First things first, nJoy Vision has always celebrated being on the leading edge of technology when it comes to protecting and enhancing your vision. But this latest development may be a bit beyond what we are comfortable adopting. Let it be said, “When it comes to your vision, there is no replacement for a well-trained, well educated eye doctor.”
This past July, Opternative finally launched what they are calling the very first online “refractive eye exam”. The exam was launched in 27 states, but has come under some pretty serious criticism from both patients and vision experts alike. Our pals at Vision Monday, in partnership with Jobson Research conducted a poll that generated more than 1,000 responses in a 24 hour period. The results “…illustrated definitive concern and dismay,” this according to visionmonday.com.
…with nearly 80 percent of respondents saying they were “very”concerned and another 15 percent reporting they were “somewhat” concerned that such remote refraction services could cause patients to miss out or postpone a comprehensive eye exam.
In addition to the overwhelming concern expressed in the poll, vision professionals (including the AOA) all over the country are rallying together to file legal complaints and encourage scrutiny of the online exam.
So here is our take. When it comes to taking care of your eyes, leave diagnosis up to the professionals. There will be plenty of options for integrating technology into improving your vision once you have a clear understanding of your vision needs. But, because we know our readers are a curious sort, here is the link to the online exam. We’d love to hear your experiences should you decide to give it a try! Just do us a favor. Take the results with a grain of salt, and consult your eye doctor before you make any major decisions concerning your eyes!
