About Your Appointment
What to Bring:
A comprehensive computer generated GP referral is often best ( as it includes your medical history inc full list of medications and medical allergies). Otherwise please bring a list of your medications, or empty boxes, webster pack including vitamins & eye/skin/ topical medications (or photos) & a list of medical conditions.
Don't forget to please tell Dr Kalapesi about any complimentary medicines or supplements you take as these often affect clotting/ bleeding time.
Optical glasses or refraction script from optometrist if you wear glasses
For first appointments- please bring your referral (from either a doctor or optometrist, to allow medicare rebates)
Bring: medicare card +/- health fund card (if you are insured for hospital cover), pension/ healthcare/ DVA card.
If attending for an oculoplastic consultation, it is often useful to bring old photos of your face, such as wedding photos, or drivers licence. This can help determine change over time, and previous appearance.
Electronic versions on your phone usually suffice.
On the day
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Your Appointment may take up to 2 hours
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You will first check- in with Reception.
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An Orthoptist (clinical staff member) will check your vision, eye pressure, check pupil reactions to light and may do some ancillary tests (possibly visual field tests, colour vision check, imaging of your eye) as well as usually instil dilating eye drops.
These drops allow the inside of your eye to be more fully examined.
These will blur your eyes somewhat.
You may want to bring someone to drive you home, or be prepared to wait 1hour following drop instillation for some of the effect to dissipate.
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Once screened as above, you will see the doctor
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Surgery is not always booked at the first appointment, further testing or consultation / tests (including pathology or radiology) may be required
Fees
Fees are based on clinical services and medicare rebates are obtained based on these services, known as item numbers.
Staff can inform you on the phone when obtaining an appointment regarding consultation fees and sometimes potential tests/ investigations and procedural costs. Investigations and procedures may vary depending on your medical condition as found on the day by the clinical staff and doctor.
Rebates: medicare rebates are available for conditions with medicare reimbursable item numbers. Some procedures seen to be cosmetic often, do not have item numbers and hence have no rebate.
You will be advised on the day if this is the case.
Some skin lesions can't be processed to medicare until pathology results are available.
Unfortunately health fund rebates are not available to in-rooms procedures, but are available for surgery performed in a hospital facility.
Driving/ Transport/ Parking
It is best if someone can collect you from your appointment, or if you can delay jumping into the car to drive home by 1/2-1h to allow for some of the dilating drop effects to wear off if you are driving yourself.
Try to park your car somewhere with 2 hours parking to reduce your stress on the day.
If you can park close it is ideal, should you need to run out to the car for glasses/ medications or to move the car.
Reception staff are a useful source and are willing to share knowledge of distance from the train station, local parking stations or council car parks.
Most clinics are conveniently located for parking or transport.
City- Above Wynyard station, paid car parks a short walk away
Mosman- Plenty of street and carparking parks
Epping- Coles on Rawson Street is adjacent
Burwood- George St parking below in same building
Fairfield- numerous adjacent council carparks
Bankstown- walking distance to local supermarket car park and adjacent street parking
