I'm considering getting contact lenses again, and have just found out that I need to have a seperate consultation on top of my regular check-up to get a new contact lense prescription. This costs $89, which surprised me as when I first got contacts, the consultation costs were all covered by Medicare.

I'm not 100% confident in the optometrist (she said my current glasses weren't the right prescription because they were in between two strengths - but I'd bought the glasses from that shop) and don't want to spend a lot of money if there's a way of getting a prescription more cheaply!

Any advice or recommendations for a good optometrist northside?


Kristen
Mum to DS11 DS10 DD6 DD1

Hi there

I think you're being well and truly scammed by your optometrist. I've never heard of anyone being charged extra for a contacts perscription - or being charged at all by an optometrist for that matter.

I can recommend Matthew Arcidiacono who is located in Civic and Woden. He definitely bulk bills (or at least he did last time I went) regardless of whether you want glasses, contacts or both (which I have).

And for what it's worth - he's not bad to "look" at either (he he).

Cheers

Hayley

Me (31)
DH (32)
DS Joseph (18/4/03)
D? EDD 20/7/05

I have always had to have a separate consultatation (though at the same time as my other), but it has been bulk billed by optometrists here in Canberra.

You can only bulk bill one contact lens consult every 36 months technically (but a clever optometrist will get around this) ... http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provid.../november04.htm
http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provid.../august2003.htm

I am off for another consult soon, to go back to contacts after a couple of years off them - YAY!

Jo2+2<BR>Rachel - born still 21/11/00 (23 weeks)<BR>Matthew & Erin 7/11/01<P><BR>

Thanks so much - that optometrist is *definitely* dodgy! She told me that the $89 was not rebatable through Medicare or my health fund! That Medicare link was very useful!

I am considering putting in a complaint about her as she was the preferred provider for my healthfund, but I found her manner really off-putting. And the glasses that I needed *desperately* last week that should've been available on Monday still haven't arrived.



Kristen
Mum to DS11 DS10 DD6 DD1