An eye specialist with a waiting list of 100 patients will no longer service the Portland community due to frustrations with the hospital's board.
Ophthalmologist Robert Harvey has worked in south west Victoria and south east South Australia since 2013.
Now aged 69, he said he had requested to change from a salaried position with Portland District Health to become a visiting medical officer (VMO), but the board denied this request.
The change would have allowed Dr Harvey to practise from rooms outside Portland's hospital, although he would still perform surgery there.
"Right across rural Australia ... ophthalmologists are VMOs," Dr Harvey said.
"Patients would have the same level of service.
"I don't think they're going to be able to find a replacement for me.
Portland District Health declined to comment, saying "these are confidential internal operational matters".
Patients face 100km drives
Dr Harvey said he was starting to tell his patients to look elsewhere for their ongoing eye appointments.
"There are over 100 patients on my waiting list for surgery," he said.
"There are lots of people with potentially blinding conditions like glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, which require regular injections.
"It's just a shame for the local community."
He said he would continue working as a VMO in Mount Gambier, more than 100 kilometres from Portland, on the South Australian side of the border.
"I'm not sure where they're going to go because it would mean travel to Warrnambool or Mount Gambier.
"If they come to Mount Gambier, I'm happy to service them but there's going to be an additional wait for surgery, probably."
'I can't work forever'
Dr Harvey said he was hoping to find a "successor" to take over the busy role in the border regions.
"I can't work forever," he said.
"I can carry on working whilst my health is good for a few more years, but time is limited.
