The RCH ophthalmology clinic will accept referrals from a doctor, optometrist or as a result of school screening. See the RCH ophthalmology clinic referral guidelines here.

Sometimes children will be referred through the hospital (eg after seeing another department or at the emergency department). These referrals can be posted or faxed to the department. See the contact us page for more contact information.

Once your child's referral has been received, it will be triaged according to urgency by the Nurse Co-ordinator. If you have any specific concerns or information that you would like us to know, please make sure that your doctor or optometrist indicates these on the referral.

Also, please be aware that certain details need to be given on the referral. These details include:

• Child's name and date of birth
• Child's current address and contact details
• Medicare Number
• Referring doctor's provider number (if applicable)

Your doctor or optometrist will usually explain why your child has been referred. If your child has been referred because they have failed their school/kindergarten vision screening test, it is usually because either one or both eyes are not seeing as well as they should be; and/or they suspect your child's eyes are not working together (one eye is turning inwards or outwards - 'squint').  For more information regarding these problems, please access the fact sheets in the patient information section.