Eyebot's beliefs, responsibilities, and commitments
Eyebot’s beliefs, responsibilities, and commitments:
Expanding access without compromising clinical integrity
The United States is facing a growing vision care crisis.
According to CDC data, about 40% of U.S. adults at high risk for vision loss did not see an eye doctor or receive an eye exam in the past year [1]. The CDC also reports that more than 8 million adults who said they needed eyeglasses could not afford them, and that more than 8 million people had vision impairment caused by uncorrected refractive error [2]. The cited barriers include cost, geography, and access.
At the same time, demand for eye care is increasingly constrained by workforce capacity and geographic maldistribution. A national analysis found that 24% of U.S. counties had no ophthalmologist or optometrist, underscoring why many communities struggle with timely access to vision care and eyeglasses [3].
Within 10 years, the net deficit of ophthalmologists is projected to grow by 30% [4]. Likewise in optometry, the pipeline indicators point in the same direction: the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) reports ~1,827 optometry graduates in 2022–2023 [5], while the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about ~2,400 optometrist openings per year on average over the coming decade (driven largely by replacement/retirements) [6]. Even before accounting for part-time work patterns and non-clinical career paths, the margin is tight. That pressure is felt most acutely in rural and underserved areas.
Demand pressures are accelerating. The CDC notes that vision impairment will rise substantially as the population ages [7,8], and the National Eye Institute reports a sharp increase in myopia prevalence among children in the U.S. over recent decades [7]. This is a structural shift, not a passing trend. A growing generation of children is becoming myopic and will age into adulthood with significantly higher refractive error, with no realistic path to reversal. The result is a durable, compounding increase in demand for accessible vision services and timely eyeglass prescriptions.
Eyebot exists to help fill access gaps for adults, not to replace eye doctors. The Eyebot S1+ kiosk enhances access for eligible patients by collecting essential data about their eyes to enable eye care professionals to evaluate and, when medically appropriate, write eyeglass prescriptions in a timely manner. That clinical oversight on every session also enables eye doctors to use their medical judgment to refer a patient for an in-person comprehensive eye exam. Patients should not have to choose between either having (and paying for) a comprehensive eye exam to be able to get a prescription for corrective eyewear or going without any eye care, and forgoing the opportunity to have improved vision.
There is a better alternative. A person should be able to interact in appropriate modalities, including remote care, with a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist to learn about their vision and eye health needs. When clinically appropriate, that person should be able to get a prescription for corrective eyewear and a referral for further care. With a prescription for eyewear, the individual is free to shop for eyeglasses wherever they may choose. As an added benefit, the patient will receive appropriate education from the eye care professional about the importance of regular comprehensive eye exams, and can make an informed choice about when to schedule that care.
We believe expanding access must never come at the expense of patient safety or professional standards and that, by working together, we can help more people get the vision support they need.
Our commitments
Eyebot’s commitments to the public are straightforward:
- We do not present the Eyebot S1 + kiosk as a comprehensive eye exam. Comprehensive exams are essential, and we will continue to say so clearly, while educating patients on the importance and value of comprehensive eye care.
- Every session is doctor-reviewed, and prescriptions will always be crafted by a doctor, every time. This keeps eyeglass settings at a high standard for fit and tolerance.
- We will continue to maintain eligibility guardrails and our doctors will continue to advise in-person care when indicated.
- We will continue to advocate and support patient choice to use their prescription anywhere.
- We will continue to invest in patient education that encourages routine, comprehensive eye care.
- We will continue to pursue collaboration—because the goal is to fill the doctor-patient gap, not conflict.
What the Eyebot kiosk is
The Eyebot S1+ kiosk is a vision-testing platform that efficiently and accurately collects refraction, lensometry, visual acuity, and patient history—information commonly gathered in an eye care clinic. Those results are securely sent to a licensed eye doctor, who reviews them and uses their clinical judgment the same way they would for a patient in their own practice.
Neither Eyebot nor the Eyebot S1+ kiosk prescribes eyeglass prescriptions or makes medical decisions. A licensed eye doctor reviews every session and decides whether to issue a prescription and informs the patient about appropriate comprehensive follow-up care.
Eyebot’s purpose is practical and focused: helping people access eyeglass prescriptions in a timely, cost-effective, and safe way, while enabling eye care professionals to guide those who may need further evaluation to appropriate follow-up care.
What the Eyebot kiosk is not
The Eyebot S1 + kiosk is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam. Comprehensive exams by licensed professionals are essential because they evaluate eye health, diagnose disease, and protect long-term vision—care that requires clinical evaluation of additional tests not currently available through the Eyebot kiosk. Eyebot does not claim that it, or its affiliated doctors, are able to diagnose eye disease. The company does not present itself as facilitating a comprehensive eye exam, and does not market itself as a replacement for such eye exams.
While it may be possible that some members of the public conflate a “vision test” with an “eye exam,” Eyebot is committed to clarifying the difference. We welcome the efforts of all eye care professionals to do the same. We diligently work to ensure that patients understand:
- a vision test is not an eye health evaluation, and
- a prescription for glasses is not a comprehensive assessment of ocular health.
Doctor-led clinical oversight for every session
The Eyebot S1+ kiosk does not bypass eye care professionals or exercise clinical judgment. Every Eyebot session is reviewed by a licensed eye doctor, and prescriptions and follow-up decisions are issued only at the doctor’s discretion, consistent with the standard of care and applicable laws and regulations.
The Eyebot S1 + kiosks are deployed in supervised environments where trained assistants support the patient experience. Eyebot’s operating model is designed to ensure that (1) patient-facing workflows are guided and accountable, and (2) prescription decisions remain clinician-led.
Responsible scope, eligibility guardrails, and referral pathways
The Eyebot S1 + kiosk is intended for people seeking an eyeglass prescription and is not intended for individuals with known eye disease, concerning symptoms, or situations that require an in-person medical evaluation. Clear eligibility guidance is provided so patients understand when the Eyebot service is appropriate and when it is not.
When the licensed eye doctor’s review indicates the need for a comprehensive eye exam or an evaluation for other health reasons, patients are advised and referred to follow-up care accordingly. Eyebot does not engage in medical decision making. These guardrails exist to prioritize patient safety over completion of a transaction.
Eyebot recognizes a broader responsibility to educate the public on the importance of comprehensive eye care. When users engage with the kiosk, we have their full attention when it comes to their eyes. That moment is rare and valuable. Eyebot uses this moment to encourage routine, in-person eye exams and to explain why comprehensive care matters.
Commitment to comprehensive eye care education
Eyebot believes comprehensive eye care is essential and irreplaceable. Outside of the Eyebot S1+ kiosk workflow, we encourage patients to continue seeing an eye care professional at the cadence recommended by leading professional groups, and we provide straightforward education that reinforces why routine eye care matters and where to find reliable information.
Our commitment is not simply to state that the Eyebot S1+ kiosk does not provide a comprehensive eye health exam, but to actively reduce misunderstandings by:
- clearly distinguishing vision testing from comprehensive exams in patient-facing materials,
- reinforcing the importance and value of comprehensive eye care,
- providing learning materials right when people are paying attention to their eyes—at the kiosk and subsequent communications, and
- directing patients toward follow-up care when deemed appropriate or necessary by the reviewing eye doctor.
Transparency on pricing and bundled offerings
Eyebot is not an optical retailer. Eyebot provides a vision testing service.
Eyebot is committed to transparent, plain-language pricing. Any service fee is clearly shown before a patient chooses to proceed. Depending on the retailer, a service fee may apply, or it may be waived, including in cases where it is bundled with an eyeglass purchase above a stated threshold. In all cases, patients receive their prescription from the eye care professional without being required to buy eyeglasses, and they always can make their own choice about whether and where to buy eyeglasses, as required by the FTC Eyeglass Rule.
Eyebot’s position is simple: patients should understand what they are paying for, what is included, and what choices they have, before they decide.
Patient choice, prescription access, and the right to shop anywhere
Eyebot supports the principle that patients should be able to obtain their prescription and use it wherever they choose, regardless of the location of the Eyebot S1+ kiosk. Eyebot operates with transparency under the FTC Eyeglass Rule and is designed to preserve patient freedom of choice while maintaining the integrity of the prescription process. Eyebot’s service model is built to ensure that a patient’s decision about whether and where to buy glasses does not limit access to the prescription itself.
Regulatory responsibility and ongoing engagement
Eyebot takes its regulatory responsibilities seriously and is committed to operating in accordance with applicable federal and state requirements, including those set by the FTC, the FDA and the ADA.
Eyebot is dedicated to compliance, consumer safety, privacy, and transparency. We also recognize that tried and true medical technologies can be packaged in an innovative way that improves access and disrupts longstanding delivery models. When this happens, careful evaluation is warranted. Eyebot continues to embrace such evaluation and is committed to participating fully.
Eyebot welcomes meaningful dialogue with patient and physician organizations, as well as government regulators geared towards ensuring access to vision testing services that lead to clearer vision for all Americans and ultimately to more accessible physician-driven vision health.
Accuracy, quality assurance, and patient experience
The Eyebot S1+ kiosk is designed to support high-quality prescriptions written by eye care professionals and a positive patient experience, with safety guardrails and clinician review as core elements of the model. We track performance, investigate any issues we identify, and improve our systems over time, as reliability is a prerequisite for trust.
We recognize that an eyeglass prescription is only meaningful if it is comfortable and usable for the patient. Accordingly, Eyebot will continue to validate technical improvements and platform updates through IRB-approved clinical studies.
To date, Eyebot has not received any patient health complaints. We see strong customer satisfaction, low eyeglass remake and return rates, and consistently positive patient feedback. The only formal complaints Eyebot has received so far have come from professional organizations within the optometry community, not from patients.
Privacy and respect for patient information
Eyebot is committed to safeguarding patient privacy. We use patient information to provide the service, support clinical review, and communicate results and next steps. We work to minimize data collection to what is necessary, protect information through appropriate security measures, and explain privacy practices in a way people can understand.
Collaboration with clinicians and the broader eye care ecosystem
Eyebot believes broader access and clinical excellence go hand-in-hand. We are committed to open, constructive dialogue with clinicians, partners, and policymakers who share the goal of improving access to vision care while maintaining high standards.
We welcome the optometry community, especially independent practices, to work with us on practical ways to improve efficiency and to help more people get into the comprehensive care pathway. Eyebot is investing in resources that help patients find local eye doctors for follow-up care, and we welcome ideas on how to best guide patients into these care pathways.
Healthcare has a long history of technologies that begin as “new” or “unfamiliar,” and later become tools that help professionals expand access and improve outcomes when deployed responsibly. Eyebot is designed with that intent: to work alongside eye care professionals, reduce barriers to access, and strengthen the overall system.
Citations
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). 4 in 10 U.S. adults at high risk for vision loss did not see an eye doctor or receive an eye exam in the past year. CDC Vision and Eye Health.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023–2024). Vision and eye health guide. CDC Vision and Eye Health.
- Gibson, D. M. (2015). The geographic distribution of eye care providers in the United States: Implications for underserved populations. Preventive Medicine, 73, 1–6.
- Berkowitz, S. T., et al. (2024). Projected shortages in the ophthalmology workforce in the United States. Ophthalmology.
- Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. (2024). Annual Student Data Report 2023–2024.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Optometrists. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- National Eye Institute. (2010). Myopia (nearsightedness) increasing in the U.S. population. National Eye Institute.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Vision loss fast facts. CDC Vision and Eye Health.
