Coronavirus (COVID-19) patient information

• If you are required to isolate due to your recent COVID diagnosis, you should not attend your clinic appointment.  However, we have special arrangements in place for patients that are COVID positive but require urgent ophthalmology review.  Please contact us on (08) 9381 0777 so your care can be discussed and a decision made whether your appointment can be deferred or can proceed under the special arrangements.
• Once your isolation period due to your COVID diagnosis is complete, you are able to attend our clinics for your appointment.  The current guidelines indicate that this will be after 7 days of diagnosis, provided you are symptom free.  If you still experiencing symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, sore throat, etc, we ask that you do not attend our clinic until these symptoms have resolved.  Please contact us on (08) 9381 0777 so your care can be discussed and a decision made whether your appointment can be deferred or can proceed under the special arrangements.
• We do NOT require you to undertake a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) or PCR test to clear you of COVID following your diagnosis.
• Currently patients who are unable to show evidence of double vaccination are asked to complete a negative RAT on the day of their clinic appointment.  If you have tested positive to COVID, for a period of 12 weeks from this diagnosis, we will waive the requirement to perform a RAT on the day of your appointment.

• Current evidence shows that there is a higher risk of post-operative complications if surgery is performed close to a COVID diagnosis.
• Elective surgery should be delayed for 4 to 12 weeks from the date of diagnosis, depending on the severity of COVID illness experienced by the patient:
  • 4 weeks – for patients who were asymptomatic or only had mild, non-respiratory COVID symptoms.
  • 6 weeks – for patients who had respiratory symptoms during their COVID period (e.g., cough, dyspnoea) but who did not require hospitalisation.
  • 8 to 10 weeks – for a patients who is diabetic, immunocompromised, or was hospitalised due to their COVID infection.
  • 12 weeks – for a patient who was admitted to an intensive care unit due to COVID-19 infection.
• We currently require all day surgery and laser vision procedures to complete a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) on the day of their admission.  If you have tested positive to COVID, for a period of 12 weeks from this diagnosis, we will waive the requirement to perform a RAT on the day of your surgery.

Yes. All patients and visitors will be asked to show evidence of their COVID-19 vaccination.

Patients and visitors who are unable to show evidence of double vaccination will need to have a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) on the day of the appointment.

• Please see the “What are the requirements for children?” section for further details about the specific requirements for patients who are children.
• RATs are available at chemists, supermarkets and other retail outlets.
• All RATs need to be TGA approved. The following link provides the TGA’s list of approved RATs https://www.tga.gov.au/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia
• The RAT should be completed at home, but within 3 hours of the clinic appointment.
• Please bring photographic evidence of the negative result and the used RAT cassette. The used RAT cassette will be disposed for you on arrival to the clinic.
• If you are unable to access a RAT prior to your appointment, a RAT can be purchased from the Lions Eye Institute on arrival (electronic payment only). However, you will need to complete the test outside of the clinic, so we recommend you obtain and complete the RAT prior to your arrival at the clinic.

Children should only attend the clinic if they are the patient being examined. We ask that you do not bring other children to the clinic. One parent/guardian is able to attend with the child being examined. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but it is required to minimise the number of people in our clinic and waiting areas.

Patients aged over 12 years of age

• Will need to show evidence of double vaccination. If they are not double vaccinated, they must have a negative RAT on the day of their appointment.  Please refer to “Do I need to be vaccinated to attend my clinic appointment?” for further details on the RAT process.
• Must wear a face mask at all times in the clinic. These face masks must be at least surgical-grade face masks. Cloth face masks are not acceptable. A free surgical mask can be provided on entry to the clinic. If the patient is unwilling or unable to wear a face mask at all times, they must have a negative RAT on the day of their appointment, regardless of their vaccination status. Please refer to “Do I need to be vaccinated to attend my clinic appointment?” for further details on the RAT process.

Patients aged 5 to 12 years of age

• Will need to show evidence of receiving at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. If they have received at least one dose, and wear a face mask while at the clinic, they do not require a RAT. However, if they have not received any doses of the COVID vaccine, they must have a negative RAT on the day of their appointment. Please refer to “Do I need to be vaccinated to attend my clinic appointment?” for further details on the RAT process.
• Must wear a face mask at all times in the clinic. Cloth face masks are acceptable, provided they are well-fitting and are worn at all times. If the patient is unwilling or unable to wear a face mask at all times, they must have a negative RAT on the day of their appointment, regardless of their vaccination status. Please refer to “Do I need to be vaccinated to attend my clinic appointment?” for further details on the RAT process.

Patients aged 1 to 5 years

• Will need to wear a face mask at all times when in the clinic. Cloth face masks are acceptable, provided they are well-fitting and are worn at all times. If they are unwilling or unable to wear a face mask, they must have a negative RAT on the day of their appointment. Please refer to “Do I need to be vaccinated to attend my clinic appointment?” for further details on the RAT process.

Patients aged less than 1 year

• Are not required to wear a mask or undertake a RAT. We request that children of this age are kept in the arms of the parent/guardian or in a pram/carrier and not be allowed to crawl around the clinic.

Surgery patients

• All patients attending the Lions Eye Institute for surgery, including laser vision procedures, will be required to complete a RAT prior to their surgery.
• Patients can collect a RAT from our Nedlands or Murdoch clinics, free of charge, for their use at home on the day of surgery. Alternatively, you can use your own TGA-approved RAT.
• Information on the collection and use of RATs will be provided prior to the surgery.

Clinic patients

• If patients are unable to show evidence of double vaccination they will need to have a negative RAT on the day of their clinic appointment. Please refer to “Do I need to be vaccinated to attend my clinic appointment?” for further details.
• Any patient with a medical exemption to wear a face mask will need to have a negative RAT on the day of their clinic appointment.
• Patients who are children, and are unvaccinated or unable to wear a mask – please refer to “What are the requirements for children?” for more details.

Yes.

Under the current government directions, masks are required in high risk or vulnerable environments, which includes hospitals.

As our clinic in Nedlands is a licensed day hospital and our Murdoch clinic is located on the Murdoch St John of God Hospital campus, face masks are required for all appointments.

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital currently has restricted access that limits people entering and moving through the hospital.

This may impact your journey to the Nedlands Clinic.

Please refer to the parking map to find parking and access points.

QEIIMC Trust operates a free buggy service to assist patients and visitors. For pickup, phone the buggy operator between 9am-4pm weekdays on 0481 438 731.

If you have an eye emergency, please do not wait for our response. Contact 000 or go to your nearest emergency department at Royal Perth Hospital or Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

You will be asked to show evidence of COVID vaccination. If you are unable to show evidence, you must show a negative RAT results from the day of your appointment.  Please refer to “Do I need to be vaccinated to attend my clinic appointment?” for further information.

You will be asked screening questions around any COVID symptoms you are experiencing, whether you are required to quarantine or isolate, or whether you are awaiting a COVID test result.

You will need to register using the SafeWA or ServiceWA app. We encourage all people entering the clinic to download the app prior to their appointment. For patients and visitors who do not have either app, we will record your details manually when you arrive.

You will also need to use hand sanitiser.

No.

If you:

• have flu like symptoms (fever, runny nose, sore throat, coughing)
• are required to quarantine or self-isolate
• are awaiting test results for coronavirus

You must reschedule your appointment by calling (08) 9381 0777 or via email carecentre@staging.lei.org.au

Yes, we have moved seating in our patient waiting areas to approximately 1.5 metres apart.

To minimise the number of people in the waiting area, please do not arrive any earlier than 15 minutes before your appointment time.

We request you attend your appointment unaccompanied.

One person may accompany you if you require assistance (ie. communication, cognition or mobility issues).

For patients who are children, one parent or guardian may attend. We ask that you do not bring other children to the clinic.

Extra family members or friends will not be allowed to enter the clinic or wait in lobbies or common areas. They will be asked to wait outside the clinic during your appointment.

We understand these changes could be frustrating, however these decisions are always made with the wellbeing of you and our team in mind, and we ask for your understanding.

Yes.

As part of the Australian Government’s response to coronavirus, new MBS telehealth items have been introduced to help patients access health services by videoconference or telephone. These new items will substitute face-to-face consultations normally available under Medicare.

A telehealth consult with your ophthalmologist could be via the telephone or using videoconferencing software like Zoom.

Telehealth is not a substitute for physical examinations and the outcome of some calls may be to decide that a face-to-face appointment is necessary.

Yes, as per your visits to the clinic you must have a valid Medicare referral.

All payments must be made using card (credit, debit or eftpos).

Please take care of yourself and your loved ones. We appreciate your patience and support more than ever during this time, and we remain as committed as ever to supporting both you and our team members.