Ophthalmology
Emergency
If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.
NB - in an emergency of any of the following, its advised to arrange immediate transfer to the emergency department.
- Leukocoria
- Sudden severe visual loss e.g. macular or vitreous haemorrhage, retinal detachment or retinal artery occlusion
- Rubeosis iridis (iris new vessels)
- Congenital glaucoma e.g. big eye/s, cloudy cornea, photosensitive, tearing
- Angle closure glaucoma (unilateral red eye associated with pain, nausea, loss of vision, photophobia, steamy cornea, hard tender globe, ‘rainbows’ around lights, or sluggish pupil reactions)
- Corneal graft rejection
- Contact lens keratitis, corneal ulcers
- Uveitis/scleritis
- Intra ocular pressure (IOP) > 35 mmHg
- Signs and/or symptoms of retinal detachment
- Acute injury e.g. trauma, burns, chemical exposure, foreign body
- Acutely inflamed eye
- Sudden onset of constant convergent squint (esotropia) or divergent squint (exotropia) and/or double vision at any age
- Preseptal/orbital cellulitis - worsening eyelid oedema, erythema and proptosis
- Ocular signs or symptoms of temporal arteritis
- Ophthalmology conditions associated with sudden onset neurological signs and/or symptoms e.g. third cranial nerve palsy or optic disc swelling
Are you Referring to the right service?
- Consider referrals to private Ophthalmology services.
- If minimum referral criteria is not met consider optometrist or general practitioner management.
All eye emergencies are treated at Princess Alexandra Hospital. Contact the Ophthalmology registrar on call via the hospital switch 3176 2111.
Complete referral to Metro South Health
- Age related macular degeneration
- Allergic eye disease
- Chalazion/meibomian cyst
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Ectropion
- Entropion
- Epiphora (watery eyes)
- Epiretinal membrane
- Fuch’s (Endothelial) dystrophy
- Glaucoma
- Intraocular melanoma
- Keratoconus
- Lid Lesions
- Macular hole
- Posterior capsular opacity
- Ptosis
- Retinal artery occlusion
- Retinal vein occlusion
- Strabismus (squint)
- All other ophthalmology conditions
Paediatrics
Complete referral to Queensland Children's Hospital
- Anisocoria (unequal pupil size)
- Chalazion/meibomian cyst
- Congenital glaucoma
- Epiphoria (watery eyes/blocked tear duct)
- Leukocoria
- Nystagmus
- Strabismus (squint)
Out of scope services
The following are not routinely provided in a public Ophthalmology service.
- Cataract (patients with best corrected visual acuity in the affected eye of 6/12 or better will not be accepted unless clinical modifiers apply (see general referral information section)
- Diabetic retinopathy (routine referral for screening without evidence of diabetic retinopathy will not be accepted unless in those HHSs without primary photoscreening or optometrist)
- Age related macular degeneration (AMD) (dry AMD is not routinely seen unless the practitioner is concerned about progression to wet AMD)
- Pterygium (pterygium less than 3mm from limbus to apex will not be accepted)
- Lid lesions (patients with minor cosmetic eyelid lesions should not be referred)
- Refractive error - (prescription of spectacles) in patients older than 12 years
- Mild dry eyes
- Mild ptosis
Notes
- Please note that where appropriate and where available, the referral may be streamed to an associated public allied health and/or nursing service. Access to some specific services may include initial assessment and management by associated public allied health and/or nursing, which may either facilitate or negate the need to see the public medical specialist.
- A change in patient circumstance (such as condition deteriorating, or becoming pregnant) may affect the urgency categorisation and should be communicated as soon as possible.
- Please indicate in the referral if the patient is unable to access mandatory tests or investigations as they incur a cost or are unavailable locally.
Out of catchment
West Moreton Health is responsible for providing a public health service to people who reside within its catchment area. To appropriately manage demand for service we do not accept referrals from outside this catchment area. If your patient does live outside the West Moreton Health area and it is deemed socially or clinically necessary for their care to be received in the West Moreton Health Service, inclusion of information regarding their particular medical and/or social factors will assist with the triaging of your referral.
Feedback
To provide feedback about contents on this website or general referral questions please email WM-CPC@health.qld.gov.au or phone 3413 7402.