​​​​​​​​​​​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

None - 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.
  • Optometrist, orthoptist or ophthalmologist report, including Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA), refraction and retinal examination.
  • Retinal imaging or optical coherence tomography (OCT) results.
  • 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).
  • Professional driver with specific visual acuity requirements for employment.
  • Driving status.
  • 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.

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If you would like to provide feedback about the contents of this page, please submit an enquiry to the SRC project team at NSW Health.

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