About your appointment

For your appointment please bring the following:

1. A referral letter from your optometrist, GP or specialist.  This is required for you to claim back some of the cost of your visit from Medicare.

2. Your Medicare card and Private Health fund information.

3. A list of your usual medications, this includes any eye drops you currently use.

4. Information of your medical history (eg. diabetes) or eye history (eg. previous laser corrective eye surgery). 

5. Your current spectacle or contact lens prescription.

 

NOTE: If your appointment is for refractive surgery (i.e.  ICL or refractive lens extraction) please ensure you do not use your contact lens 1 week (for soft contact lens) or 2 weeks (for hard contact lens) before your consultation.

 If this is your first appointment, you will be asked to fill in a registration form in which you can put down details of your GP/optometrist, your Medicare information and Private Health fund information.  (You may download and complete the form and email it to info@mtwaverleyeye.com.au to save time on the day of appointment)

You will then see one of our orthoptists (ophthalmologist's assistant) who will perform an initial assessment, this will include:

• Ask you about your eye history and medical history.

• Checking your visual acuity and eye pressure

• Check prescription of your glasses and assess your refraction

• If clinically required your orthoptist will also perform additional tests.   

• A commonly performed test is the OCT - this non-invastive test uses laser to perform precise measurements of the structures in the eye including optic nerve and macular.  There may be an out of pocket cost for OCT as it is generally not covered by Medicare.  The OCT test is required for all new patients with glaucoma (or suspected to have glaucoma) and retina problems.  

•  For all patients referred for cataract assessment - an A-scan will be performed to determine the intraocular lens power.

• Our orthoptist may also instil eye drops in your eyes to dilate your pupils so our eye specialist can examine the inside of your eye.  This will make your eyes blurry for 1-2 hours, we recommend that you do not drive home by yourself during this time.

Following initial assessment, you will see your eye specialist.  He or she will ask you further questions about your symptoms and perform a detailed examination of your eyes.  Your eye specialist will then discuss with you the diagnosis and treatment plan.

If you require surgery - your eye specialist will go through with you informed consent including the reason for surgery and benefits and risks, and where the surgery will take place.  You will then see our receptionist who will discuss with you the expected cost of the surgery depending on whether your have Private Health fund and its coverage.

If you require minor treatment - your eye specialist will go through with you informed consent.  If you are having the treatment on the same day our orthoptist will then prepare you for minor treatment in our treatment room.

If you require laser treatment - your eye specialist will go through informed consent with you, then prepare your eyes with eye drops.  When ready you will be brought into our laser room to have laser treatment.

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Please allow for 45min to 2 hours for your initial consultation.

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With payment for the visit, we accept all major Debit and Credit cards.  Our system will also assist you will electronic Medicare claims.  Our receptionist will discuss payment options with you on the day.