Eye tests are an important part of life, but they aren’t always the most convenient things to work into your schedule. It’s an issue Eyebot thinks it has solved with its kiosk, which shrinks the time taken from 20 minutes to closer to three minutes. Plus, you don’t need to book an appointment where an optician will lean too close in to your face while trial and error-ing corrective lenses. As mundane as a subject as a visit to the eye doctor is, this device could have some fairly massive ramifications. And, having tested it, I can certainly see the benefits.
Eyebot CEO Matthias Hofmann said that, despite the popularity of online glasses retailers like Warby Parker, 85 percent of Americans prefer to buy glasses in person. But accessibility is a big issue, especially in areas where there aren’t enough eye doctors to efficiently process tests. Hofmann added that this issue is far worse in rural areas, where people may need to drive for an hour or more to see an eye doctor, and then wait two weeks for their prescription to be filed. It’s these two maladies that Eyebot’s kiosk is meant to address, allowing people to walk up and complete their eye test whenever they want.
The test itself is very simple, you just walk up to the kiosk and let the big touchscreen walk you through the steps. You’ll answer some basic screening questions — this test is suitable for those aged 18 to 64 — and then complete a fairly perfunctory letter test. Once that’s done, you’ll be asked to stare at a picture of a hot air balloon (but not the picture you’re thinking of). All the while, two banks of three infrared cameras are scanning your eyes to create a 3D model of your retina and optic nerve. Once that’s done, you just need to share your email address and then wait for your prescription to be filed.
But you don’t need to worry that your eye health is being left to some algorithm making its best guess. Eyebot explained that each of its prescriptions are sent to an eye doctor working remotely who can look at the data the kiosk has generated, signing off on the prescription. Thankfully, I was able to compare this prescription with my last eye test (conducted by a professional) from the previous year, and found that Eyebot’s results matched it perfectly. It is worth noting, however, that Eyebot can’t run any medical tests; like the little puff of air blown onto your eyes to measure the pressure your eyes can withstand, which shows your risk of glaucoma. Consequently, while you can get your prescription with this process, you’ll still be advised to take regular visits to see a clinician.
Eyebot is presently operating in limited numbers in some Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in Pennsylvania, with plans to roll this out across the US in the near future. For the former, you’ll need to pay, while the latter comes as a benefit of your membership. Hofmann said that he envisages a future where there are Eyebot kiosks in shopping malls or at brick and mortar stores for online glasses retailers to grease the wheels of getting that fancy new pair of specs.
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