AOA: Online eye exam 'insufficient,' puts patients 'at significant risk'

Following the report that a website looking to provide patients with an online eye exam had received funding, the American Optometric Association is warning the public of potential risks.

In February, Opternative disclosed that it had received $1 million in seed round funding.

The technology makes eye exams available to patients who can access a computer or tablet that is connected to the Internet. After the 5- to 10-minute exam, patients would receive a prescription signed by an eye care practitioner for contact lenses or glasses.

The AOA issued a statement Thursday cautioning patients about the technology.

"Consumers should understand that only an in-person exam by a doctor of optometry or an ophthalmologist can determine how well they see and whether or not they need corrective lenses," the release stated. "In addition, every day, in patients seen for ‘routine’ examinations when they have no symptoms, doctors of optometry diagnose and manage diabetes, hypertension, glaucoma, macular degeneration or cataracts. Anyone claiming to perform an eye exam without physically examining a patient is offering insufficient, ambiguous information and is contributing to a patient believing – incorrectly – that his or her eye health needs have been met."

The organization also warned that delays in medical intervention could result in vision damage, more intensive treatment and higher medical costs and reported that it is watching online activity regarding the technology.

“To help safeguard consumers, the AOA is closely monitoring Internet-linked assertions about eye exams without doctors,” Mitchell T. Munson, OD, president of the AOA, said in the release. “And, we’ll play an even more active role in fact-checking false claims.”

The AOA included a guide to understanding a comprehensive eye exam in the release.