TRAVELLING TO BRISBANE FOR YOUR EYE SURGERY
Dr Gunn and the Queensland Eye Institute clinic is very accustomed to welcoming patients from around Australia and the Pacific region for consultation and treatment.
WHERE CAN I SEE DR GUNN?
Dr Gunn consults at QEI South Brisbane on Tuesdays and at QEI Clayfield on Wednesdays. He operates on Thursdays and Fridays at South Bank Day Hospital. If you are flying to Brisbane for a consultation with Dr Gunn, QEI Clayfield is often a more convenient location to see him. It is around a 10 minute drive from the domestic and international airport, or a 10 minute walk from the Air Train stop. Many patients fly in just for the day for their assessment.
CAN I HAVE SURGERY ON THE SAME TRIP AS MY CONSULTATION?
We aim to make the process of booking your eye surgery as smooth as possible.
For laser eye surgery and pterygium surgery it is often possible for your assessment and then surgery to happen within 1-2 days.
For cataract or ICL surgery however you will need an implant that will need to be ordered or sometimes even custom made for you. We won’t know how long this will take until Dr Gunn has assessed you. Many cataract or refractive lens exchange patients can have their surgery on the same trip, but this depends on the lens required and availability.
Cornea grafts take around 4-6 weeks to order and ICL’s or custom lenses can take as long as 2 – 3 months.
HOW LONG WILL I NEED TO BE IN BRISBANE FOR MY LASER EYE SURGERY?
Dr Gunn will perform your procedure on a Thursday or a Friday. It is usually a good idea to stay in Brisbane for a next day check and then a final check on the following Tuesday or Wednesday before you fly home. If you fly back the day of the surgery, Dr Gunn will be unable to review you if there were any issues that needed to be addressed in the early recovery period. Most patients choose to stay in Brisbane for around 1 week for their procedure which is a great idea. A 3 month check is normally recommended and this can be done here in Brisbane or with a local optometrist.
HOW LONG WILL I NEED TO BE IN BRISBANE FOR MY CATARACT SURGERY?
For routine cataract surgery, Dr Gunn will operate on your first eye on a Thursday and then on your other eye the next day (Friday). Dr Gunn’s optometrist will see you after the surgery for a same day post-operative check. After this you are free to return home. Dr Gunn will review you 4-5 weeks after the surgery.
For your trip for surgery we suggest to arrive on the Wednesday evening or Thursday morning on the day of surgery. After the second surgery on Friday you are welcome to return home that afternoon and there is no limitation on flying after surgery. We have listed some hotels near our Day Hospital for convenience below.
If you are travelling a long way for your surgery and are unable to return for the 1 month check, Dr Gunn will often wish to see you on the Tuesday or Wednesday the following week after surgery before you return home. He can then write a letter for you to have your check at home with a local optometrist or ophthalmologist.
CAN I ACCESS GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR MY TRAVEL?
When travelling for medical appointments you may be eligible for The Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme. For more information on your eligibility please visit.
https://www.qld.gov.au/health/services/travel/subsidies/about.
Bring along the forms to your appointment with Dr Gunn and we will help you complete this. We are happy to help print these forms for you if you require, ask one of our friendly receptionists.
WHERE SHOULD I STAY IN BRISBANE?
There is a variety of accommodation in the South Brisbane area within walking distance to public transport and our clinic. Dr Gunn operates at the South Bank Day Hospital at our South Brisbane location only. Below are some contact details for hotels in the South Brisbane area for your convenience.
Novotel Brisbane South Bank
38 Cordelia St, South Brisbane QLD 4101
Phone: (07) 3295 4100
This mid-scale hotel is ideal for business or family trips with a perfect location in South Brisbane. Just down the road from our South Brisbane Clinic and South Bank Day Hospital, you can walk to the clinic in just 4 minutes (300m). This hotel is also an 18-minute drive to our Clayfield Clinic.
Emporium Hotel South Bank
267 Grey Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101
Phone: 1800 346 835
Email: info@emporiumhotels.com.au
Enjoy all the luxuries of Brisbane’s newest and most indulgent hotel, the Emporium Southbank. 16-minute walk (1.2km) from our South Brisbane Clinic and South Bank Day Hospital or a 14-minute drive to our Clayfield Clinic this is both luxury and convenience.
Soda Apartments
27 Cordelia Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101
Phone: (07) 3844 9988
Email: stay@sodabrisbane.com.au
Soda Apartments is a popular choice amongst travellers in Brisbane, whether exploring or just passing through. Just across the road from the South Bank Day Hospital and our South Brisbane Clinic, it is just 1 minute walk (80m) and a 10-minute drive to our Clayfield Clinic.
I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS
The friendly reception staff at QEI are always happy to speak to you over the phone or respond over email about any enquiries you may have about travelling to see Dr Gunn. See the contact information below to reach out.
Dr David Gunn Eye Surgery Brisbane Queensland Eye Institute