Frequently Asked Questions: Click for answers
- What should I know about my first appointment?
Be prepared for your visit to last up to 2 hours.
If you are a diabetic, please bring a snack and any supplies you may need.
Bring a list of all medications, vitamins, and eye drops you are taking.
Bring any prescription glasses you have and sunglasses for after.
- Can I drive to my appointment?
- How long will the appointment take?
- What do I need to do to prepare for the appointment?
- Will treatment be the same day?
- Will there be fees at my appointment?
- Does this qualify for the northern travel grant?
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You must live in one of the following districts:
Algoma District
Cochrane District
Kenora District
Manutoulin District
Nipissing District
Rainy River District
Sudbury District
Thunder Bay District
Timiskaming District
Must be a Northern Ontario resident
Must have a valid Ontario Health card
Patient must be referred by a northern Ontario health provider (physician, optometrist, or ophthalmologist)
The medical services provided must be OHIP insured
What should I know about my first appointment?
Can I drive to my appointment
If possible, we advise that every new consult has someone drive them to their appointment and/or has a family member with them at their consultation with the doctor. At the very least, both eyes will be dilated, and it is possible that if needed, treatment may be started on the same day as the consult. We recommend that you bring a driver.
How long will the appointment take?
Whether the appointment is at the Carling location or at the Riverside Campus of the Ottawa Hospital, we advise all patients that the appointments can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours from beginning to end. There are several steps to each appointment, which may include visual acuity testing, intraocular pressure tonometry, dilating the pupils, diagnostic imaging, consultation with the doctor and, depending on the diagnosis, potential treatment all in the same day. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of doctors in this specialty in the Ottawa area, and as a result we service 80 to 100 patients per doctor per day, resulting in extended wait times in our office. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause and welcome all patients to bring snacks, reading material, etc. to make the wait in our office more manageable.
What do I need to prepare for the appointment?
No steps need to be taken in preparation for the
appointment. For the appointment itself please
bring a valid health card, a current list of
medications and allergies, any eye drops you are
using, and current prescription eyeglasses, if
applicable. Please refrain from wearing contacts
as you will need to take them out for dilation
and pressure check.
If you have any questions
about why you are being referred please don’t
hesitate to consult with your referring doctor or
contact the office of your provider.
Will treatment be the same day?
Depending on the results of the appointment and the confirmed diagnosis there is a potential treatment may be the same day. There are some treatments that are done at the Carling office and others that must be booked at the Ottawa Hospital. At your appointment, the doctor will do a full assessment and discuss findings and treatment options at that time, and then it is up to the patient and doctor to decide on an appropriate treatment plan.
Will there be fees at my appointment?
The consultation is covered by OHIP as long as the patient is an Ontario resident and has a valid OHIP card. If the patient is a Quebec resident living in a Borderzone area, the consultation is covered under their provincial health plan. If the patient lives outside of these areas, there are varying fees for the consultation. There may be fees depending on if treatment is needed. All fees will be discussed beforehand once the patient is assessed and a treatment plan is discussed. If you require any further information on potential fees please call the appropriate office.
Does this qualify for the northern travel grant?
Yes, so long as the following applies: