HUNDREDS of people living with diabetes have been warned that they are risking damaging their sight by not taking up free eye tests.

More than 2,500 people in Darlington have been diagnosed as having diabetes, a condition that is becoming more common because of the high sugar content of the modern diet.

But in the past 12 months only 633 diabetes patients have had their eyes screened for potential changes to the retina, the light-sensitive film at the back of the eye.

Diabetes can cause damage to arteries and blood vessels and the heart, which in turn can result in high blood pressure and other circulatory problems.

Health chiefs are now urging people to take advantage of free eye tests to combat potential problems in the future.

"Regular screening can pick up these problems early so we can prevent them worsening," said Darlington Primary Care Trust's clinical governance manager Liz Graham.

"Damage to blood vessels can often be rectified using laser treatment, and if there are problems, patients are referred to eye and diabetes specialists.

"These experts can then assess patients' condition as a whole, looking at the best means to control blood sugar and blood pressure and manage their conditions better."

She said people living with diabetes should be screened every year. The process was quick, simple, painless and carried out by local opticians. Checks are free to patients, with the cost met by the trust.

"It is amazing how quickly time flies by and often patients don't realise it is a year since their last check-up," Mrs Graham said.

Every GP practice is planning to contact diabetic patients urging them to have an eye screening test if they have not had one in the past 12 months.

"Often our opticians are the first to diagnose a host of medical problems, as the eye can reveal a variety of ailments, including diabetes and high blood pressure, and they are able to refer patients to their GPs," said Mrs Graham.