Optometry practice in North Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia.
“Yes — Medicare covers eye tests for all Australians aged 4 and over. Kids can be tested every year at no cost. We recommend starting before school, because many learning difficulties turn out to be undiagnosed vision problems.”
“Absolutely. Mark, Vivian and Nikki are all therapeutically endorsed, which means they can diagnose dry eye, prescribe medications, and perform IPL treatment — all without needing a GP referral. Most dry eye is actually better managed by an optometrist than a GP.”
“A standard eye examination is bulk billed through Medicare for eligible patients — meaning no out-of-pocket cost. Some additional tests like OCT scans may have a small fee, but we'll always let you know before we do anything.”
“Yes — this is one of our areas of special interest. Worsening short-sightedness in children can be slowed with treatments like Ortho-K, MiyoSmart glasses, MiSight contact lenses, or atropine eye drops. We run The Myopia Clinic with published pricing and over 1,000 children managed. Visit concordeyecare.com.au/myopia-clinic/ for details.”
“No — you can book an optometrist directly without a GP referral. All three of our optometrists at Concord Eyecare are therapeutically endorsed by the Optometry Board of Australia, which means we can diagnose and prescribe prescription eye medications for conditions like dry eye, infections, and inflammation without sending you to a GP first.”
“Yes — standard comprehensive eye exams are currently bulk-billed at Concord Eyecare for eligible Medicare cardholders. Under current Medicare rules, adults under 65 can claim a bulk-billed exam every 3 years, and patients aged 65+ can claim annually. Additional imaging or specialty testing may incur an out-of-pocket fee, which we'll always discuss upfront.”
“Yes. We're an independently owned Concord practice, and you'll see the same optometrist — Dr Mark Joung, Dr Nikki Peng, or Dr Vivian Li — at every visit. Continuity matters for multi-year care like myopia control and Ortho-K, because your optometrist knows your history, your eyes, and your family.”
“Yes — we bulk bill children's comprehensive eye tests through Medicare for all Australians aged 4 and over, so there's no out-of-pocket cost for the consultation. Your child can be tested every year. You don't need a GP referral.”
“We recommend a first eye test at age 4, before starting school. Testing early means we can identify vision concerns when we have the most options to support your child's learning and development.”
“Common signs include sitting too close to the TV or screen, squinting at the board from the back of the class, rubbing eyes often, complaining of headaches or tired eyes, tilting the head to read, or losing their place while reading. Some signs are age-specific though — preschoolers, primary schoolers and teenagers can each show different patterns.”
“School screenings only check distance vision. They don't assess focusing, eye teaming, tracking, colour vision, or eye health. Passing a screening doesn't mean everything's fine — it means one thing was checked.”
“Most dry eye is caused by meibomian gland dysfunction — the oil glands in your eyelids stop producing enough quality oil, and your tear film evaporates too quickly. The international TFOS DEWS II Report (2017) puts evaporative disease at roughly 86% of cases.”
“Dry eye is generally a chronic condition rather than something that's cured outright — but it can be well controlled. With the right diagnosis and a treatment plan that addresses the underlying cause (not just the symptoms), most patients experience meaningful, lasting improvement. The goal is symptom control and protection of the meibomian glands you still have.”
“A proper diagnosis combines a detailed history with diagnostic imaging — non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT), meibography, slit-lamp examination of the lids and tear film, and Schirmer's test where aqueous deficiency is suspected. These tests aren't part of a standard eye test and need dedicated equipment.”
Download this profile and inspect its supporting evidence.