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Cataracts and assessment for cataract surgery – Adult

Cataracts and assessment for cataract surgery – Adult

Emergency and immediate referrals

Referral to Emergency

  • Nil

Immediately contact on-call registrar to arrange an urgent (within 7 days) ophthalmology assessment for:

  • Nil
Presenting symptoms

Patient requests surgery for documented cataract with either:

  • significant symptoms that affect the person’s quality of life and / or activities of daily living (ADLs) (e.g. light or glare sensitivity, ability to drive, recognise faces, work or self-care and increased risk of falls)
  • in the absence of significant symptoms, visual acuity 6/12 or worse in the affected eye.
Mandatory referral information (referral will be returned if this information is not included)
  • Best corrected visual acuity BCVA) – vision with most recent distance spectacles
  • Functional impact of symptoms on daily activities (e.g., vision-related activities, impact on work, study or carer role)

If unable to attach reports, please include relevant information/results in the referral

Referrer to state reason if not able to include mandatory referral information in referral (e.g. patient unable to access test due to geographical location or financial cost)
Highly desirable referral information
  • Most recent optometrist or private ophthalmologist report including:
    • Type of cataract
    • Refraction
    • Dilated retinal examination
  • Statement that the patient is willing to undergo surgery
  • State if patient has had previous cataract surgery
  • If person is a carer, falls risk or commercial driver with specific visual acuity requirements for employment
  • Assessment of vision-related activity limitations using a validated patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) such as Catquest-9SF  
Indicative triage category
Indicative triage category
Category 1
Appointment within 30 days
  • Documented cataract with significant impact on activities of daily living (ADL) and BCVA worse than 6/36 in each eye cataract inducing high intraocular pressure (phacomorphic/phacolytic) 
Category 2
Appointment within 90 days
  • Documented cataract with significant impact on ADL and:
    • BCVA worse than 6/36 in one eye or
    • BCVA worse than 6/12 in each eye
Category 3
Appointment within 365 days
  • Documented cataract with significant impact on quality of life +/- ADL and BCVA worse than 6/12 in either eye
Excluded ophthalmology services

Referral to public ophthalmology outpatient services is not routinely accepted for the following conditions:

Condition Details (where applicable)
Cataract
  • Patients who do not want surgery will not be accepted
  • No visual acuity criteria
  • Asymptomatic cataract where optical correction is possible
Useful Information for referring practitioners
wa.gov.au