What to expect when you visit

Your appointment

Waiting times

We appreciate your time is valuable, and we try very hard to keep appointment times to minimise any inconvenience. However, due to the sometimes urgent nature of medical work, unexpected things can happen and delays may occur. We will try and keep you informed if we expect a significant delay to your appointment time, but please feel free to talk to our staff if you have specific issues.

For a routine appointment you can expect to be with us for about two hours; this is sufficient time to allow for you to see one of our nurses, have the required diagnostic tests performed, have your pupils dilated, and see the doctor. Sometimes other tests or treatments are required, and you will be with us for longer.

What to bring

Please bring (as applicable):

• Your referral from your GP, optometrist, or ophthalmologist – this is a Medicare requirement
• Details of your current medications and drug allergies
• Your current glasses or contact lenses. If you wear contact lenses, please also bring a case so they can be removed before your examination. You should also bring your glasses so you can see when your contact lenses are removed.
• Medicare and/or Centrelink cards
• DVA card
• Details of your private health insurance fund

If English is not your first language and you require the services of an interpreter, please advise our staff at the time your appointment is made.

Please note you should not drive after your appointment.

Your vision could be affected by dilating drops and you might not be able to safely control a motor vehicle. If you have an accident in circumstances where you have been warned to not drive, there could be serious legal and insurance implications. It is therefore important you have someone with you to drive you home, or to pick you up after your consultation.

Surgery

If you require surgery, we will arrange for this to be done at an appropriate venue and within a clinically appropriate timeframe, bearing in mind the urgent nature of some problems.

Dr Kelly and Dr Reddie have regular private operating sessions at the Mater Hyde Park and the North Queensland Day Surgical Centre, and Dr Reddie also operates on both public and private patients at The Townsville Hospital.

Accounts

You will be informed of the costs of treatments and procedures by our staff. Payment is made on the day of your appointment, and Medicare refunds can be processed on your behalf.

See also Informed Financial Consent.

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