The past few years have seen a surge in eye diseases across the US. As previously detailed in our report on the country’s ophthalmic market, more than 120 million Americans now have some degree of eye disease or visual impairment. This includes several serious conditions that can even lead to vision loss, such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In fact, by 2050, AMD is expected to be so prevalent that up to domestic patients with this will number close to three million.
In light of this, private and public eye care entities have pushed for the development and introduction of more timely interventions. Amid the rapid digitalization that has been rolling out since 2020, this includes the release of several remote tech-based solutions that aim to bridge certain healthcare gaps and patient concerns. Below are a few of the aforementioned efforts:
App-based measurement tools
Considering the earlier cited prevalence of ocular problems, it makes sense that millions of Americans require medical devices to correct their vision. The most popular of these are prescription glasses, which over 166 million people are estimated to use regularly. This is why many eye care providers now offer eyeglasses online to reach a wider pool of users. To make this process even more accurate and efficient, retailers like LensCrafters have gone a step further by providing patients with the means to procure necessary eye measurements.
Specifically, consumers can now use the Opthy app to measure their pupillary distance using their preferred device. Through this, patients can remotely measure the distance between the center of one pupil and the other. This is the first step in ensuring a personalized and true fit when purchasing eyewear. Without this, patients may experience issues like eye strain or blurred vision, even with glasses. Normally, these can be done manually or by a doctor, but measuring it with an app, it provides a faster and more foolproof method that enhances consumer satisfaction.
Online prescription renewals
Since medical devices for vision are subject to change, given the sensitive nature of the eyes, many patients find themselves having to come in for regularly updated prescriptions. However, this can be very costly across limited resources, like time, money, and energy. In many cases, this leads patients just to make do with their old and potentially outdated prescriptions. In the long run, though, this can be dangerous, especially among contact lens users, who number over 40 million in the US. After all, because this sits right on the eye, ill-fitting prescriptions can cause discomfort and even irritation.
To remedy this, some retailers now provide online prescription renewals. For instance, Warby Parker offers a digital vision test that can gauge if there are any changes in a person’s eyes. While this is not an alternative to a traditional eye exam, it can accurately determine if a person’s current prescription is still effective. Done over the course of about five minutes, patients will be asked to read off a chart using their existing specs or contacts. The results of these are then sent to a doctor, who will determine if the prescription needs changing or not. If they do not, patients are given the option to automatically renew their prescriptions remotely. This enables them to make more customized eyewear purchases from any medium they choose.
Off-site doctor consultations
One of the most significant challenges in the US healthcare landscape is the shortage of eye doctors. In fact, ophthalmology’s workforce inadequacy in terms of having enough talent is expected to rise to 36% in the next decade. Even by 2030, only around 500 new ophthalmologists per year are expected to join the field.
While tech cannot help swell the ranks of these doctors, it is making waves in ensuring that underserved communities are not left out. Using telehealth platforms and AI innovations, companies like GlobeChek can conduct eye screenings even without an on-site doctor. Using computers and testing devices that can study and then record a patient’s ocular state, they can collate these results and send them to a doctor in a timely manner. With this, a single doctor can service a wider population, and patients with progressive diseases like diabetic retinopathy are not at the mercy of simply not having a healthcare worker near them.
