Opternative Files for IPO Amid Global Expansion of Remote Vision Testing and O2O Eyecare Model

In China, individuals with myopia typically visit optical shops for eye examinations and purchase glasses on-site, or they may place orders online for preferred frames after undergoing an examination. However, innovative startups have emerged abroad, offering creative solutions such as remote refraction and online vision testing. These services enable users to receive accurate and reliable eye care without leaving their homes. Some companies even provide in-home examinations by licensed optometrists, allowing customers to freely choose where to have their glasses made or to purchase them online.

This telemedicine + O2O model, applied to ophthalmic vision examinations, is currently quite rare in China. In fact, another advantage of online eye examinations lies in their ability to provide remote medical services to countries or regions with scarce medical resources; therefore, expanding global business operations is a strategic objective for such overseas enterprises.



Among such innovative enterprises, Opternative is a typical example. Opternative is an online eye refraction examination company; users need only a computer, a smartphone, and an internet connection to complete Opternative’s refraction test within 25 minutes.

The entire process is as follows: Users first answer a series of online questions to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria for an online eye examination. This is followed by a free vision test. Finally, for a fee of $40, users can obtain a diagnosis from an ophthalmologist. Opternative’s doctors typically respond with the refraction results within 24 hours and then send the user an electronic eyeglass prescription. With this prescription, users can purchase standard eyeglasses or contact lenses from other providers, such as online retailers like Warby Parker or brick-and-mortar optical stores.


At the recently held Health 2.0 industry conference, Opternative announced its ability to issue online ophthalmic examination reports for children as young as three years old. Aaron Dallek, co-founder and CEO, stated that the company plans to expand its services to individuals aged 18 to 40 in the future.

In fact, Opternative’s ambitions extend even further. In an interview, Dallek stated that the company plans to expand its market to users aged 41 to 65. The underlying rationale for targeting the middle-aged and elderly population is that some individuals with diabetes experience blurred vision but remain unaware of their condition. By collaborating with other companies, Opternative can reach this demographic and provide supplementary evidence for screening prediabetes.

In practice, Opternative conducts its business through eyewear retailers and ophthalmologists, operating under a B2B2C model. Once local ophthalmologists approve the examination results issued by Opternative, they can send prescriptions to users via email. Opternative has submitted a 510(k) premarket notification to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but it has not yet been cleared.

It is not difficult to understand that Opternative’s approach has troubled the traditional American Optometric Association. The association believes that online vision testing methods are less reliable and accurate than in-person examinations. Although the association did not explicitly name Opternative, it implicitly criticized the company: “A website claims it can test healthy individuals aged 18 to 40 who do not have hypertension, cataracts, glaucoma, or diabetes. But in reality, how can the website know that the tested individuals are free of these conditions?”

Despite external skepticism, Opternative’s performance has remained unaffected. Since its official launch in late July, the platform had recorded 17,000 online vision test orders by October of this year.

Regarding the accuracy of Opternative’s online refraction, an organization conducted a survey using an internal rating method, confirming that Opternative’s accuracy is comparable to that of traditional refraction testing performed with a phoropter, as shown in the table below:

(Figure Description: Scores range from 0 to 10. Traditional in-person examinations score slightly higher than Opternative in terms of satisfaction and privacy protection. However, Opternative demonstrates greater advantages in final spectacle prescription outcomes, nearly achieving a 100% rate of improved visual acuity among users.)

Why was Opternative founded? Aaron Dallek believes that neither prescription glasses nor contact lenses should be industries with exorbitant profit margins; instead, prices should be affordable for consumers, and eyewear services should be convenient and hassle-free. Therefore, Opternative’s mission is to enable users to conveniently obtain prescriptions from eye care professionals online. As the assessments are conducted online, they are not constrained by time or location, allowing users to take the test at their convenience. The service is now available in 32 states.


It is reported that in early 2014, Opternative secured $1 million in seed funding from investors including Tribeca Venture Partners, Chicago Ventures, and Healthbox. With this financial support, Opternative appointed Ayo Jimoh as Chief Technology Officer and began refining its proprietary optometry technology. Subsequently, a $2 million bridge round led by Pritzker Group, Jump Capital, and existing investors enabled Opternative to complete its clinical trials.

In fact, Opternative is just one of several internet startups in the online eye examination sector. Other companies in this space include Eyenetra, Peek Vision, and Smart Vision Labs, with the latter announcing a $6.1 million funding round in June.

EyenetraFounded in 2011, the company has secured three rounds of funding totaling $7 million. Its product also enables online refraction via mobile phones. Today, Eyenetra’s devices are widely deployed in clinics near residential areas, integrating auto-refractors, lensmeters, and portable phoropters to create a unique vision testing experience for users through the combined use of these instruments.


Users undergo authoritative tests via their mobile devices, consult with experts, and receive personalized recommendations. The company’s vision is to provide cross-state services, connecting all users globally through personalized care for prevention and treatment. Eyenetra also sells optometric testing instruments online, catering to both B2B and B2C markets, with options for bundled packages or individual item sales. For instance, the product named Netropter supports distance and reading tests, including monocular and binocular reading assessments, completely replacing traditional lens-based testing methods. The device is lightweight, allowing patients to hold it by hand without the need for a supporting stand.

The company’s other handheld, smartphone-based Netrometer device can capture monocular visual acuity and adjust to the optimal lens refraction within seconds. It is convenient and easy to use, requiring no specialized training. After installing the app on the smartphone, users can simply connect it to the device to activate the measurement mode.

Similarly, Eyenetra also offers an O2O home-visit service called Blink, which provides at-home vision testing. The service process mainly consists of four simple steps: placing an order, on-site service, expert diagnosis, and finally, eyeglass prescription.

In addition, EyeNetra has recently collaborated with a virtual reality technology company to develop specialized 3D glasses tailored for individuals with myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism. This innovation eliminates the inconvenience of having to wear corrective eyewear before viewing virtual scenes. Specifically, functional lenses that correct refractive errors are integrated into the front of the VR headset, allowing users with vision impairments to enjoy immersive virtual experiences with just a single pair of glasses. These specialized lenses are custom-made to match each individual’s specific visual requirements.

Peek VisionSmartphone-Based Ophthalmic Examinations: All tests are conducted via a mobile application. Peek ensures that all tests undergo rigorous clinical review to guarantee safety. The solution is suitable for both adults and children, is not limited by language or region, and is accessible to populations across multiple regions.



Product Features: A flat component called the “Peek Retina” is attached to the top of a smartphone with a built-in camera. Used in conjunction with the Peek app, it allows users to hold the phone close to the eye for automatic focusing on the retina displayed on the screen. The high-resolution image quality enables physicians to clearly identify conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and neurological disorders. Furthermore, retinal examination serves as a critical tool for detecting systemic diseases like hypertension and diabetes.



Another key feature is its medical authority in visual acuity assessment. By eliminating the need for paper-based charts and utilizing E-shaped optotypes, it enables simple identification, allowing even non-English speakers to undergo testing. Results demonstrate accuracy comparable to, or even superior to, traditional tests. The Peek SightSim™ product virtualizes the patient’s visual field, empowering physicians to vividly compare the visual experiences of patients with those of individuals with normal vision.


Finally, the Peek test offers superior capabilities for recording results and storing images. Both healthcare workers and ophthalmologists can remotely transmit this information to clinics, demonstrating that rigorous eye examinations are still fundamentally conducted by professional ophthalmologists. Currently, Peek is developing specialized applications for individuals with color blindness, as well as software to assess individual variations in brightness perception.


Peek’s user base primarily consists of local and remote healthcare professionals, staff in accident and emergency departments, medical students, general practitioners, family physicians, nurses, medical consultants, optometrists, orthoptists, ophthalmologists, and even veterinarians.
The product is now widely available across EU member states and countries that adopt the same standards as the EU or the UK. Due to its low price, it is also suitable for promotion in economically less developed regions, such as Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania, and Mali.

Peek is currently applying for patents, has applied for EU CE Class I certification, and submitted a certification application to the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The FDA application is also in progress.

Smart Vision LabsFounded in 2013, the company was co-established by Yaopeng Zhou and Marc Albanese, colleagues who had known each other for ten years. At the time, they were developing a laser scanning ophthalmoscope. This device later won the grand prize in a competition organized by the New York University Stern School of Business fund, securing a $1 million award. Subsequently, the two co-founded the company’s flagship headquarters, where they developed a vision screener based on smartphones and equipped with an automated refractive lens. Leveraging their extensive expertise in engineering, ophthalmology, and business, they have made outstanding contributions to the global eye care industry.

The company’s flagship product is a powerful vision testing device called SVOne, capable of capturing wavefront information from the entire human eye and identifying aberrations up to the 7th order. (Note: Due to imperfections in the optical properties of the cornea and lens, the human eye exhibits various aberrations that limit visual quality. The human eye is a complex optical system with wavefront aberrations. Aberrations of the 1st and 2nd orders are classified as low-order aberrations, while those of the 3rd order and above are considered high-order aberrations. Refractive errors fall under the category of low-order aberrations.) Smart Vision Labs delivers highly accurate prescription results at a relatively affordable price.

SVOne delivers accuracy comparable to $20,000 desktop automated refractometers. In studies comparing its measurements against subjective refraction—the gold standard in optometry—SVOne demonstrated a measurement error of only 1%. Furthermore, SVOne received FDA Class I exempt device clearance in December 2014. Currently, SVOne is compatible only with iPhone 5S and later models equipped with high-quality cameras, with support for other smartphone brands expected in the future.

SVOne Technical Specifications: