Outback Eye Service

How we can help you

Our specialist team provide care for adults and children living in rural areas who have eye problems. We provide assessment, diagnosis, management and treatment, including surgery.

We visit five rural locations: Bourke Hospital, Brewarrina Hospital, Cobar Hospital, Lightning Ridge Hospital, Walgett Hospital.

    Our services include:

    • Specialist doctor (Ophthalmologist) clinic appointments for adults and children
    • Cataract surgery - A cataract causes your vision to become cloudy. Cataract surgery removes the lens of your eye and, in most cases, replace it with an artificial lens so your vision is clear.
    • Oculoplastics surgery - Surgical procedures around the eye socket, eyelid, tear ducts and your face. It includes reconstruction of the eye and surrounding structures, and is used to treat a range of problems, including droopy eyelids, tumours (e.g. melanomas), and blocked tear ducts.
    • Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and retinal diagnostic testing - We use diagnostic equipment to take scans of your eye. This helps us examine the health of your eye.
    • Visual Field Assessments - Measures how far your eye sees in any direction without moving and how sensitive your vision is in different parts of your eye.

    You will need a completed referral form from your local general practitioner (GP) or your specialist to use our services. If you need to make an appointment, please ask your doctor to email or fax us your referral form with any blood and imaging results. Please fax referrals to: 02 9382 2690 or email: WNSWLHD-OESReferrals@health.nsw.gov.au

    We will review your referral and send you a letter in the mail with your appointment details. 

    Usual wait times may vary. An urgent referral will be seen within 4 weeks.  A non-urgent referral may be seen in up to 12 months.

    If you need to change or cancel your appointment, telephone 0418 322 705 or 0419 111 687.

    Please let us know if you need an interpreter. You can contact us telephoning the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450. Tell the operator what language you speak and then ask the interpreter to set up a telephone conversation between you, an interpreter, and the healthcare professional you want to speak with.