FAQ’s

How long does an eye examination take?

We recommend you allow up to 45 minutes for your eye examination.

Isn’t an eye exam just reading a letter chart?

Distance vision (reading a letter chart) is just a small part of an eye examination. Our Optometrists will check your distance and reading vision and see if you would benefit from glasses to see things more clearly. They will also check the health of the front parts of your eyes-cornea, lens, eye lids and the inside of your eyes- retina, macula, optic nerve for signs of eye disease. We may also check the pressure in your eyes to test for an eye disease called glaucoma.

Does an eye exam hurt?

No.

Will I be able to drive home afterwards? Do you use drops?

In some instances we do need to use drops that dilate the pupil of the eye so that we can see the retina more clearly. If drops are required, we will discuss this with you before putting them in. If it is not convenient to use drops at that visit, we can always complete that part of the eye examination on another occasion.

I think I have an eye infection. Can your Optometrist help me?

Yes. Our Optometrists can examine the health of your eye to determine the cause of your eye infection. They can also write prescriptions if medications are required to treat the eye condition.

How much does an eye examination cost?

The cost of the examination will vary depending on what tests the Optometrist needs to perform. We will be able to process your Medicare rebate on the spot if you bring your Medicare and eftpos cards in at the time of the examination. (Medicare will only rebate to cheque/savings accounts not credit cards). Most of our clients pay between $70-$120 for their examinations and out of pocket (after rebates) may be as little as $10.

In most instances we have found that Medicare puts client rebates back into their accounts instantly.

What’s a Behavioural Optometrist?

A Behavioural Optometrist spends time exploring how a child’s eyes work when looking at the blackboard as well as when they spend time on electronic devices/ reading. They make sure the child’s eyes are working efficiently so that their vision doesn’t affect their ability to learn. In addition to assessing a child’s eyes, Behavioural Optometrists will frequently assess a child’s visual information processing skills. These skills enable a child to make sense of what they see when they are learning.

What’s Vision Therapy?

Vision therapy is a program of activities prescribed by a Behavioural Optometrist. You may also work with a Vision Therapist during your program. Some of these activities may be done at the Optometrist’s practice, or you may need to do exercises at home.
To be successful, vision therapy must be done regularly and frequently. Daily practice is essential for best results. The activities are designed to be fun but be challenging. As you work through the activities, you will learn how to better control your eyes and have improved understanding of what you are seeing and reading. A program of Vision Therapy may lead to improved confidence and better performance in school, at home and work.
Vision Therapy is used to:

• Treat existing problems such as lazy eye, eye alignment or coordination problems, poorly sustained near focus, poor eye-hand coordination and lower than expected visual thinking and understanding
• Enhance the efficiency and comfort of your vision
• Help prevent some visual problems

My child’s only 3 years old and won’t sit still for even five minute. How can you possibly examine their eyes?

Our Paediatric Optometrists have a great rapport with kids. They know how to tailor the examination for different age groups. They are also very good at working with children.