Home optometry providers in Australia

See Clearly Without Leaving Home: Mobile Optometry in Australia

Poor vision affects independence, safety, and quality of life. But if getting to a clinic is difficult because of mobility issues, transport challenges, or frailty, your eye health can go unmanaged for years. That should not happen.

Carevo connects you with AHPRA-registered optometrists in Australia who visit you at home. These qualified professionals bring portable testing equipment and conduct full eye assessments in your own environment, where you are comfortable and where the results are most relevant to your daily life.

The Right Support is About More Than Just Seeing an Eye Chart

Are you worried about:

• Missing serious eye conditions? Glaucoma and macular degeneration progress silently. Regular monitoring is the only way to catch changes early.
• Outdated prescriptions? Wearing the wrong glasses increases fall risk, headaches, and fatigue. An in-home review updates your prescription without a clinic trip.
• Low vision going unaddressed? Many people accept declining vision as inevitable. Low vision aids and rehabilitation strategies can restore meaningful function.
• Eye health being deprioritised? When getting out is hard, eye appointments are often the first thing cancelled. A home visit removes that barrier entirely.

Optometrists through Carevo solve these worries, providing comprehensive eye care that fits around your circumstances rather than asking you to fit around a clinic.

How In-Home Optometry Helps You Maintain Vision and Independence

Australia optometrists through Carevo deliver the same standard of care you would receive in a high-street clinic, using portable diagnostic equipment suited to home environments.

Services Provided During a Home Optometry Visit

• Visual acuity assessment: Measuring how clearly you can see at distance and near, with and without current glasses.
• Glasses and contact lens prescriptions: Full refraction to determine updated prescriptions, with referrals to dispensing opticians as needed.
• Glaucoma screening: Intraocular pressure testing and optic nerve assessment to monitor for glaucoma risk and progression.
• Macular degeneration monitoring: Amsler grid testing and examination for age-related macular degeneration, with referral for treatment if required.
• Low vision assessment and rehabilitation: Identifying aids, magnifiers, lighting adjustments, and strategies to maximise remaining vision for daily tasks.

Why Home-Based Eye Care Works Better for Many People

Clinic-based testing can produce skewed results when a person is anxious, fatigued from travel, or uncomfortable. An optometrist visiting you at home sees your actual environment, your lighting conditions, your reading materials, and how you use your vision day to day. This leads to more practical recommendations and better-fitted prescriptions.

Conditions Home Optometry Addresses in Australia

Optometrists through Carevo conduct comprehensive eye assessments and vision management for a range of conditions:

• Age-related vision loss (presbyopia and macular degeneration): Assessment of near and distance vision changes with age, including monitoring for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and provision of appropriate optical corrections.
• Cataracts: Vision assessment and monitoring for people with cataracts, including referral to an ophthalmologist when surgery is indicated.
• Diabetic retinopathy: Regular retinal assessment for people with diabetes to detect early signs of diabetic eye disease.
• Glaucoma monitoring: Pressure assessment and visual field monitoring for people already diagnosed with glaucoma, or those with elevated risk.
• Low vision (acquired): Functional vision assessment and prescription of low vision aids for people who have permanently reduced vision from any cause. Low vision optometrists can prescribe magnifiers, telescopic lenses, and reading aids.
• Disability-related vision impairment: Visual assessment for people with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, or other conditions where vision problems are common and often undetected.
• Refractive errors in housebound people: Standard glasses prescription and contact lens assessment for people who cannot attend a clinic due to disability, illness, or mobility limitation.
• Dry eye and surface conditions: Assessment and management of chronic dry eye and anterior eye conditions in people who cannot attend clinic visits.
• Post-stroke vision changes: Assessment of visual field defects, double vision, and eye movement problems following stroke.

Contact a provider through Carevo if your situation is not listed.

NDIS Funding for Home Optometry in Australia

Optometry sessions are not directly listed in the NDIS Therapeutic Supports price schedule. However, optometry-related costs can be funded through the NDIS Assistive Technology budget for low vision aids and equipment when vision impairment is related to the participant’s disability.

• NDIS Assistive Technology: Low vision aids including optical magnifiers, screen readers, and specialised lighting can be funded as Assistive Technology. An optometrist can contribute functional vision input; NDIS eligibility evidence is generally provided by an ophthalmologist, and complex AT is assessed by an OT or qualified AT assessor.
• Medicare: Standard optometry consultations attract a Medicare rebate for eligible Australians. Bulk-billing is available from many optometrists. Confirm bulk-billing status with your provider.
• Support at Home: Optometry is not a funded allied health service under the Support at Home program (which replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025). Vision-related allied health support listed in the service list (e.g. OT for low-vision daily-living strategies) may be available, but optometry consultations themselves are typically funded via Medicare, not Support at Home.
• Hearing Services Program analog: The Australian Government does not offer a universal equivalent program for optometry, but the Low Vision Rehabilitation Program through Vision Australia and Guide Dogs provides services to eligible people with permanent low vision.

Making Funding Simple

Providers through Carevo are experienced in navigating the funding for in-home optometry.

• Support at Home (formerly Home Care Packages): Support at Home does not specify funding for routine optometry. Eye examinations are generally covered by Medicare, with Support at Home allied health funding limited to its listed professions.
• NDIS Plans: The NDIS does not fund routine eye examinations or optometry consultations, which are a Medicare responsibility. The NDIS funds only disability-related low vision aids through the Assistive Technology budget where the vision impairment relates to the participant’s disability.
• Medicare: Medicare provides rebates for standard optometry services under the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Bulk billing may be available. DVA card holders may also be eligible.
• NDIS Assistive Technology: Low vision aids and equipment can be funded through the NDIS AT budget when vision impairment is related to the participant’s disability.

Why Australia Residents Trust Optometry Providers Through Carevo

AHPRA-Registered and Properly Qualified

Optometrists must hold current registration with the Optometry Board of Australia under AHPRA to practise. This registration requires a minimum of a Bachelor of Vision Science and Master of Optometry, plus ongoing continuing professional development. You can verify any optometrist’s registration on the AHPRA public register, and you can ask each provider to confirm their registration before booking.

Experience with Aged Care and NDIS Clients

Optometrists through Carevo have experience working with older Australians and NDIS participants. They understand the specific eye conditions common in aged care, including diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration, and they know how to communicate clearly with people who have cognitive or communication challenges.

Coordinated Care and Clear Referral Pathways

When an optometrist identifies a condition requiring specialist care, such as cataracts needing surgery or wet AMD requiring injections, they will provide a clear referral letter and can coordinate with your GP or specialist. Nothing falls through the cracks.

How to Access Home Optometry in Australia

1. Check Medicare eligibility: Most standard optometry consultations attract a Medicare rebate. Confirm bulk-billing status with the provider when booking.
2. NDIS participants with vision impairment: Discuss with your support coordinator which budget covers low vision aids. An optometrist can contribute functional vision input, but NDIS eligibility evidence is generally provided by an ophthalmologist, and complex AT is assessed by an OT or qualified AT assessor.
3. Find a mobile optometrist: Not all optometrists offer home visits. Use Carevo to find optometrists in Australia who provide mobile services.
4. Book an assessment: Inform the provider of any access requirements, the type of assessment needed, and whether a specific person will be present to assist.
5. Bring existing prescription details: If you have existing glasses or have had previous eye tests, have the prescription details or previous report available.
6. Low vision follow-up: If low vision aids are prescribed, a follow-up visit for training and adjustment is typically needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an optometrist do a full eye test at home? Yes. Home visit optometrists carry portable slit lamps, retinoscopes, tonometers, and visual field equipment. The assessment is clinically equivalent to a clinic visit for most conditions. Some advanced imaging may require a follow-up at a specialist clinic, but initial assessments and prescriptions are fully manageable in the home setting.

How much does a home optometry visit cost in Australia? Costs typically range from $100 to $200 per visit. Medicare rebates apply to the clinical component of the consultation. NDIS and Support at Home funding can cover costs depending on your plan and goals. Glasses and other aids are charged separately.

How do I arrange a home optometry visit? Contact Carevo and describe your situation. We will connect you with AHPRA-registered optometrists in Australia who offer home visits. You can compare availability and arrange a time that suits you. No GP referral is needed for a standard eye test, though a referral can help if you are accessing Medicare rebates under a chronic disease management plan.

Can an optometrist detect signs of systemic health conditions during an eye test? Yes. The eye is the only place in the body where blood vessels and nerve tissue can be directly observed without surgery. During a comprehensive eye examination, optometrists can identify signs of diabetes, hypertension, raised intracranial pressure, and neurological conditions. They refer to GPs or specialists when findings suggest a systemic health concern.

How often should people with diabetes have an eye examination? People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes should have an annual retinal assessment. Diabetic retinopathy, one of the leading causes of preventable blindness, can be present without symptoms. Home optometry visits make annual retinal assessment practical for people with diabetes who have difficulty attending a clinic due to other health conditions or mobility.

Can an optometrist prescribe glasses during a home visit? Yes. Mobile optometrists carry portable refraction equipment to measure and prescribe glasses during home visits. Frames and lenses are typically ordered separately and delivered to the client. Follow-up visits for adjustments can also be conducted at home.

Vision Support and Low Vision Aids

For people whose vision loss cannot be fully corrected with glasses or surgery, low vision aids and vision support technology can restore functional independence. Through Carevo, you can connect with optometrists and low vision specialists in Australia who assess remaining vision and prescribe aids that maximise what you can still see.

Types of Low Vision Aids and Vision Support Equipment

• Magnifiers. Handheld, stand-mounted, and illuminated magnifiers for reading mail, medication labels, and books. Electronic magnifiers (CCTVs/video magnifiers) display enlarged text on a screen and can adjust contrast and colour for different visual conditions.
• Lighting solutions. Task lighting with adjustable brightness and colour temperature positioned for reading, craft, or kitchen work. Correct lighting can dramatically improve functional vision for people with macular degeneration or cataracts.
• Large-print and high-contrast aids. Large-print books, high-contrast clocks, large-button phones and remote controls, tactile markers for appliance settings, and high-contrast kitchen tools.
• Screen magnification and screen readers. Software that enlarges content on a computer or tablet screen, or reads text aloud. Built-in accessibility features on phones and tablets (zoom, VoiceOver, TalkBack) can be configured by an OT or low vision specialist.
• Monoculars and telescopic aids. Small telescopes for distance viewing, such as reading street signs, bus numbers, or whiteboards. Spectacle-mounted telescopes are available for hands-free use.
• Orientation and mobility aids. White canes and electronic travel aids for people with severe vision loss who need support navigating their environment. Orientation and mobility training is provided by specialist instructors.

Funding Low Vision Aids

Low vision aids can be funded through NDIS Assistive Technology (for vision-related disability), Support at Home, the AT-HM Scheme, and DVA. Some aids are available through Vision Australia and state-based blind and low vision organisations at subsidised cost. Your optometrist or low vision specialist can advise on the best funding pathway for your situation.

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