Victorian Eyecare Service (VES)

Page content: Overview | Who is eligible?

Overview

The Victorian Eyecare Service (VES) is funded by the State Government to provide subsidised eye care at nominal cost for permanent residents of Victoria who hold a Pensioner Concession Card or have held a Health Care Card for at least 6 months.

Melbourne metropolitan residents can access VES at the Australian College of Optometry’s (ACO) Clinical Services Division located in Carlton, or at several other sites located in community health centres across metropolitan Melbourne. Other services include: the Aboriginal Subsidised Spectacle Scheme; paediatric services; ocular disease services; Low Vision Clinics and outreach to supported residential services, residential aged care, older person public highrise, homelessness services, disability services and Aboriginal health services.

Rural services are provided through private practice optometrists and ophthalmologists who are subsidized by the scheme. The ACO is responsible for the management of VES rural. A list of ineligible postcodes or locations for VES rural is available. People residing in these areas may access the metropolitan services provided by the ACO.

A full description of the service and a list or service locations can be viewed on the Australian College of Optometry website.

Who is eligible?

Permanent residents of Victoria who:

• hold a Pensioner Concession Card in their own name, and their dependants under the age of eighteen years

or

• have held a Health Care Card in their own name for at least 6 months continuously, and their dependants under the age of eighteen years.

For all enquiries about the VES, please contact the ACO on 9349 7400. For appointments please call 9349 7455.

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