Outpatient Clinics

The Lions Low Vision Clinic is a unit within the Royal Hobart Hospital Eye Clinic, specialising in helping people with poor vision make the best use of their remaining sight.

Availability

North South North West Statewide

Scope

Low vision is defined as permanent vision loss that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or medical treatments. It can affect all aspects of daily life. It may involve a loss of sharpness of vision but may also involve reduced field of vision, impaired low contrast vision, distorted vision, or increased glare sensitivity.

The Low Vision Clinic has a wide range of high quality optical and electronic magnifiers for demonstration. We discuss how the patient’s vision impairment is impacting their daily life at home, work, or school and provide advice regarding low vision equipment (eg: lighting, magnifiers) or practical strategies to compensate for and cope with their vision loss.

Many patients also benefit from services from other blindness / low vision organisations such as VisAbility Tasmania, Blind Focus, or Vision Australia. The Low Vision Clinic may refer a patient to one of these service providers for Occupational Therapy, Orientation and Mobility, Assistive Technology, audio book library services, or counselling.

The Low Vision Clinic does not conduct home visits or sell equipment. Patients who receive assistance from My Aged Care or the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) may be able to access funding for low vision aids prescribed by the clinic.

Emergency conditions

Non-urgent clinic

The Low Vision Clinic does not diagnose or treat eye disease. If a person has experienced a sudden change in their vision, we advise that they contact their local optometrist, ophthalmologist, GP or emergency department.

Referral process

Patients require a referral from their optometrist, ophthalmologist, GP or other health professional. School age children may also be referred by the Department of Education Vision Services team or support/teaching staff if they attend private or Catholic schools.

Referral should include:

• Eye Condition/s
• Visual acuity and other relevant tests if available (eg: visual field analyses).
• Refraction information if available.
• Other relevant conditions such as diabetes, stroke, dementia, hearing loss, intellectual impairment or other disabilities.
• Information about functional issues due to their low vision, such as difficulty:
  • Reading
  • Using appliances in the kitchen
  • Preparation of meals or pouring drinks
  • Shopping
  • Using a desktop/tablet computer or mobile phone
  • Getting around (orientation to familiar/unfamiliar areas, managing steps, uneven ground, or road crossing).
  • Managing medications
  • Glare sensitivity
  • Seeing the television
  • Seeing faces
  • With art, craft, sports, or other hobbies
  • Driving

Appointments:

Patients are assessed by an optometrist and allied health professional who have extensive expertise in low vision.

One hour is allocated for appointments, allowing time for educating the patient about their eye condition, discussing their functional vision difficulties, demonstrating aids, and providing information about where to purchase them. Information and onward referral may also be provided to other services. Patients are welcome to attend with a family member, carer or support worker.

All services are outpatient and are bulk billed to Medicare.

Download the RHH Low Vision Clinic referral form. Please ensure other relevant health information is included in a separate letter. Email enquiries to llvc@ths.tas.gov.au.

Phone 6166 0000 (option 3, eye clinic)

Additional information

For more information please see the Tasmanian HealthPathways website.