Specialty: Ophthalmology
Age group: Adult
Immediately contact the ophthalmology registrar to arrange an urgent ophthalmology assessment for:
- Sudden loss of vision
Criteria for referral to public hospital specialist clinic services
- Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR)
- Assessment of severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy threatening vision
- Vitreous haemorrhage in a person with diabetes.
Information to be included in the referral
Information that must be provided
- Comprehensive eye and vision assessment usually performed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist, with refraction and dilated retinal examination, for both eyes performed in the last 3 months.
Provide if available
- Onset, severity and duration symptoms
- Type of diabetes and duration of disease
- Any previous eye treatments e.g. retinal laser, surgery, intravitreal injections
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) results
- Recent HbA1c results
- Fasting lipid results
- Blood pressure readings
- If the person is pregnant
- If the person identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Additional comments
The Summary and referral information lists the information that should be included in a referral request.
People experiencing disadvantage or other barriers to accessing eyecare services may be eligible to receive services through the Victorian Eyecare .
Where appropriate and available, the referral may be directed to an alternative specialist clinic or service.
Referral to a public hospital is not appropriate for
- Eye screening in patients with diabetes
- Review of diabetic retinopathy (including during pregnancy).
Reviewed 30 May 2025