Optical health in focus
Many Australians consider their eyesight their most vital sense, according to Optometry Australia’s recent report1.
Over 75% of respondents ranked their vision as their most important sense – yet 60% also admitted their eyesight is deteriorating with age. With our population getting older, these findings emphasise the importance of prioritising our eye health.
Doctors’ Health Fund offers generous optical benefits on all levels of extras cover. Our highest level of extras cover, Total Extras, gives members premium benefits and comprehensive cover on a range of services with a two-year fixed optical benefit of $700. Essential Extras and Starter Extras also offer generous optical limits of $500 and $300 every two years respectively.
How do optical limits work and what do they cover?
Optical limits renew every two calendar years, meaning you have your set limit to use within two years which are renewed on 1 January either every odd or even year, depending on your join date. One easy way to check your reset date is by going onto the Doctors’ Health Fund App or Online Member Services portal.
Optical benefits cover your choice of contact lenses or frame fitted with prescription lenses and includes a $50 benefit for optical repairs. Prescription sunglasses* are also covered. The benefits can be claimed in one go, or over more than one transaction, and we’ll pay 100% of the cost up to your two-year limit.
All Doctors’ Health Fund members have access to discounts at popular optical retailers. These retailers include Bailey Nelson, Specsavers, Clearly.com.au, OPSM, Laubman & Pank, and the Q Optical Network, with discounts applied when you make a purchase in store.
Discounts on offer include a free contact lens assessment, fitting and trial with Specsavers, 15% off non-prescription glasses at OPSM and Laubman & Pank, and 10% off non-prescription sunglasses at Bailey Nelson. To find out more about what discounts Doctors’ Health Fund offers and how to redeem them, head to our optical discounts page.
Laser eye surgery
Laser eye surgery is a popular procedure to correct vision and benefits are available for this service under Total Extras. When laser eye surgeries are performed by a registered ophthalmologist in a clinic, we’ll pay a benefit of $800 per eye. You can claim this benefit for each eye (up to $1,600) which will reset after five calendar years.
Eye care in hospital
All our hospital policies include the ‘Eye (excluding cataracts)’ clinical category, which covers inpatient investigation and treatment of conditions such as retinal detachment, tear duct conditions and eye infections. For cataracts, cover is only provided under Prime Choice Gold and Top Cover Gold.
If you require eye surgery, your specialist will provide you with the appropriate Medicare item numbers they will use for your procedure. We encourage you to contact our team once you have this information to confirm your cover.
Contact us
Please contact our team on 1800 226 126 Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 6:00pm NSW time (excluding NSW public holidays) if you have any questions about making the most of your optical benefits, to check your optical limit reset date, or if you are considering upgrading your extras cover.
1 The 2022 Vision Index, Optometry Australia, 2022.
*Please note that non-prescription sunglasses are not covered under Doctors’ Health Fund’s extras policy and cannot be claimed.
Private health insurance products are issued by The Doctors’ Health Fund Pty Limited, ABN 68 001 417 527 (Doctors’ Health Fund), a member of the Avant Mutual Group. Cover is subject to the terms and conditions (including waiting periods, limitations and exclusions) of the individual policy, available at doctorshealthfund.com.au/our-cover
