THE PANDEMIC HAS convinced us virtual optometry is here to stay. Apps by ZEISS and Warby Parker let patients perform doctor-reviewed tests at home. Newer firms are working with MDs and ODs to make it easier to test patients using virtual reality apps. Virtual Field began in Brooklyn four years ago and its competitor, Olleyes, launched VisuALL in March 2020. Unlike other smartphone-based virtual assessments, their platforms use a VR headset with AI to guide a patient through visual field tests. “We’re able to give doctors an alternative way to provide care,” says Olleyes’ Jorge Fernandez. VisuALL is conducting its first large study of patients using the device at home with Philadelphia’s Wills Eye Hospital. Matt Bugenhagen of Virtual Field says they modeled their proprietary software on the Humphrey so doctors can achieve similar results with a mobile device that comes with free software upgrades.
Olleyes
VisuALL is a virtual reality headset designed for standardized and mobile assessment of the visual field that will soon offer a home monitoring system.
(786) 479-9699 | olleyes.com
ZEISS
ZEISS Vision Online Screening web app checks visual performance.
(866) 596-5467 | zeiss.com/us/vision
Lensabl
Online vision test for $25 allows patients to renew contacts and eyeglass prescriptions using a test administered by Visibly.
lensabl.com
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Visibly
Visibly’s Digital Acuity product offers a vision test and prescription for glasses and contacts only.
govisibly.com
Virtual Field
Virtual Field’s VR visual field device charges a monthly subscription of $199 and connects to a website where tests can be taken.
(858) 208-3536 | home.virtualfield.io
Warby Parker
Virtual Vision Test lets eligible patients renew their prescription for glasses and contacts for $15 using an iPhone.
(888) 492-7297 | warbyparker.com/virtual-vision-test
Smart Ways to Discuss Web-Based Vision Tests With Your Patients
James Fanelli, ODCape Fear Eye Institute, Wilmington, NC
I have a large glaucoma practice so we’re running visual fields all the time. I bought Olleyes’ virtual reality headset a few months ago and we use it in addition to the Humphrey. Olleyes’ VisuALL has two distinct advantages. When I run fields with it the results match up perfectly with those from patients I’ve been treating for years. The test takes two minutes per eye and the results are easy to interpret. It gives me confidence to make appropriate clinical decisions. Another advantage is our patients’ acceptance since everyone hates doing visual fields. Patients tell me they love wearing the headset because they can sit back with their feet up instead of hunched over a perimeter bowl. They follow an AI guide, so it’s easy to use. As glaucoma patients age, they’ll be able to get more frequent visual fields.
Alexander Leube, ODDigital Products at Zeiss Vision Care, Aalen, Germany
No digital product can replace a visit to an ECP but consumer expectations have shifted. Apps are used for many health-related activities so it’s only logical there’s now one for checking visual performance. Web apps help ECPs connect to patients online and off. The ZEISS Vision Online Screening web app is mostly used before patients visit an optician to identify visual challenges that need to be checked. It delivers insights about eyesight and clues on optical performance. Usually, patients underestimate when it’s time to visit an ECP as deterioration of eyesight is gradual. Patients can do the screening on a computer, tablet or phone. After a screening, the user is guided to the nearest ECP via the Store Locator.
