FAQ

Your GP or optometrist will need to refer you before you can make an appointment to see Dr Swati Sinkar. It is usually the case that any referral remains valid for 12 months. If you don’t have a current referral, Medicare will not pay the rebate and so you will be liable for the full cost of any consultations or treatment.

As one of the leading eye specialists in South Australia, Dr Swati has extensive experience in all areas of ophthalmology. She is a paediatric eye specialist, treating children with all types of vision problems and eye diseases, but also offers a comprehensive range of ophthalmology treatments for adults in Adelaide as well. These include cataract surgery, pterygium surgery, eyelid malposition, glaucoma management and squint surgery.

Dr. Swati consults as an eye surgeon in Adelaide at several different hospitals and clinics, as mentioned in Contact page of website i.e.

Eyemedics, Kingswood Eye Centre, Salisbury Eye Clinic, Mount Gambier Eye Specialists and performs surgeries at Vista Day Surgery, Adelaide Day Surgery and Calvary Central District hospital. She also consults as an Ophthalmologist at Women and Children’s and Modbury hospitals.

Once you have obtained a referral from either your GP or optometrist, you should call one of the clinics at which Dr Swati consults in order to make an appointment (your GP or optometrist may do this on your behalf). So that she can best meet your needs, it is helpful if you can provide as much information as possible at the time of making your appointment. Once you have made an appointment, you will be sent a confirmation letter detailing how you can prepare and what you need to bring with you for your initial consultation.

You should bring the following with you to your first appointment with Dr. Swati:

• Referral letter from your GP or optometrist
• Medicare or Veterans Affairs Card
• Private health care card (if applicable)
• Any information pertaining to your medical history, e.g., x-rays, past surgeries, MRI scans, CT scans, etc.
• A list of any medication you are taking
• Glasses that you currently wear, including glasses worn only for reading or driving

At your first consultation with Dr Swati, you will need to notify reception of your arrival and provide your contact information. You will then meet with an orthoptist, nurse or ophthalmic assistant, who will undertake an initial assessment of your vision and eye pressure, and note the details of your medical history. These initial tests help Dr Swati to have as full a picture of your vision and general health as possible.

Your initial appointment may take up to two hours, for a complete assessment of your vision andeye concerns.. For any subsequent appointments, you will be advised at the time of booking as to how much time  is expected to be required.

You will be required to pay the cost of your consultation or treatment in full at the time of your visit. It will be lodged with Medicare electronically on your behalf, and if you have registered your banking details with Medicare, your rebate will be transferred to your account within 48 hours.

Consultations with Dr Swati are not covered by private health insurance, and so you will not receive a rebate. However, if eye surgery is required, it is likely that your private health fund will cover the costs, although you may need to pay an excess depending on your fund and the level of coverage. Any fees that you are required to pay will be fully itemised and explained before you undergo any eye surgery procedure.

As a paediatric eye specialist, Dr Swati will prescribe glasses for children who have been referred to her. However, adults should consult with their optometrist to get a new or updated glasses prescription.

As you may have dilating eye drops administered during your consultation, it is strongly recommended that you do not drive yourself home from your appointment with Dr Swati. This is because the effect of the eye drops can take up to two hours or more to wear off, and your vision may be affected until they do. It is also recommended that you bring a pair of sunglasses to wear on your way back home after your appointment.

An ophthalmologist specialises in diagnosing, managing and treating eye diseases, and is a qualified medical practitioner. In order to have a consultation with an ophthalmologist, you will need to be referred by a GP or an optometrist. An optometrist specialises in prescribing glasses and contact lenses, as well as screening for eye diseases, and can refer patients to an eye specialist/Ophthalmologist for further assessment and treatment.