Eyebot kiosk offers push-button vision test, eyeglasses Rx
Innovations in both kiosk and medical equipment technology continue to make health checkups faster and easier.
Elliot Maras has written about technology for 30+ years.
People looking for a fast and easy way to get their vision checked now have a self-service solution, Eyebot, a freestanding, self-serve kiosk that offers a non-invasive, 90-minute vision test on a touchscreen.
In partnership with retailers, the Boston-based company allows users to get a vision test and, if necessary, get an eyeglasses prescription.
The initial touchscreen intake asks the user if they currently wear glasses or have any vision conditions. Those with conditions are immediately advised to seek in-person care.
A second screen on the machine then conducts a vision test with a contactless eye scanner, which collects refraction, lensometry and visual acuity information. The testing is noninvasive and does not require the user to place their face on a device. Technicians are available on-site for those who need assistance.
“All of that information is packaged and sent to our network of teledoctors, and they’re the ones who are crafting the prescription based on the information,” Nick Leonard, the company’s head of marketing, said in a phone conversation with KioskIndustry.org.
The user’s personal information is stored in a secure cloud infrastructure, not on the machine itself, Mattias Hofmann, company co-founder and CEO, said in a CBS6 Albany interview.
“It doesn’t require age verification, but we do ask in terms of the initial intake how old somebody is,” Leonard said. The machine is for individuals 18 to 64. “If they’re outside of the range, we suggest they continue with in-person care.
“If anybody would try to slip pass the system, because everything is doctor reviewed, before any prescription would ever be written, it does require the individual’s actual birth date and proper name to be able to write the prescription. It would be flagged there.”
The Eyebot vision test is free, while the prescription cost is $20. The machine does not accept insurance, but the $20 fee is competitive with insurance copays.
While Eyebot does not currently accept payments for the prescriptions, the company has partnered with Zenni Optical, an online eyeglass retailer, that allows users to shop and order eyeglasses online. Eyebot and Zenni Optical have placed Eyebot kiosks in New England shopping malls, grocery stores and universities.
Zenni Optical offers to waive shipping and prescription costs for customers choosing to purchase a pair of glasses priced at $49 or more, according to the company’s website.
The partnership enables Zenni Optical to offer customers easy access to vision tests and a selection of eyewear, all in one place, Veronica Alcara, vice president of brand at Zenni, stated in a recent blog.
The machine, which is FDA registered, does not currently offer diagnostic tests, but the company is working on adding anterior screening, retina screening and glaucoma testing, according to its website.
Leonard did not wish to disclose manufacturer partners, but noted that the company installs the software and assembles the machines in Boston, where the company is based.
The company has tapped Crane Payment Innovations as its kiosk’s field service technician and white glove installer.
“They’re building these because there’s an obvious shortage of doctors,” said Jillian Dabovich, CPI’s director of business development, repair and maintenance solutions. “They’re filling a gap in personnel needed to help people with their eye care. They’re meeting people where they’re at in their busy days,” such as in malls and stores.”
Eyebot also offers extensive information about eyeglass prescriptions on its website.
“Eyebot isn’t trying to replace care,” Leonard said. “Right now, it’s about giving people initial access to the vision test…We’re trying to increase access to it, so we were very deliberate in not saying that we’re an eye exam, we’re a vision test, and that every single test is reviewed by a doctor. We’re very diligent in the clinical accuracy about making sure these are all accurate and safe and visible.
“Sometimes people will hear ‘technology’ and ‘healthcare,’ and think it (technology) is trying to replace things, but that’s definitely not the case here. We’re just looking to help improve access.”
The company, founded in 2021, presented the machine at the CES show in Las Vegas this past January and currently has 15 employees.
Eyebot has also secured $6 million in a seed funding round led by AlleyCorp and Ubiquity Ventures with participation from Humba Ventures, Ravelin and Spacecadet. Previous Eyebot investors Baukunst and Village Global also joined the round.
“Eyebot’s implementation of automation and cutting-edge technology has the potential to completely transform the way leading eyewear brands perform vision tests and deliver prescriptions,” Abe Murray, general partner at AlleyCorp., stated in a press release announcing the funding. “Eyebot is bringing vision care to underserved communities and health deserts across the world at the touch of a button.”
The telehealth kiosk market was valued at $2.06 billion in 2024 and is expected to rise at a combined annual growth rate of around 7.2% through 2034, according to Future Market Insights. The report attributes the growth to the integration of IoT-enabled vital sign monitoring, AI and virtual assistants, and personal health records integration.
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