Your Screening Schedule in Type 1
Reviewed by CDE Mehandi Sharma · Updated
Type 1 screening differs from Type 2 in one important way: it starts later. Retinopathy is thought to take at least five years to develop after blood sugar first rises, so the first eye examination is timed accordingly rather than done at diagnosis.
| Check | When it starts | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Dilated eye examination | Within 5 years of diagnosis | Then every 1 to 2 years, annually if changes found |
| Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio | After 5 years of diabetes | Yearly |
| Kidney function (eGFR) | From diagnosis | Yearly, twice yearly if disease present |
| Foot examination | From diagnosis | At every visit with your care team |
| Blood pressure | From diagnosis | At every visit |
| Cholesterol and triglycerides | From diagnosis | Every 5 years under 40, yearly from 40 |
| HbA1c | From diagnosis | Every 6 months, or every 3 if targets not met |
| Dental check-up | From diagnosis | At least yearly |
Target figures worth knowing: urine albumin-to-creatinine below 30 mg/g, eGFR above 80, and blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg.
Indian data shows these complications are not hypothetical — one review of childhood diabetes in India recorded retinopathy in 13.4%, nephropathy in 7.1% and neuropathy in 3.0% of patients.
Keep your own record of when each was last done. Screening is missed through nobody tracking it, not through anyone deciding against it.