GoKawiilGetting a prescription for glasses has always been the same: You schedule an appointment with an eye doctor, sit in an exam room while someone flips the lenses and asks you which is best, and wait at least a week for your new glasses to arrive. Not to mention paying out of pocket if you don't have vision insurance.
Eyebot, an AI-powered health tech company, wants to make that process optional and make vision tests more accessible.
The Boston-based startup has built a self-serve kiosk that delivers a doctor-reviewed prescription for glasses in under 90 seconds with no appointment or insurance required. I got to test it out, and the experience was much more seamless than I expected.
What is Eyebot?
Simply put, Eyebot is a kiosk that offers non-invasive vision tests on a touchscreen. The process starts with an intake that asks whether you currently wear glasses or have any existing vision conditions. Those with certain eye conditions, such as glaucoma or cataracts, are directed to seek in-person care.
Eyebot
Then, you'll see letters on a screen, and you type out what letters you see, the same as when you go for an in-person exam. After, the bot conducts the vision scan using a contactless eye scanner that collects refraction (identifies the exact lens prescription needed to correct your vision), lensometry (if you already use glasses, it scans your glasses and measures the power of your existing eyeglasses) and visual acuity (measures how clearly you see) information.
"The Eyebot is a vision testing solution that lets you get a vision exam in four simple steps, similar to what you would experience at an eyeglass clinic," Matthias Hofman, CEO at Eyebot, told CNET. The four steps are: intake survey, visual acuity test, tele-doctor review and prescription.
The entire process takes about 90 seconds. Your results are then sent to a licensed optometrist for review. Prescriptions are available within 24 hours after the test. I got mine in about 30 minutes.
However, Eyebot isn't a replacement for your optometrist. It's designed to serve the millions of people who can't access one because of a lack of accessibility or affordability.
... continue reading