGF injection at about one in 5,000.
| Treatment | Hospital stay | Example risk |
|---|---|---|
| Laser (PRP) | Outpatient | reduced peripheral field of vision |
| Anti-VEGF injection | Outpatient | Serious eye infection, about one in 5,000 |
| Steroid implant | Outpatient | Serious eye infection, about one in 5,000 |
Where I see patients for Diabetic Retinopathy treatment
| Location | Address |
|---|---|
| Nuffield Health Woking (Wednesday mornings and evenings) | Shores Road, Woking GU21 4BY |
| The Runnymede Hospital (Tuesday afternoons, Wednesdays, Thursday mornings) | Guildford Road, Ottershaw, Chertsey KT16 0RQ |
| Mount Alvernia Hospital (Wednesday afternoons, Thursday mornings) | Harvey Road, Guildford GU1 3LX |
| VISIO Health (Fridays) | Unit 3, 4 The Courtyard, Riverside West, Wooburn Green, High Wycombe HP10 0DG |
Fees for Diabetic Retinopathy treatment
These are my 2026 consultation fees. Laser, injections and implants are quoted after your assessment, and fees may vary slightly by hospital.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| New consultation | £260 |
| Follow-up | £195 |
| Laser, injections or implant | Quoted after your assessment |
| Insurance | Recognised by most major UK insurers, including Bupa (fee assured), AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, WPA, Cigna, Aetna, Allianz, The Exeter, General & Medical, Healix, Saga and Benenden |
FAQs about Diabetic Retinopathy treatment
Does laser treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy hurt?
Most people describe discomfort rather than pain. Anaesthetic drops are used first. You may feel stinging and see bright flashes during the session. Afterwards the eye can ache for a while, and your usual pain relief is fine to take.
Can Diabetic Retinopathy be reversed?
Sight that has already been lost cannot usually be restored, so treatment aims to stop further damage. Injections for macular swelling may improve vision in some people, and good control of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol helps protect the Retina.
Can I drive home afterwards?
No. Dilating drops blur your vision for several hours, so ask someone to drive you or book a taxi. If you have had laser treatment, check whether you need to tell the DVLA before you drive again.
Is treatment covered by my insurance?
Cover for Diabetic Retinopathy treatment depends on your policy. Check what it includes, any exclusions and the excess, and whether your insurer needs a GP or Optometrist referral. Get pre-authorisation before treatment starts. I can help with the paperwork.
Do I need a GP referral?
Not if you are paying for yourself. You can contact me directly. Some policies do ask for a GP or Optometrist referral, so check your policy first. If you have a screening letter about your Retinopathy, please bring it with you.
How long does recovery take?
Your vision is dim and blurred for a few hours after laser. Kingston Hospital’s leaflet says any temporary loss of vision usually settles by the next day. After an injection, a gritty eye or floaters usually settle within a few days.
Is Diabetic Retinopathy treatment major surgery?
Laser and injections are not. They are outpatient treatments given after anaesthetic drops, and you go home the same day. An operation is needed only for bleeding into the jelly of the eye or scar tissue on the Retina.
Can Diabetic Retinopathy come back after treatment?
It can progress again, which is why follow-up matters. Laser sometimes needs more than one session, and injections are given as a course, with the interval based on your scan at each visit.
Is there an alternative to laser or injections?
For early changes, yes: regular screening and good control of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. Once new vessels or macular swelling appear, treatment is usually advised to prevent severe sight loss.
How much does Diabetic Retinopathy treatment cost?
A new consultation is £260 and a follow-up is £195. Laser, injections and implants are quoted after your assessment, depending on how many treatments you need.
Book a consultation: a direct line to your surgeon, before and after treatment
There is no call centre or switchboard. Call my practice on 07438 437366, email enquiries@soniamall.co.uk or request an appointment at Nuffield Health Woking, The Runnymede Hospital, Mount Alvernia or VISIO Health. I aim to reply within 24 hours.
If your vision suddenly gets worse after treatment, or the eye becomes increasingly painful or red, call my practice. If you cannot reach me, call NHS 111 or go to eye casualty or A&E the same day. Call 999 for sudden loss of sight or signs of infection.
