• What can I expect as a new patient ?
• What do I need to bring to my appointment ?
• Why do I need a referral ?
• Who can refer me ?
• How do I settle my account ?
• Will I receive a rebate from Medicare ?
• Why can my appointment take such a long time ?
• What is an Orthoptist and what does an Orthoptist do?
• Why do I have to discard my eyedrops after one month?
• Can I drive after my appointment?
• Should I use my prescription drops on the day of my appointment?

What can I expect as a new patient?

On the day of your appointment, you will need to bring your letter of referral with you, or if your referring practitioner is sending it to us directly, please ensure that we have received it prior to coming in for your appointment. Prior to your consultation with your Ophthalmologist you will be seen by an Orthoptist who will perform an initial assessment. This will assist the doctor in performing a more complete examination. All patients undergo this assessment, which is at no charge, before being seen by their doctor.

What do I need to bring to my appointment?

As mentioned above, please bring your referral with you to your appointment. Please also bring your current prescription glasses as well as a list of your current medications. We suggest you also bring a pair of sunglasses with you as the sun's glare may bother you after your appointment.

Why do I need a referral?

If you do not have your letter of referral with you on the day, you will receive a lesser rebate from Medicare.

Who can refer me?

You can be referred by your general practitioner (GP), your optometrist or by another specialist. A referral from your GP will be valid for twelve months, as will a referral from your optometrist. A referral from another specialist will be valid for three months only.

How do I settle my account?

Payment of accounts is to be made on the day of your appointment. We accept money order, cheque, EFTPOS, Bankcard, MasterCard and Visa Card. We prefer not to take cash. Please feel free to call the rooms if you have any queries regarding costs associated with your appointment.

Will I receive a rebate from Medicare?

You will receive a rebate from Medicare for your consultation fee. Medicare will also rebate most treatments received in our rooms, as well as operations. There are a few diagnostic tests that a reimbursement has not yet been established for (eg: HRT test).

Why can my appointment take such a long time?

As each patient is an individual the care provided needs to be specific. Accordingly when you arrive for your appointment you will be seen by an Orthoptist who will conduct an initial assessment. Depending on your eye condition we then need to perform a number of tests. Each test performed is different. Some can take up to 45 minutes to be performed. During your consultation with the Ophthalmologist you will be informed in detail of your eye condition, what it means for you personally and what steps and/or medications need to be used.

What is an Orthoptist and what does an Orthoptist do?

Orthoptics is an allied health profession concerned with disorders of vision and eye movements. Orthoptists are university trained clinicians who diagnose and provide non surgical management of disorders of eye movements and associated vision defects. Non surgical management includes muscle exercise regimes, use of prisms and lenses and occlusion therapy. The aim of orthoptic treatment is to relieve symptoms and enhance vision performance.

Orthoptists also perform highly specialised tests of vision function to assist in diagnosis and management of eye disease, such as glaucoma, and eye diseases associated with general diseases including diabetes. Orthoptic assessment of vision can also assist in the diagnosis of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Orthoptists assess functional vision and provide vision rehabilitation assisting persons with vision impairment make the best use of remaining vision to maintain independent function. They assess vision loss associated with stroke or head injury and provide appropriate rehabilitation strategies and also assess functional vision of children with multiple handicaps to assist with educational programming.

Some Orthoptists may work in community health providing vision screening programs and patient education. Orthoptists also work in research centres including research in relation to vision and eye disease.

There are some definite problems that cause watery eyes, such as blockage of the tear duct. However, this is relatively uncommon. In many cases, the eyes are “dry” and the wateriness is a reflex to overcome the dryness. The use of lubricant eye drops is often needed in this situation.

Can I drive after my appointment?

On the day of your appointment we suggest that you do not drive to the rooms. It is advisable to have someone drive you in or to take public transport, as your eyes will be dilated which makes it difficult to see clearly for approximately two hours. This will make driving difficult and if you are returning to work, you may not be able to read fine print. We also advise to bring a pair of sunglasses as the sun's glare may bother you.

Should I use my prescription drops on the day of my appointment?

If you have been prescribed drops by your Ophthalmologist you should continue to use them, including the day of your appointment.