Would You Do An 'Uber' Eye Exam For A New Pair Of Glasses?
(CBS4) - If you need a new pair of glasses or contacts, you know the drill: an annual trek to the eye doctor for an exam and a fresh prescription. But now, there's an app for that. An online eye exam that can get you a brand-new prescription from the comfort of your own home. All you need is a smartphone, computer, and 40 bucks.
The service is called "Opternative." It's an online service that will do an eye exam and shoot you out a prescription that's legal to fill online, or at your friendly neighborhood eye center. No trek to the optometrist or ophthalmologist. Sort of like an "Eyeball Uber."
But is it safe? Is it legit? Is it a good idea?
The Academy of Ophthalmologists are a little blurry on taking a stance, but the American Optometric Association is positively cross-eyed over the idea. The optometric folks are the ones who typically do an exam and may sell you glasses or contacts; the ophthalmologists are medical doctors who care for diseases of the eye. The optometrists' worries include missing a serious eye condition with an online exam -- plus people getting an Rx when they really should be having an in-person eye-to-eye going over.
Here's the way the system works:
You log onto the Opternative website, you grab you smartphone, you stand 10 feet away from your computer---and off you go. Tell them what you see over the course of a 25 minute checkup, and a prescription is soon on its way from an ophthalmologist contracted by Opternative.
The cost for the exam is $40 for eyeglasses, and $60 for contacts.
The main rules are that you need to be between the ages of 18-40, and you cannot suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, or any other serious medical condition.
Would you do this? Should you do this?
I think the best advice is "buyer beware." For many, this service may be simply a convenience with no harm, no foul. Hard to beat. But since eyes change frequently when you wear contacts, passing on an annual, personal exam may be rolling the dice. And for anyone, the online exam does not detect glaucoma, eye changes from diabetes, or some other eye diseases.
Sure, it is cheap and it is easy. But when it comes to your eyeballs, you only have two, and sometimes it's best to play it safe when we are not yet at that time when we can buy new body parts on Amazon.
We'll see how the Food and Drug Administration continues to eyeball this website. In the meantime, it's there for you to scope out and use if you wish.
LINK: opternative.com
Dr. Dave Hnida is CBS4's Medical Editor. He blogs about the latest studies and trends in the health world. Read his latest blog entries, check out his bio or follow him on Twitter @drdavehnida
