Privacy Policy – Panoptic Vision
Last updated: January 2026
Panoptic Vision (“we”, “our”, “us”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal and health information we collect, hold, and manage. This Privacy Policy explains how we comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and how we collect, use, disclose, store, secure, and provide access to personal and health data for clients of our optometry services.
For people under 18 receiving services, information is collected from a parent, guardian or responsible adult where appropriate.
1. What Information Do We Collect
Your privacy and trust are essential to us. We handle your personal and health information with care, professionalism, and in full compliance with Australian privacy law and healthcare standards.
We collect personal information necessary to provide eye care and related services, including:
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Full name, address, date of birth, gender
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Contact details (phone, email)
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Eye health history and clinical information (e.g., vision test results, ocular health data)
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Medical history, medications, allergies and risk factors
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Medicare number, DVA details, private health fund details
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Treatment notes, diagnostic imaging
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Communication preferences
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Appointment records and correspondence
Sensitive health information is collected only where necessary to deliver clinical care.
2. How We Collect Your Information
We collect information:
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Directly from you when you make an appointment or attend our practice
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From forms you complete (online or in person)
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From your parent/guardian for minors
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From other healthcare providers involved in your care
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From Medicare, health funds or other third-party intermediaries, as needed
We do not collect more information than needed for the purpose of providing care and managing your communications.
3. Purpose of Collection and Use
We use your personal and health information to:
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Provide optometry, vision therapy and related clinical services
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Maintain accurate clinical records and treatment histories
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Communicate appointment reminders, recalls, and follow-ups
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Process Medicare, health fund and insurer claims
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Improve service quality and practice operations
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Manage clinical imaging and diagnosis where required
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Use payment providers (e.g., Square, Zip, AfterPay) to facilitate billing and payment plans
You will be informed if any secondary use of health information is proposed that requires your consent or where reasonably expected.
4. Use and Disclosure of Health Information
We may disclose personal and health information:
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To healthcare professionals providing your care (e.g., doctors, ophthalmologists, specialists)
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To Medicare and private health insurers for claiming purposes
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To third-party service providers supporting our operations (IT, imaging systems)
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To payment providers (e.g., Square, Zip, AfterPay) solely to process financial transactions
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When authorised by you or required by law (court order, regulatory obligation)
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To lessen or prevent a serious threat to health or public safety where permitted by law
5. Website Data, Cookies and Analytics
When you visit our website, we may collect technical data such as:
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IP address and location
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Browser type and device used
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Pages viewed and interaction data
Cookies may be used to enhance user experience and site functionality. You may disable cookies in your browser settings, although some features may not function correctly if cookies are disabled.
6. Storage and Protection of Information
We are committed to safeguarding your information:
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Electronic records are stored in secure systems with access controls and encryption where appropriate.
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Physical records are kept securely on site.
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Only authorised practice staff and contracted service providers with confidentiality obligations may access your information.
We retain records for the minimum period required by professional and legal obligations, after which they are securely destroyed or de-identified.
7. Access and Correction
You have a right to access and request correction of personal or health information we hold about you. Requests should be made in writing and will be processed promptly and in line with applicable privacy law.
If records contain errors, we will correct them or note your views about accuracy where appropriate.
8. Data Breach Notification
Panoptic Vision follows strict procedures to detect, report and respond to data breaches. Where a breach is likely to result in serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and regulators in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme.
9. Complaints and Privacy Concerns
If you have concerns about how your personal information is managed, please contact us. We will investigate and respond.
You can also lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au if you remain unsatisfied.
10. Links to Other Websites
Our website may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices, and we encourage you to review their policies separately.
11. Unsubscribing from Practice Communications
You may unsubscribe from marketing emails or practice newsletters at any time by using the unsubscribe link or by contacting us.
Clinical reminders (e.g., recalls, appointment reminders, follow-up care) may continue to be sent as they relate to your health and ongoing care and are not considered marketing communications.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in law, practice operations, services, or technology. Updates will be published on this page with a revised effective date.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle personal information, please contact Panoptic Vision at:
Lake Cathie: 1459 Ocean Drive, Lake Cathie NSW 2445
Bellingen: 2/58-60 Hyde Street, Bellingen NSW 2454
Email: info@panopticvision.com.au
Phone: (02) 6584 8900
