Coronavirus (COVID-19) patient information

Generally- no.

If you:

• have flu like symptoms (fever, runny nose, sore throat, coughing)
• have recently tested positive to COVID-19, are a close contact or
• awaiting results for COVID-19

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

If you require an urgent review (due to a potential sight saving requirement), we can accommodate such appointments, however some additional precautions apply. Please call us on (08) 9381 0777 to discuss the specific reasons for your appointment if you are sick.

• If  test positive to COVID-19, you should not attend your clinic appointment. However, we have special arrangements in place for patients that are COVID-19 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.
• After five days from your COVID-19 diagnosis, you are able to attend our clinics for your appointment. However, if you are still experiencing symptoms such as a cough, runny nose or sore throat 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.

Current evidence shows that there is a higher risk of post-operative complications if surgery is performed close to a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Elective surgery should be delayed for four to 12 weeks from the date of diagnosis, depending on the severity of COVID-19 illness experienced by the patient:

• four weeks – for patients who were asymptomatic or only had mild, non-respiratory COVID-19 symptoms.
• six weeks – for patients who had respiratory symptoms during their COVID-19 period (eg. cough, dyspnoea) but who did not require hospitalisation.
• eight to 10 weeks – for a patient who is diabetic, immunocompromised, or was hospitalised due to their COVID-19 infection.
• 12 weeks – for a patient who was admitted to an intensive care unit due to COVID-19 infection.

If you require urgent (sight-saving) surgery but have recently tested positive to COVID-19, it is important that your surgery proceeds, however it will need to be conducted at another hospital. Please contact us on (08) 9381 0777 so we can discuss your specific circumstances with your clinician and make suitable arrangements.

Close contacts with no symptoms should avoid high risk settings, including hospitals. Where your appointment is not urgent, we encourage you to reschedule until after your close contact period concludes.

If you require an urgent review, we can accommodate this, however you will need to show evidence of a daily negative RAT on arrival to the clinic and you will need to wear a surgical mask (which can be provided at the clinic).

Close contacts with no symptoms should avoid high risk settings, including hospitals. A close contact is also considered to have a higher risk of developing COVID-19. Should you develop COVID-19 it will impact your post-operative process.

As a result, where your surgery is an elective procedure, it should be delayed for at least seven days from when you began the close contact period.

If you require urgent (sight-saving) surgery but you are currently a close contact for COVID-19, it is important that your surgery proceeds, however it will need to be conducted at another hospital. Please contact us on (08) 9381 0777 so we can discuss your specific circumstances with your clinician and make suitable arrangements.

No- we no longer require a mask to be worn in our clinics.

You are still welcome to wear a mask and a free surgical mask is available when you arrive.

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.

Surgery patients

• We no longer require patients who do not have any symptoms or illness, to complete a RAT prior to their surgery.
• If you are experiencing symptoms, or are unwell, it is generally advisable that your surgery is deferred, regardless of your COVID-19 status. If you are unwell, please contact us on (08) 93810777 to discuss your specific surgery and symptoms. If surgery can proceed, you must have a negative RAT on the day of your surgery (within three hours of surgery).
• Please bring photographic evidence of the negative result and the used RAT cassette.

Clinic patients

• We do not require clinic patients to have a RAT prior to their appointment.

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has reopened, however there may be times when access is restricted.

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.

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.