Vision Australia is urging the Australian health-care sector to continue to support patients to access specialist blindness and low vision services through the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vision Australia has made the decision to temporarily suspend face-to-face service delivery and operations from its offices.
Vision Australia has launched a comprehensive telehealth program that will allow its specialist service providers to continue to safely deliver services and supports to clients across Australia.
“We’re more than confident that our telehealth service will allow our frontline staff to provide the services that allow our clients to remain active, safe and independent. In a situation like this, where people who are blind or have low vision can easily find themselves cut off from society, services like ours become even more important,” Vision Australia CEO Ron Hooton said.
“Any health professional with a blind or low vision patient should have no hesitation in referring them to Vision Australia. We’ll make contact with them as soon as possible and make sure they’re receiving the support they need,” Ron said.
Vision Australia’s full range of services, including occupational therapy, orientation and mobility support, orthoptic services, assistive technology advice and specialist children and young people services can all be provided by telehealth.
Vision Australia can also provide free tech support to ensure new and existing clients are set up to receive telehealth services.
Given the current situation across Australia, identifying patients at risk due to blindness or low vision is more important than ever. A simple referral to Vision Australia can be done online at visionaustralia.org in a matter of minutes. You can also refer patients via phone on 1300 84 74 66.