Clinical Services - (Rural)

Victorian Eyecare Service

The Victorian Eyecare Service provides optometry care at nominal cost for persons who hold a pensioner concession card or health care card and live in rural Victoria.

The VES is available in 79 country towns and cities throughout the State through a network of 145 participating optometrists and 13 ophthalmologists at 121 locations.

The primary care consultation fee is normally bulk billed and patients make a fixed contribution to the cost of glasses or contact lenses. The balance of the cost is subsidised by a State Government grant.

The Victorian Eyecare Service (VES) is funded by the Government of Victoria and administered by the Victorian College of Optometry.

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

and

• hold a Victorian pension card with the permanent residential address in country Victoria. A list of ineligible postcodes is available.

If you are uncertain about your eligibility, you can enquire by telephone to the VES office on 1300 303 125 for the cost of a local call (excluding calls from mobiles) or on 03 9349 7434 or otherwise complete the application form and the VES office will advise you.

Please note that adult dependants listed on a pension card are not eligible for VES.

For people who live in the Melbourne metropolitan area, the Melbourne Optometry Clinic in the Victorian College of Optometry offers a similar service for pensioners and others on low incomes. People who live in the Melbourne metropolitan area are not able to access the VES through country participating practitioners but should contact the Melbourne Optometry Clinic.