:hello: Hi all,
Turns out my 4year old DD might have a lazy right eye (she failed her last eye checkup) so i have been told to take her to have her eyes tested.
There are so many specs shops here in Ballarat i have no idea which to take her to.
Can anyone recommend one ?? :think:
Hopefully a place that bulk-bills, has great service and won't rip$ me off IYKWIM :pray:
:D TIA for any help, tips or suggestions even regarding if your child has had a lazy eye what to expect, etc ...
they all bulk bill! i use OPSM, DD1 needs her checked too, sorry cant help ,uch more than that
Most optom's bulk bill. As to recommend one there hopefully someone can help.
ETA OPSM used have a discount if you are a RACV member. I think they might still. Check out the RACV website
.... :D oh thanks ladies so good to hear most if not all bulk bill (can tell i haven't stepped in one before, i have no idea about specs other then my cheapo sunnies) !!
When DD1 was found by the clinic to have an eye problem when she was 6 they told me not to take her to an optometrist but a proper paediatric ophthalmologist to get her checked out. It cost more but they are actually qualified doctors and specialise in kids. HTH.
I recently went to Specsavers. They seemed pretty good and I got 2 pairs of glasses including lenses for $199. I think the kiddies glasses are cheaper again.
Pick mine up tomorrow... will be the first time I have ever worn glasses.
I've always had dd's eyes checked at OPSM and paid heaps for glasses (last pair were $400) but have recently discovered Specsavers, you can get 2 pairs for less than the price of 1 pair at OPSM and they have a bigger kids range. I'll be going to Specsavers for her next check up.
Smiles all optometrists bulk bill for eye tests.
... hey Tinks call me crazy but if they all bulk bill do you think i could get away with going to two places incase i feel i'm not getting a right or clear diagnose with the first place i go to or feel like MrsMac said the service may not be that professional ... or maybe i can only get bulk billing for one place and not a second (did i make sense as i think i just confused myself) :think::
pssssst Tinks at least DD will be able to see the top of a night club step better then her Mummy did :lol:
I don't think you can go to 2 cause medicare will know IYKWIM?
Hun, I would go to a paed opthamologist as well xoxoxo The good spec places will do a test and refer them onto one anyway.
But in response to your original question - anyone that stocks Dora frames :lol:
A friend of mine (plus 1 ;) ) got a 2nd opinion on her daughters vision test and was bulk billed both times at 2 different optometrists within the same week.:
Also look into what Lulu suggested and get a referral from your GP to see a pead Opthamologist. I used to take DS to one when he was younger for a lazy eye and he was fantastic.
LOL Smiles, you just needed a closer look ;)
OMG Lulu my DD would love you for that cause she only last month had a Dora themed b'day party dressed as Dora, i can see Dora frames on her now espesh with her bob haircut & big round brown eyes ;):
......................... Thanks heaps for the tip too Lulu :thumbsup:
*** will keep you all updated :D
Pretty sure Optoms have to Bulk Bill, they sign an undertaking when they get their first provider numbers they will as they get a pretty big Medicare fee back from the government. If not, they are not supposed to charge you higher than the rebate you will get I think?
If she has a lazy eye, I would ask the optom to write you a referral as well. Kids frames are fantastic these days!!
You can get a second opinion, it is helpful to the Optom to know that you have been somewhere else and seeing them for a second opinion so they bulk bill you the right item number, as alot of the Optom Item numbers can only be used once every two years.
at that age, any optometrist will be able to do an assessment - personally, i would be asking for a referal to a paed opthamologist for a treatment plan. lazy eye doesn't necessarily need glasses - it may be that she needs patch therapy moreso than glasses. my niece was treated by a local optometrist (a couple of them actually) and given glasses for a lazy eye but should have been doing intensive patch training. because it wasn't treated properly, she ended up needing surgery to correct the problem when she was 10 or 11. i'm not trying to scare you or anything, just looking at what is in your DD's best interests kwim? the paed opthamologists at RCH have both a private and public clinic - so if you get a referral you may be able to get in to the public clinic for minimal expense
good luck either way - and if she needs glasses, i'm sure she'll look gorgeous!
:
.... Thanks heaps BG, yeh that was what i was thinking BG is it glasses she needs cause it was the MHN that picked up on it from the eye tests and she said she was only guessing it might be lazy eye that was why she wants me to find out what it actual is and she said to just go to any specs place but i wasn't sure if well i know this is gonna sounds strange would i get talked into glasses she may not need when there might be an alternative way to treat it (like a patch ??? i have no idea but that's what my Mum said they did in the early 70's ... not me that is someone else she knew) !!
Does anyone have any idea how much a consultation would be roughly for a paed opt ?? :think: (i have health insurance but DD's doesn't :redface:) ... and would it take long to get in for an appt ?? ... Who can i get a referral from, is it only my GP as it can take 2-3weeks to get into her or could i get a referral from a specs shop ??
(THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP LADIES as i wanna get this fixed sooner rather than later ... poor little mite !!)
You would need a referral to see one. They may charge up $100 I wouldn't think any more than $200 for the initial consult. You would also get a rebate from Medicare. You can get the initial consultation item number from the Opthalmologist and then look up MBS online to check the Medicare rebate. The Optometrist can write the referral.
If you go to an Optom, they are would not prescribe glasses if she didn't need them, they may even do both, glasses and patch depending on the severity of the lazy eye.
Ask the Optom if he knows what the local Opthal charges.
Just one thing you may need to think about, it would be worth looking into PHI for DD just in case she needs the turn operated on for correction and check that she would be covered for the operation, as in incase they turn around and say it is a pre existing condition and would not be covered. You can go public and be on the wait list if PHI is too much.
we had DD's initial consultation in the PRIVATE clinic at RCH - was 180 and we got 80 back. the public clinic would be very different. there may be a paed opthamologist more local to you than RCH - i went to that one due to recommendation of both another patient, and my optometrist i've been seeing for several years myself
an optometrist is highly unlikely to suggest glasses for a lazy/turned eye (they will usually call it a squint) - if there are other factors that may require glasses at a later time, it might be done earlier though because of the squint (does that make sense??). for instance, my DD has astigmatisms as well as a slight turn in her eye. it is possible that, by 2.5, we will be needing to get her glasses on top of patching. but that is more due to the astigmatisms than the tutn...