​​​​​​​​​​​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:

  • acute angle closure
  • recent cataract surgery with increasing pain, redness, blurring or flashers/floaters.

When public outpatient services are not routinely provided

  • Assessment with optometrist and not affecting activities of daily living (ADLs).
  • Lens opacities that do not cause visual symptoms or limit daily activities.
  • Patient does not want surgery.
  • Refractive lens exchange (except for medical reasons).

Criteria to access public outpatient services

Category
Criteria
Category 1
Recommended to be seen within 30 calendar days

Cataract with significant impact on activities of daily living (ADLs) and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) 6/60 or worse in both eyes.

Category 2
Recommended to be seen within 90 calendar days
  • BCVA worse than 6/60 in one eye.
  • Cataract causing other ocular complications interfering with management of other sight-threatening problems.
  • Cataract in only functional eye.
Category 3
Recommended to be seen within 365 calendar days

Cataract with significant impact on ADLs after a thorough visual assessment and non-surgical management (including glasses) by an eye health professional, and patient open to having surgery.

Information to include within a referral

Required

  • Reason for referral.
  • Details of the presenting condition including symptoms, duration and functional impact on activities of daily living.
  • Provisional diagnosis.
  • Optometrist, orthoptist or ophthalmologist report.
  • Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) (in each eye) by eye health professional.
  • Refraction.
  • Whether first or second eye.
  • Other relevant ocular pathology.
  • If the patient requires an interpreter (if so, list preferred language).

If available

  • Patient health summary (such as relevant medical history, relevant investigations,
    current medications and dosages, immunisations, allergies and/or adverse reactions).
  • Guardianship status.
  • Professional driver with specific visual acuity requirements for employment.
  • Driving status.
  • Social circumstances.
  • Catquest-9SF assessment tool.
  • Cat-PROMS assessment tool.
  • If the patient is at increased risk of falling.
  • If the patient identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
  • If the patient is considered ‘at risk’ and/or among a vulnerable, disadvantaged or priority population.
  • If the patient is willing to have surgery (where clinically relevant).
  • If the patient is suitable for virtual care or telehealth.
  • If the patient has special needs or requires reasonable adjustments to be made.

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.

Contact us

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Current as at: Sunday 12 May 2024
Contact page owner: System Purchasing