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This page contains information for general practitioners on how to refer patients aged 16 years and over to Ophthalmology services at Mater Hospital Brisbane.
Catchment criteria applies for referrals for this service. Patient referrals from outside the Mater SEQ Catchment (which includes Metro South and West Moreton Hospital and Health Services) may not be accepted.
Mater Hospital Brisbane's Ophthalmology Service offers a multidisciplinary approach with ophthalmologists, optometrists, orthoptists and skilled nurses offering care individualised to each patient’s needs.
How to send a referral
Retinal artery occulsion
Glaucoma
Adult Strabismus
Other referrals to emergency
Laser refractive surgery for cornea
Cataract (patients with best corrected visual acuity in the affected eye of 6/12 or better will not be accepted unless clinical modifiers apply
Diabetic Retinopathy without confirmation of diagnosis
Dry Age Related Macular Degneration (unless the practitioner is concerned about progression to wet AMD)
Pterygium less than 3mm from limbus to apex
Lid Lesions for minor cosmetic reasons
Refractive error (prescriptions of spectacles)
Mild Dry Eyes
Mild Ptosis
Paediatric patients requiring public services should be referred to Childrens Health Queensland HHS
Intraocular melanoma
Strabismus (squint)
Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
Categorisation
Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.
Category 1 – urgent
Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 30 days
Category 2 - Priority
Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 90 days
Category 3 - Routine
Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 365 days
New onset of reduced central vision and/or distortion due to wet AMD
Referral to continue treatment of wet AMD
Recent significant progression of dry AMD
NB: Dry AMD is not routinely seen unless practitioner is concerned about recent significant progression
No Category 3 criteria
Severe allergic eye disease with corneal involvement
Severe allergic eye disease without corneal involvement (thickened eyelids, stringy mucoid discharge, severe itch)
Mild allergic eye disease without corneal involvement that is non-responsive to topical anti-histamines or mast cell stabilisers
Documented cataract with documented significant impact on activities of daily living( ADL) and BCVA worse than 6/36 in both eyes
Documented cataract with significant impact on ADL and:
Documented cataract with significant impact on ADL and BCVA worse than 6/12 in either eye
Medical management including:
No category 1 criteria
No Category 2 criteria
Failed maximal medical management of inflammatory eyelid mass (chalazion)
Diagnosis of diabetes and any of the following :
Diagnosis of diabetes and any of the following:
NB Routine referral for screening without evidence of diabetic retinopathy will not be accepted.
Severe ectropion with tarsal exposure
Symptomatic ectropion
Symptomatic entropion with significant corneal epithelial damage
Symptomatic entropion
No category 3 criteria
No category 2 criteria
Symptomatic epiphora due to obstruction of the nasolacrimal system
Epiretinal membrane with BCVA worse than 6/12
Symptomatic epiretinal membrane with BCVA 6/12 or better
NB: asymptomatic epiretinal membranes with good BCVA should not be referred
Fuch’s Endothelial dystrophy and Corneal decompensation with bullae
Fuch’s Endothelial dystrophy and BCVA worse than 6/36
Fuch’s Endothelial dystrophy and BCVA worse than 6/12
Likely diagnosis of glaucoma and any of the following:
IOP ≥22mmHg < 28mmHg WITH any of the following:
**Please note Mater is not accepting referrals for Intraocular melanoma. Please refer to your local HHS or consider private options.
Keratoconus with hydrops
Keratoconus with signs of progression
Keratoconus with stable findings
Proven or suspected eyelid squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma
Proven or suspected eyelid basal cell carcinoma
Benign eyelid lesions affecting vision or causing functional deficit
NB: minor cosmetic eyelid lesions should not be referred
Lamellar macular hole with BCVA worse than 6/12
Lamellar macular hole with BCVA of 6/12 or better
Documented posterior capsular opacity and significant impact on ADL
Medical management
Size - 3mm or greater from limbus to apex and visual axis is threatened and/or dysplasia
Size - 3mm or greater from limbus to apex
Symptomatic ptosis involving visual axis
Symptomatic ptosis not involving visual axis
Refer directly to emergency if clinically indicated:
Incidental finding of branch retinal artery occlusion or retinal arteriole cholesterol embolus (Hollenhorst plaque)
All central retinal vein occlusions
Branch retinal vein occlusion with recent decrease in vision
Branch retinal vein occlusion without recent decrease in vision
**Please note Mater is not accepting referrals for Strabismus (squint). Please refer to your local HHS or consider private options.
Mater Health offers patients the opportunity to attend bulk billed clinics. To provide your patient with the opportunity to attend a bulk billed clinic, please provide a named referral to one of the specialists listed above.
If you would like to discuss a referral, including clinical criteria, or update the status of a current patient please contact our priority GP phone line on 07 3163 2200
We provide up to date data on how long patients are waiting for their first appointment by specialty here.
These Mater Referral Guidelines align with standardised best practice tools for referral to publicly funded specialist outpatient services developed in Queensland through the Clinical Prioritisation Criteria project.
Content last reviewed: 13 December 2023
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