Opternative has begun marketing software that enables an eyecare practice to include digital refractions and visual acuity tests on its website. Until now, the company has only offered online vision tests directly to consumers. The digital refraction feature known as EZRx and a visual acuity screener are licensed to each eyecare practice individually and are white labeled to match the ECP’s branding and website flow, an Opternative spokesperson explained. The software will direct a patient to an experience branded specifically to each individual ECP.

The refraction and acuity screener can be used as standalone technology on an ECP’s website for healthy individuals who qualify or to complement a traditional eye examination experience, he said. ECPs can direct healthy candidates to take a digital refraction and then pick up their contact lens or glasses from the ECP as soon as the next day, depending on the device they use. Opternative said EZRx helps ECPs increase revenue, retain current patients and delivers new patients through referral channels and increased access points.

Previously, Opternative relied mostly on ophthalmologists to verify the results of its online eye tests and issue prescriptions to patients. However, it is marketing EZRx and its visual acuity test feature to both ophthalmologists and optometrists, who pay the company a fee as part of its service offering. The software is already being used by some practitioners, including members of Opternative’s medical advisory board. Over 30 ophthalmologists, optometrists and opticians are members of separate Opternative advisory boards, according to the company.

“We’re committed to helping eyecare professionals get the technology they need to increase access to their practice,” says Brent Rasmussen, CEO of Opternative. “We view our technology as a tool to help optometry practices grow their market share and want eye doctors to know that we are committed to working with them.”

–Andrew Karp