Yes, you can be seen without a referral but you will not be able to claim the Medicare rebate for the cost of the visit.
Medicare provides a rebate for the cost of your consultation and required tests. The rebate is set by Medicare and does not cover the full amount of your visit. We will claim your Medicare rebate on your behalf if you have a current referral and your account is paid in full.
Eye Doctors Mona Vale is a private clinic and does not offer bulk billing for services. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please speak with your doctor so we can discuss suitable options. It’s important not to stop treatment or follow-up care due to cost—please let us know, and we will work with you to find a solution. We’re here to help.
Private Health Insurance only cover private hospital or day surgery fees, your health fund may also cover extras such as dental or physiotherapy but it does not cover our eye specialist consultation fees nor tests associated with your visit. Our fees are partly covered by Medicare if you have a current referral. If eye surgery is required to be done in a private operating theatre, a detailed breakdown of the costs including the private hospital fee, anaesthetist fee and surgeon fees, as well as the relevant Medicare and/or private health fund rebates will be provided.
Any qualified medical practitioner, specialists, optometrist or allied health professional in Australia can refer you to see our eye doctors.
To accurately assess your concerns and make the right diagnosis, and provide appropriate timely treatment, we must to gather detailed information, which may include aspects of your life like your general medical health, occupation or habits. This process takes time, as it helps us uncover important diagnostic clues. Additionally, a thorough eye exam at the eye doctors requires advanced equipment and techniques, imaging and scans are essential as well as the dilation of your pupils that is necessary for a complete retinal examination. Some of the tests required at our practice may be the same tests already done at the Optometrists or at another practice, however, we require to repeat these tests because each clinic has different assessment criteria’s and your eyes may have changed since your last visit at the other clinic.
We sincerely apologise for any delays you may experience during your visit. While we always strive to anticipate the needs of our patients in advance, some issues that arise during appointments require immediate attention—whether for further investigation, treatment, or thorough explanation to the patient. Additionally, emergencies can sometimes arise, leading to unexpected delays for other patients. However, please rest assured that if you require urgent attention, we will address your concerns promptly, without delay or rescheduling for convenience. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
We value your time and strive to keep appointments on schedule. However, patients with painful eye conditions and those who’ve had recent surgery are seen for immediate care. Some patients may have arrived earlier for their appointment but left briefly hence when they return for further testing. We make every effort to accommodate all patients need to be seen as efficiently as possible. We also prioritise children and patients who are sick or disabled. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Yes, we will require pupil dilatation at most visits, especially if you’re a first time patient, this allows the eye doctor to more thoroughly examine the back of the eye such as the retina and macula. Dilating eye drops will temporarily blur you vision and your ability to drive for several hours, and so please ensure that you make appropriate transport arrangements. If dilation of both eyes can not be done at this visit, we will organise another time to ensure a dilated fundus examinations is performed.