What an eye test costs at Paul Fell Eyecare
We would rather you knew the number before you walked in.
The short version
| Comprehensive eye test, under 25 (with Medicare) | No charge |
| Comprehensive eye test, 25 and over (with Medicare) | $50 |
| Without a Medicare card | $145 ($95 consultation + $50 imaging) |
| Consultation component | Bulk billed to Medicare |
| Glasses, lenses, contact lenses | HICAPS on site, all major funds |
How that adds up
Two things happen at a comprehensive eye examination, and they are billed differently.
The consultation is bulk billed. With a valid Medicare card, the examination itself — your vision, your prescription, eye coordination and focusing, eye pressure, and an assessment of your eye health — costs you nothing. We bill Medicare directly. There is nothing for you to claim back.
The retinal imaging is $50. Our comprehensive examination usually includes an OCT scan and widefield retinal imaging. Medicare does not provide a rebate for either, so that part is charged directly. This is not an upsell offered at the counter — it is part of how we examine eyes here. The OCT records the layers beneath the retinal surface and the widefield scan captures the periphery, so both are documented and can be compared at your next visit.
So for most adults, a comprehensive eye test at Paul Fell Eyecare costs $50.
Where an optometrist judges that imaging is not necessary in your particular case, it is not performed and not charged.
If you do not have Medicare
Bulk billing requires a valid Medicare card. Without one — if you are here on a student or working visa, or visiting from overseas — the consultation is charged as a private fee.
| Consultation | $95 |
| Retinal imaging | $50 |
| Total | $145 |
That is the same examination, by the same optometrists, with the same imaging. The difference is only that Medicare is not covering the consultation.
If you are visiting from the UK, New Zealand, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Slovenia or Malta, you may be eligible to enrol in Medicare under a reciprocal health care agreement — worth checking before your appointment, as it would change what you pay.
Under 25s pay nothing
If you are under 25, there is no charge at all — the consultation is bulk billed and we do not charge for your imaging.
We would rather establish a baseline record of a young person’s retinas early than start looking only once something needs finding. That record becomes more useful with every year it exists.
For a family, this means full eye examinations with advanced imaging for the children at no cost.
What the imaging actually shows
OCT (optical coherence tomography) produces a cross-section through the layers of your retina rather than a surface photograph. It reveals changes beneath the surface — the kind involved in macular degeneration and glaucoma — earlier than a standard examination can.
Widefield retinal imaging captures a much broader view of the retina than a conventional camera, including the periphery, where early changes often appear first.
Both are kept on file, so at your next visit we compare directly against last time rather than relying on memory. That comparison is often where a change first becomes obvious.
Health funds
We have HICAPS on site and accept all major health funds. If you are claiming on extras for glasses, contact lenses or prescription sunglasses, you claim at the counter and pay only the gap.
Booking
A comprehensive eye test takes about 30 minutes.
Book online at any time, or call (07) 3278 8300.
We are at Shop 15, 235 Forest Lake Boulevard, inside Forest Lake Shopping Centre.
| Monday – Wednesday | 8:30am – 5:30pm |
| Thursday | 8:30am – 7:00pm |
| Friday | 8:30am – 5:30pm |
| Saturday | 8:30am – 4:30pm |
| Sunday | Closed |