Noctura 400 eyemask, Polyphotonix, diabetic retinopathy

LIVINGLIVING

the waiting list but went on a Medtronic

insulin pump three years ago. The serious

night hypos stopped as soon as I went

on the pump, having got the night-time

basal insulin correct pretty much from

the start. The Medtronic pump uses the

Contour Next One blood test meter which

is supplied with the pump. They connect

via Bluetooth so the meter can 'talk' to

the pump. This is what Wales uses to

blood test 4-6 times a day and adjust the

pump dosage accordingly and as a result

her control has been much improved, but

is still not at normal levels.

"By this time I was much more aware

of technology available to improve my

diabetes care," says Wales, "when I

spotted the FreeStyle Libre glucose

sensor when I was at a conference about

a year ago. I've been using one ever

since, self-funding the technology. The

Libre enables me to check several times

an hour what my sugar levels are and if

they are rising or falling. I can constantly

adjust my insulin pump, to act as near to

an artificial pancreas as possible."

Looking back on her experience with

diabetes and more recently with diabetes

technology, Wales says, "The FreeStyle

Libre is so easy and the trends are useful.

Plus, no-one notices me using it when I'm

at work. The pump is great because you

can adjust your basal and do small extra

boluses if you need to, but you need to

know your blood sugar level first. I'm so

reliant on it that I tend to pick up my Libre

reader before I pick up my phone; it's that

important to me. Using the Libre and the

pump really works for me, it makes me

feel safe. You do have to keep using it

all day to keep good control. I am now

petitioning my local CCG to get my Libre

funded. Up until now I've chosen not to

go on holidays in order to pay for the

mask and the Libre. These technologies

make me feel better all year round than

a holiday ever could, but I wish I did not

have to fund them myself."

The smallest capillaries in the body are

in the back of the eye, an area called the

retina. If capillaries are damaged, new

vessels grow around them which are

weaker and they bleed. This damage is

called retinopathy.

Sue Wales (Ttype 1 diabetic for 35

years) was diagnosed with diabetic

retinopathy in both eyes that needed

regular laser treatments for two years.

An OCT* scan measures the thickness

of the macular area of the retina at the

back of the eye, as thickness here can

lead to blindness. If it's more than 400

microns thick it means you could have

fluid building, known as macula oedema,

at which point you qualify for Lucentis

injections. Says Wales, "After lots of laser

treatments, due to thickening in the back

of my eyes I had one cycle of four Lucentis

injections. Even then it was unclear if the

fluid build up was due to retinopathy or

an effect of scar tissue from the repeated

laser treatments.

Whichever, deterioration in eyesight

would compromise and hinder Sue

Wales' life, by stopping her from driving or

living independently. So when she heard

about the Noctura eye mask through her

work in the NHS she decided to fund this

herself . She says, "I felt I did not have any

other option. I liaised with my consultant

at the Eye Clinic who said to go ahead

and that they would continue to monitor

my eyes, so the Noctura mask was extra

care to compliment the monitoring I

continued to receive from the NHS. Since

startring to sleep in the mask I have only

had one further laser session and no

more injections. I very soon got used to

sleeping with the mask on. If it can stop

you losing your sight, it's so worth it."