Information for Patients

What do I need to bring to my visit ?

  • A valid referral is required to claim Medicare rebate for your consultation, you must bring a valid referral from a general practitioner, optometrist or another specialist. Referrals from general practitioners and optometrists are usually valid for 12 months. Referrals from specialists are valid for 3 months.
  • Your medicare, DVA, pension or concession card & private health fund membership card(s)
  • Your current glasses
  • A form of payment (cash, credit card, EFTPOS, cheque) as payment is expected on the day
And, if possible
  • Completed new patient registration form & medical questionnaire (download here: GEC New Patient Form (Word Document) or GEC New Patient Form (PDF))
  • A list of all information about your medical history, especially eye related conditions & surgeries
  • A list of all current medications, including eye drops, injections or tablets
  • A list of any allergies you may have to medications & injections

Can I drive after my appointment ?

As most patients will require dilating drops during your visit, we ask that you bring someone with you to drive you home after the appointment. Dilated drops are necessary as they allow your doctor to have an unobstructed and clearer view of your retina.

With dilated pupils you may find that you have blurred vision and are more sensitive to glare. Wearing sunglasses may help assist with the glare. It can take several hours for the dilating drops to wear off.

If you have a minor procedure or an injection, be aware you may have a pad on your eye afterwards, therefore you should not be driving.

How long will my appointment take ?

Please allow 1 - 2 hours for your appointment. Extra time may be required if further diagnostic tests or minor procedures are performed on the day. We are able to issue medical certificates for both patients and carers.

Fees:

Gippsland Eye Centre is a private billing practice and payment is required on the day of consultation. Medicare rebates are available, and we can process your Medicare claim online. A current list of our fees is available at our reception desk.

Any extra diagnostic tests or minor procedures required by your ophthalmologist on the day may incur additional costs.

Payment can be made by cash, personal cheque, EFTPOS or credit card (VISA, Mastercard). We regret that we do not accept American Express.

Bulk Billing

Please note, all charges and discounts are at the doctors' discretion. We are a private specialist practice and do not routinely bulk bill.

Surgical Billing

We will provide a full estimation of costs and details for all surgery bookings, however it is your responsibility to check with your health fund what they will cover. We can provide you with the item numbers to aid in this process.

Car Parking

There is ample parking in a free 2hr car park which is located at the front of 10 Commercial Place.

Public Transport:

Drouin Train Station is a short 10 min walk from Gippsland Eye Centre. All V-line trains stop at Drouin Station. Train time information can be found from V-Line

If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to call us and we will endeavour to address your query or concern.

Please download a new patient information leaflet here: GEC New Patient Form (Word Document) or GEC New Patient Form (PDF)

PRIVACY STATEMENT: We endeavour to provide you with optimal medical care. This requires us to collect your personal and health information. At times this information may be required to be shared across an extended medical team. Your information will also be used for administrative and billing purposes and may be shared with other agencies, such as Medicare and private health funds, as required. Your health information may be used for such secondary purposes as research, trials and audits. No information that personally identifies you will be disclosed for these purposes. To view the Gippsland Eye Centre Privacy Policy please click here