Deeptech company Eyebot has secured $6m for its rapid vision testing technology.
The self-serve terminal gives users accurate eye prescriptions within 90 seconds and is claimed to be the world’s first push-button vision testing technology.
The technology replicates many of the traditional eye testing functions that are used in clinics, including the fundus reflex method and near-infrared imaging, to scan the eyes to detect blurry vision and other common eye defects in users.
Once evaluation is complete, the terminal can dispense prescriptions and users can purchase suitable eyewear from one of its partners – all to eliminate time-consuming in-person eye exam procedures.
Eyebot says it already has orders from leading eyewear brands and has built a tele-doctor network of providers.
Since its formation in 2021, the Boston-based company has completed clinical studies involving hundreds of patients and validated the suitability of its self-serve modality across several US cities.
Funding from the seed round, which was led by AlleyCorp and Ubiquity Ventures, will aid Eyebot in its plans to scale next year and deploy terminals in public spaces, including grocery stores, pharmacies, mass retailers, and college campuses.
“Our mission is to make optical care accessible, affordable, and convenient for everyone,” Eyebot founder and CEO Matthias Hofmann told Medical Device Network.
“We're especially excited about spaces where we help retailers optimise shopper dwell time, minimise the effects of specialised staffing shortages, and deliver revenue per square foot performance that rivals Apple and Tiffany."
AlleyCorp general partner Abe Murray commented: "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.”
The global ophthalmic devices market was worth around $7.6bn in 2023, according to GlobalData analysis.
Elsewhere in the field, Evolution Optiks recently secured 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration for its eye examination device LFR-260. The device allows patients to choose the best vision correction based on their subjective experience, free from practitioner influence.
