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Optometrist PBS prescribing
PREPARATIONS WHICH MAY BE PRESCRIBED BY AUTHORISED OPTOMETRISTS
From 1 January 2008, optometrists accredited to prescribe under State or Territory legislation can apply for approval as PBS prescribers (authorised optometrists). Information for optometrists on becoming a PBS prescriber is available from Services Australia.
The medications listed for prescribing by authorised optometrists are identified by 'OP' in the PBS Schedule. Optometrists must not write PBS prescriptions for any other medicines listed on the PBS.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) is responsible for making recommendations to the Minister of Health regarding preparations for prescribing by authorised optometrists.
Some products are included in more than one section of the Schedule, and for more than one prescriber type. For a prescription to be eligible for subsidy, prescribers must ensure that they prescribe under the PBS only those medicines, and in accordance with the restrictions, listed for their practitioner type.
Optometrist PBS prescriptions are identifiable by colour, and include the words ‘PBS/RPBS optometrist’. Prescriptions must include the optometrist’s PBS prescriber number. The same optometrist prescription form is used to prescribe unrestricted, restricted or authority items. Only one item is allowed per form. Optometrist PBS prescriptions may include repeats.
Regulation 24 does not apply for optometrist prescribing. An optometrist cannot direct that original and repeat supplies of pharmaceutical benefits be supplied at the one time.
Authority prescriptions: Authority prescriptions for authority required items, or for increased quantities or repeats, require prior approval from Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) for each prescription. (Refer to Prescribing Medicines — Information for PBS prescribers and Supplying Medicines — What Pharmacists Need to Know, for more information on authority prescriptions.) DVA approval for non-Schedule items is not available for optometrist prescribing.
RPBS: Optometrists approved as PBS prescribers may write prescriptions for supply under the RPBS. The medicines available for prescribing by authorised optometrists under the RPBS are the same as those available under the PBS. There are no optometrist listings in the Repatriation Schedule for prescribing for veterans only. There is no provision for optometrist prescribers to request approval to prescribe items that are not included in the PBS Schedule (non-Schedule items).
State and Territory requirements: Optometrists may prescribe medications as private prescriptions according to their State/Territory prescribing accreditation. The medicines which can be prescribed differ between States and Territories. It is the optometrist’s responsibility to ensure adherence to State/Territory law for all prescriptions (PBS and private) and additionally to all PBS requirements for PBS/RPBS prescriptions.
- Legend
- MPMedical Practitioner
- MWMidwife
- NPNurse Practitioner
- OPOptometrist
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SO
Supply OnlyProducts that are in a Supply Only state will be available for dispensing, but not for prescribing. PBS Prescriptions written prior to the Supply Only period are able to be dispensed using either the Supply Only product where available, or an equivalent product as specified on the PBS schedule.
| Prescriber code | Item code | Name, manner of administration and form & strength | Max qty packs |
Max qty units |
No. of repeats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OP | 5501M | ACICLOVIRaciclovir 3% eye ointment, 4.5 g | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| OP | 5544T | BETAXOLOLbetaxolol 0.5% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 10053D | BIMATOPROSTbimatoprost 0.03% eye drops, 30 x 0.4 mL ampoules | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5551E | BIMATOPROSTbimatoprost 0.03% eye drops, 3 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5558M | BIMATOPROST + TIMOLOLbimatoprost 0.03% + timolol 0.5% eye drops, 3 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 10108B | BIMATOPROST + TIMOLOLbimatoprost 0.03% + timolol 0.5% eye drops, 30 x 0.4 mL ampoules | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5563T | BRIMONIDINEbrimonidine tartrate 0.15% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5534G | BRIMONIDINEbrimonidine tartrate 0.2% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5535H | BRIMONIDINE + TIMOLOLbrimonidine tartrate 0.2% + timolol 0.5% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5540N | BRINZOLAMIDEbrinzolamide 1% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 10547D | BRINZOLAMIDE + BRIMONIDINEbrinzolamide 1% + brimonidine tartrate 0.2% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5562R | BRINZOLAMIDE + TIMOLOLbrinzolamide 1% + timolol 0.5% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5502N | CARBOMER-974Pcarbomer-974P 0.3% eye gel, 30 x 500 mg ampoules | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| OP | 5503P | CARBOMER-980carbomer-980 0.2% eye gel, 10 g | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5504Q | CARBOMER-980carbomer-980 0.2% eye drops, 30 x 600 mg ampoules | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| OP | 5508X | CARMELLOSE SODIUMcarmellose sodium 1% eye drops, 15 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5505R | CARMELLOSE SODIUMcarmellose sodium 1% eye drops, 30 x 0.4 mL ampoules | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| OP | 5507W | CARMELLOSE SODIUMcarmellose sodium 0.5% eye drops, 15 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5506T | CARMELLOSE SODIUMcarmellose sodium 0.5% eye drops, 30 x 0.4 mL ampoules | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| OP | 11853W | CARMELLOSE SODIUMcarmellose sodium 0.5% eye drops, 10 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5556K | CARMELLOSE SODIUM + GLYCEROLcarmellose sodium 0.5% + glycerol 0.9% eye drops, 15 mL | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| MPMWNPOP | 11112W | CHLORAMPHENICOLchloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops, 10 mL | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| MPOP | 12663L | CICLOSPORINciclosporin 0.1% eye drops, 30 x 0.3 mL ampoules | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| MPOP | 13284E | CICLOSPORINciclosporin 0.09% eye drops, 60 x 0.25 mL ampoules | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5564W | CIPROFLOXACINciprofloxacin 0.3% eye drops, 5 mL | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| OP | 5565X | DEXAMETHASONEdexamethasone 0.1% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| OP | 5520M | DEXTRAN-70 + HYPROMELLOSEdextran-70 0.1% + hypromellose 0.3% eye drops, 15 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5521N | DEXTRAN-70 + HYPROMELLOSEdextran-70 0.1% + hypromellose 0.3% eye drops, 28 x 0.4 mL ampoules | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| OP | 5541P | DORZOLAMIDEdorzolamide 2% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5542Q | DORZOLAMIDE + TIMOLOLdorzolamide 2% + timolol 0.5% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5513E | FLUOROMETHOLONEfluorometholone 0.1% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| OP | 5533F | FLUOROMETHOLONE ACETATEfluorometholone acetate 0.1% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| OP | 5557L | FRAMYCETIN SULFATEframycetin sulfate 0.5% eye/ear drops, 8 mL | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| OP | 2184Y | HYALURONATE SODIUMhyaluronate sodium 0.1% eye drops, 10 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 2171G | HYALURONATE SODIUMhyaluronate sodium 0.2% eye drops, 10 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5516H | HYDROCORTISONE ACETATEhydrocortisone acetate 1% eye ointment, 5 g | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| OP | 11849P | HYPROMELLOSEhypromellose 0.3% w/v eye drops, 10 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5517J | HYPROMELLOSEhypromellose 0.5% eye drops, 15 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 11634H | HYPROMELLOSEhypromellose 0.3% w/w eye drops, 10 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5519L | HYPROMELLOSE + CARBOMER-980hypromellose 0.3% + carbomer-980 0.2% eye gel, 10 g | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5552F | LATANOPROSTlatanoprost 0.005% eye drops, 2.5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5553G | LATANOPROST + TIMOLOLlatanoprost 0.005% + timolol 0.5% eye drops, 2.5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| MPNPOP | 12612T | LIQUID PARAFFIN + GLYCEROL + TYLOXAPOL + POLOXAMER-188 + TROMETAMOL HYDROCHLORIDE + TROMETAMOL + CETALKONIUM CHLORIDEliquid paraffin + glycerol + tyloxapol + poloxamer-188 + trometamol hydrochloride + trometamol + cetalkonium chloride eye drops, 10 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5567B | OFLOXACINofloxacin 0.3% eye drops, 5 mL | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| OP | 5523Q | PARAFFINparaffin 1 g/g eye ointment, 3.5 g | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| OP | 5522P | PARAFFINparaffin 1 g/g eye ointment, 2 x 3.5 g | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 11439C | PERFLUOROHEXYLOCTANEperfluorohexyloctane 100% eye drops, 3 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5536J | PILOCARPINEpilocarpine hydrochloride 1% eye drops, 15 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5537K | PILOCARPINEpilocarpine hydrochloride 2% eye drops, 15 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5538L | PILOCARPINEpilocarpine hydrochloride 4% eye drops, 15 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5524R | POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL-400 + PROPYLENE GLYCOLpolyethylene glycol-400 0.4% + propylene glycol 0.3% eye drops, 15 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 13113E | POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL-400 + PROPYLENE GLYCOLpolyethylene glycol-400 0.4% + propylene glycol 0.3% eye drops, 30 x 0.8 mL unit doses | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| OP | 5568C | PREDNISOLONE ACETATE + PHENYLEPHRINEprednisolone acetate 1% + phenylephrine hydrochloride 0.12% eye drops, 10 mL | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| OP | 2167C | RETINOL PALMITATE + PARAFFINretinol palmitate 0.0138% + paraffin eye ointment, 5 g | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| OP | 5545W | SOY LECITHIN + TOCOPHEROL + VITAMIN Asoy lecithin 1% + tocopherol 0.002% + vitamin A palmitate 0.025% spray, 100 actuations | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| OP | 2748P | TAFLUPROSTtafluprost 0.0015% eye drops, 30 x 0.3 mL ampoules | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5550D | TIMOLOLtimolol 0.5% eye drops, 2.5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5548B | TIMOLOLtimolol 0.5% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5569D | TOBRAMYCINtobramycin 0.3% eye drops, 5 mL | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| OP | 5570E | TOBRAMYCINtobramycin 0.3% eye ointment, 3.5 g | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| OP | 5554H | TRAVOPROSTtravoprost 0.004% eye drops, 2.5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| OP | 5555J | TRAVOPROST + TIMOLOLtravoprost 0.004% + timolol 0.5% eye drops, 2.5 mL | 1 | 1 | 5 |
