Clinical Services - (Metropolitan)

Services by Clinic

 ::  Paediatric Services

Testing the vision of children offers a unique set of challenges for the optometrist and requires special skills to put the young patient at ease. The Melbourne Optometry Clinic offers a relaxed clinical environment to all children under the age of 18 with staff who have specialised in the provision of optometric care to children and young adults.

This service is available for routine eye examinations or if specialist assessment is required resulting from an examination after a problem has been highlighted by another person who is part of the vision, health or educational care of that child.

Services
Specialist services include assessment and management of difficult cases of strabismus, amblyopia and other binocular vision problems. They also include functional and developmental assessment and management of children with developmental delays, learning difficulties or medical conditions. The emphasis of the specialist services is on a multi-disciplinary approach to care. Vision problems which are identified will be treated in consultation with the referring professional and reports will be contributed to the interdisciplinary management of the child.

Primary care assesses the clarity of sight, whether you are short-sighted, long-sighted, or have astigmatism. How well both your eyes work together can also be assessed. Any problems with poor eye coordination or eye movement, focussing, eye control, colour vision and developmental visual information processing can be investigated.

Diagnosis and treatment are available in the areas of strabismus (eye turn) and amblyopia (lazy eye), accommodative/vergence disorders and delayed development of visual information processing. Referral to other appropriate professionals may be recommended.

Specialist services include assessment and management of difficult cases of strabismus, amblyopia and other binocular vision problems. They also include functional and developmental assessment and management of children with developmental delays, learning difficulties or medical conditions. The emphasis of the specialist services is on a multi-disciplinary approach to care. Vision problems which are identified will be treated in consultation with the referring professional and reports will be contributed to the interdisciplinary management of the child.

Other Activities
The Children's Clinic is involved in research looking at and understanding conditions such as amblyopia (lazy eye), accommodation (focussing) and vergence (eye coordination) disorders, and developmental visual information processing.

Research is performed to strict ethical standards and no research will ever take place without the informed consent of the parent/guardian and child. The research program ensures that the optometrists working the Children's Clinic are at the leading edge of knowledge in their field.

A limited vision screening program is available to local schools and kindergartens in the Carlton area, as well as to groups with an identifiable special circumstance.

Optometrists who work in the Children's Clinic may be able to talk to groups about topics related to the eye and vision care of children, but this is limited

Eligibility
All children under 18 years of age, irrespective of circumstance, can attend the Clinic.

No referral is required unless you are under the care of another eye care practitioner.

Please telephone the Melbourne Optometry Clinic on 9349 7455 to arrange an appointment, or look at the other options for arranging an appointment.

Additional Information
All requests for information should be directed to
Head of Paediatric Services
Telephone: 9349 7400

Additional information for referring practitioners is also available.