Warby Parker’s new app lets you skip vision tests in person

Does anyone really like eye exams? Probably not, especially if your vision hasn’t changed but the stupid site you’re trying to order glasses or contact lenses from won’t allow you to buy them because your prescription expired last week. For these people, Warby Parker today announced that it has revamped its telehealth prescription refill app to be faster and easier.

The app, which has been renamed Virtual vision test by Warby Parker, allows eligible users to renew their glasses or contact lenses prescriptions in 10 minutes from an iPhone 6s or newer. The company says the test doesn’t require a computer, credit card, or ruler, which are sometimes used when ordering glasses online to determine things like pupillary distance (PD). The only requirement is that you are between the ages of 18 and 65, have no eye health issues, and can see well with your current single vision distance prescription. (The app does not work for bifocal or progressive lenses.)

According to Warby Parker, the app guides users through a short eligibility questionnaire. From there, it uses a mix of Apple’s Vision Framework technology and a proprietary algorithm to measure how far away you are from the phone. Because of this, however, Android users are out of luck.

As for the test itself, it’s similar to those where you read letters of different sizes from a chart in an ophthalmologist’s office. The company notes that while you don’t need any additional equipment, you must wear your current glasses or lenses, have a copy of your current prescription and have about 10 feet of space in a quiet, well-lit neighborhood.

Usually home prescribing technology is a little known and doesn’t work as well for those of us with strong prescriptions or severe astigmatism. Gizmodo reviewed a similar product, the EyeQue vision control, and found it less precise than a doctor’s prescription. However, the claims of this app seem less sketchy, because it’s not about giving you a new prescription or pretending to assess your eye health. It’s just a matter of checking whether your current prescription is still working. Warby Parker also says that each result is reviewed by an ophthalmologist within two days. If all goes well, you will receive a new prescription. Otherwise, you will be advised to schedule a comprehensive eye exam. The good news is that the renewal costs only $ 15 and you don’t have to pay if you’re recommended to take an in-person exam.

As with all healthcare technology, it’s important to remember that handy tools like this are by no means meant to replace a visit to a healthcare professional.. (Believe me, you I don’t want to go 12 years without seeing your ophthalmologist.) However, considering the past year, these types of telehealth tools can be useful in some situations. In this case, this application can be useful for people in rural areas who cannot easily see a doctor or for those who do not yet feel comfortable with in-person appointments.