EYE HEALTH
The conditions we look for, and what happens if we find one
Optometrists in Australia are registered to diagnose and, in most cases, to treat and prescribe. Where you need an ophthalmologist we refer you directly and keep managing what we can in between.
Six things we watch for
The list below is not exhaustive — it is what comes up most, and what is worth booking a test over even without symptoms.
We diagnose and manage
Treated and reviewed here, start to finish.
- Glaucoma. Family history, or over 50. Damages peripheral vision so gradually that most people notice nothing until a significant amount is gone. Pressure, field testing and optic nerve imaging at every test are how it gets caught. Diagnosed and treated here, with ophthalmology involved for anything advanced.
- Dry eye. Screen users, over 40. The most common complaint we see, and the most commonly self-treated with the wrong product. Assessment of tear film and lid function, then a treatment plan that usually costs very little. Diagnosed and treated here.
- Children’s vision & myopia control. Ages 3–17. Short-sightedness in children progresses fastest between eight and fourteen. Myopia control lenses and orthokeratology can slow it. Full myopia management, from fitting to ongoing review.
We monitor, and refer when it's time
Watched here on a schedule, handed to a specialist at the right moment.
- Macular degeneration. Over 50, and more common in smokers. Affects central vision — reading, faces, detail. The dry form is monitored with supplements and diet advice; the wet form needs an urgent referral, made the same day. Monitored here, referred immediately if it turns wet.
- Diabetic retinopathy. Type 1 & type 2 diabetes. Annual retinal screening is bulk billed and essential, because early changes produce no symptoms at all. We report back to your GP or endocrinologist after every visit. Annual screening and reporting.
- Cataract. Mostly over 60. Clouding of the lens that develops over years. We track it, tell you honestly when it is affecting your vision enough to be worth operating on, and refer to an ophthalmologist when you are ready rather than when it first appears. Tracked here, referred when ready.
Bulk-billed eye tests, most weeks inside three days
Open seven days with the centre. Ring and we will usually offer you something inside three days.