Frequently Asked Questions

Children's eye exams are completely free, bulk-billed through Medicare with no out-of-pocket cost. For adults, our comprehensive 30+ minute exams have a gap fee of $35 Monday to Friday or $45 Saturday, after your Medicare rebate. Concession card holders are bulk-billed at no cost.

We bulk bill all children's eye exams and all concession card holders through Medicare. For other adults there is a gap fee of $35 Monday to Friday, or $45 Saturday, after Medicare.

The gap fee is what lets us spend three times longer with you than a bulk-billing chain appointment. Our 30+ minute exams use advanced diagnostic equipment to assess not just your vision but your overall eye health, detecting glaucoma, macular degeneration and signs of diabetes early. It is the difference between a quick check and a thorough health assessment.

All of them, including HBF, Medibank, Bupa and NIB. Claims are processed instantly on the spot through our HICAPS terminal, so there is no paperwork and no waiting for a reimbursement. Just bring your health fund card.

No. You do not need a referral to see an optometrist in Australia. Book online any time, call us, or simply walk in during opening hours.

Your Medicare card, your health fund card if you have one, your current glasses or contact lenses, any previous prescriptions, and a list of any medications you take. Bring sunglasses too. If your eyes are dilated they will be light-sensitive for a few hours afterwards.

For most adults, every two years is the Medicare recommendation. We suggest annually if you are over 65, have diabetes, or have a family history of glaucoma or macular degeneration. Given how much your eyes do for you, an annual check is worth it in the same way a dental visit or skin check is.

We take your details, then discuss your health history, family history, medications and any eye treatments. We review your previous prescription and current eyewear. The examination itself checks for signs of diabetes, glaucoma and retinal damage. We then compare the results against your previous prescription, explain what has changed, and advise whether you need new eyewear.

Shop 52, 10 Orchard Ave, inside Armadale Central Shopping Centre, in between Woolworths and Big W. Free parking is available at the centre. We are an easy drive from Kelmscott (about 5 minutes), Byford (about 9) and Roleystone (about 12).

Yes, completely. Children's examinations are bulk-billed through Medicare with zero out-of-pocket cost and no referral needed. Just bring your child's Medicare card. The exam takes 20–30 minutes and is designed to be comfortable, even fun.

Optometry Australia recommends a first eye test at age 3, then again before starting school, and every two years after that. Book sooner if your child complains of headaches, squints, holds books very close, or is struggling with reading.

Squinting or closing one eye; sitting very close to the TV or holding devices close; headaches, especially after school; frequent eye-rubbing; difficulty concentrating in class; losing their place when reading; an eye turning in or out; avoiding reading or close work; or tilting their head to one side.

Visual stress affects around one in four school children and is a common cause. Some symptoms are hard to spot, because children subconsciously adapt to compensate. Watch for difficulty seeing the whiteboard, needing to look away while reading, finding patterns (especially stripes) hard to look at, words appearing to move on the page, sore eyes when reading, trouble tracking or copying text, and squinting because pages seem too bright.

Visual stress, also called Meares-Irlen syndrome, is a condition where the visual cortex is overstimulated by certain patterns, particularly the regular high-contrast lines of text. Words appear to move or blur, reading brings on headaches, and bright pages feel harsh. It affects roughly 1 in 5 people in the general population. Your prescription may be entirely normal.

Getting tired quickly when reading, squinting to focus, or regular headaches and migraines are a few of the symptoms. The reliable way to find out is an assessment. We will examine you and talk through the options.

Our in-house Dispensing Optician uses the Cerium Intuitive Colorimeter to determine precisely which colours and tints reduce your visual stress. Spectrum has the only such instrument in Western Australia. The result becomes a lens specification that can be built into your regular frames.

No. Dyslexia is a language-processing difficulty; visual stress is a visual-processing condition. They can co-exist, and treating the visual stress component often improves reading comfort considerably, but it does not cure dyslexia. An assessment can determine whether visual stress is a contributing factor.

There is no such thing as a scratch-proof lens. New coatings have made lenses tougher, but every lens still needs care. Stored in a case and cleaned properly, a pair can last decades.

It is convenient, but over time it scratches the lenses and impairs your vision, and you will need to replace or repair them sooner. Use a cleaning solution and a microfibre cloth instead.

No. Avoid hot water and anything abrasive. Methylated spirits can shift particularly stubborn marks on lenses, but never use household cleaners or acetone, which damage frames. We sell a cleaning solution in the clinic, and if you bring the empty bottle back we refill it at half price.

Yes. Under Australian law your prescription belongs to you and you may fill it wherever you like. We would welcome the chance to help you choose frames and lenses, since our team has decades of experience and access to a wider range than chain stores, but the choice is entirely yours.

Please don't. Do not use super glue or tape. Bring them in and we will repair them properly. Attempting a home fix often causes further damage and can make a repairable frame unrepairable.

Two good options. We can repair them and bring your old favourites back to life. Or donate them. We repurpose preloved eyewear for people in developing countries, where over 1 billion people lack access to quality eyecare.

Cleaning contacts correctly is essential for eye health. Our five-step wear-and-care routine covers washing your hands, cleaning, rinsing, disinfecting with fresh solution, and repeating for the second lens.

It depends on your eyes and your routine. We talk through soft versus hard lenses, daily versus monthly, and your budget, then recommend what genuinely suits your needs and lifestyle.