Optical services

What are optical services

Optical services improve your vision. Optical service providers test your eyes and supply you with glasses and other devices.

Who can receive it

You may be able to receive optical services if you have an assessed clinical need and a:

• Veteran Gold Card; or
• Veteran White Card and your treatment is for an accepted service-related condition that affects your vision

What you can receive

If you are eligible for optical services, you can get 2 appointments with an optometrist or ophthalmologist:

• every 3 years if you are under 65; or
• every year if you are 65 or over

Every 2 years we can pay for:

• 1 pair of glasses with multifocal lenses; or
• 1 pair of reading glasses and 1 pair of distance glasses

If you need more appointments or more vision aids, talk to your optometrist or ophthalmologist. If your needs have changed significantly, they can ask us for approval to provide you with additional services.

How you access

To access optical services, you can make an appointment with any optometrist who is registered through the Department of Human Services as a DVA service provider.

If you need to see an ophthalmologist, you can get a referral from your:

• general practitioner (GP); or
• optometrist

Once you have a prescription for new glasses, you can take it to any optical dispenser that accepts your Veteran Gold Card or Veteran White Card.

Things you should know

• You can choose any appropriate frames within our price limits and quality standards. The optical dispenser will tell you which ones we can fund. You can shop around until you find some that suit.
• If you choose frames or lenses that are not in the range of items we pay for, the optical dispenser will tell you how much extra you need to pay. We cannot reimburse you for the extra amount.
• In most cases we don’t pay for polarised prescription sunglasses. We can fund alternatives such as clip-on sunglasses, or sunglasses that fit over your prescription glasses.
• If you receive a bill from your optometrist or ophthalmologist, contact us before paying it. You should not be asked to pay for services covered by your Gold or White Card.
• If your vision changes or you have new eye symptoms, speak to your optometrist or ophthalmologist.