Age-related macular degeneration

​​​​​​​​​​​​​Emergency

If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergency medical advice via phone to on-call consultant/registrar:

  • new fluid on a macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan consistent with wet AMD
  • new onset of reduced central vision and/or distortion due to wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  • sudden loss of vision

When public outpatient services are not routinely provided

  • Drusen
  • Family history but asymptomatic
  • Patients able to continue anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment in the community
  • Retinal pigment epithelial changes (previously called dry age-related macular degeneration)

Criteria to access public outpatient services

CategoryCriteria
Category 1
Recommended to be seen within 30 calendar days

Nil

Note: a new diagnosis of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) should be seen as an emergency

Category 2
Recommended to be seen within 90 calendar days

Patients who are unable to continue receiving anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment in the community

Information to include within a referral

Required

  • Reason for referral
  • Details of the presenting condition including symptoms and their impact on activities of daily living
  • Provisional diagnosis
  • Patient health summary (such as relevant medical history, relevant investigations, current medications and dosages, immunisations, allergies and/or adverse reactions)​​
  • Optometrist, orthoptist or ophthalmologist report, including Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA), refraction and retinal examination
  • Retinal imaging or optical coherence tomography (OCT) results

If available

  • Professional driver with specific visual acuity requirements for employment
  • Driving status

Important information for referring health professionals

If there is a change to a patient’s condition while waiting for their appointment, referring  health professionals may further investigate and manage the situation, or send an updated referral to the outpatient service. Where there are significant concerns about a patient's condition, referring health professionals may check HealthPathways for urgent/same day advice or contact the relevant clinical team.


 

Current as at: Monday 23 March 2026
Contact page owner: System Purchasing