We have posted many articles about the future dispensing of eyewear. From point and click technology and smart phone technology that allows you to try on the product, to online eyewear companies using technology for those who are surfing the net and just wanna see what would look on them.
After talking to eyecare providers about this technology I have come up with the following conclusions as to why most are not embracing technology.
1.) Fear Factor: fear of technology, fear of it not working. I will tell you this, every time I turn this computer on I am afraid, I still don’t understand the jargon, I still don’t understand how things work, I am afraid to click unknown items, but blogging and sites like this are the future. Since I want to someday earn a living wage, I am rolling with the future and I know our ROI will be there, maybe not tomorrow but in months to come.
2.) They think this is expensive. The ROI will not be there. The reality is this, the gen Y and X are aging and nearing their prime wearing glasses years, they grew up on technology, ordering online and this is how they will be shopping. So your ROI may not be there tomorrow, but it is the future that one must think about.
3.) Ignorance; ‘My customers don’t shop online and they are loyal’. Reality check- Essilor would not have bought framesdirect.com if the customer was not buying on line. New online resellers of eyewear are cropping up everyday and would not be showing up it the online shoppers were not there. Maybe the reason why your patients are not coming in every year for an eye exam because they are getting new eyewear on the Internet.
4.) I am getting out of this business and will be selling; Even more reason to make the investment to keep your sales strong and show future partners and owners that you have kept up with technology. (I have actually heard this)
5.) Don’t have a website or you think your website won’t be able to handle this: I don’t even know how to handle that one, because I think every eyecare provider needs a website or blog to remain somewhat competitive in todays market.
6.) It’s a hassle: Which is more of a hassle, sitting around waiting for patients or being proactive and having your website work for you and earning you income??
Here is our strong advice, look into this, investigate the Fear Factor and the ROI, talk to some of your collegues and consider this a part of your customer service, adding hassle free shopping options. Still not ready check out:
Zip Eyewear: http://info.zipeyewear.com/ecp-provider-program/who will send patients into your office.
OptiKam for in-house Try On Solutions
Or EyeStar TV to educate your patients while they wait.
Similar Posts:
- Zip Eyewear Helps ECP’s To Compete On The Internet
- Online Eyewear Myths Debunked
- iPhone4 App For Eyecare Retailers- Trying Glasses On
- Online Eyewear and Your Practice: It Is All About Positioning!
- The Largest Niche Market In The World-Eyecare Marketing
I HAVE A QUESTION RATHER THAN A COMMENT. I DO NOT OWN MY OWN BUSINESS. IF I WANTED TO VENTURE INTO AN ONLINE EYEGLASS BUSINESS, I WOULD NEED ACCESS TO SEVERAL FRAME PROVIDERS. IS THIS FEASIBLE? OPENING NEW FRAME ACCOUNTS WOULD REQUIRE A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT. I COULD SEE THAT IF YOUR HAVE AN ESTABLISHED RETAIL BUSINESS AND ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO FRAMES, THEN ORDERING A FEW MORE WHEN AN ONLINE ORDER COMES IN IS NO BIG DEAL. THIS WHOLE IDEA SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA AS SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME IF YOU ARE ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO THE PRODUCT. BUT IN ORDER TO HAVE A NICE VARIETY OF GOOD LOOKING FRAMES, YOU WOULD HAVE TO TREAT IT AS A START-UP BUSINESS WITH A BIG INVESTMENT IN A FRAME INVENTORY. DO YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO HAS DONE THIS SUCCESSFULLY?
There are several ways that you can do an online business, first in which you don’t have to stock product is to do an affiliate program through linkshare, commission junction, sharesales. 2.) you can stock products 3.) speak with suppliers and see what their programs are.
Hi John,
Its good to know that youve shown intrest in the online eyewear business. I have been in the industry for the last 14 years of which the last 8 years have been in the processing of prescription lenses.
Im based in India and would like to get into the online eyewear segment. I would like to partner with someone like you who is based maybe in the US or Europe and can handle the front end of the bsuiness while i can stock frames and process lenses to prescription and have them sent out to you or direct to the customer. you can look after the front end like marketing and taking orders queries etc.
I feel that this would be mutually beneficial to us both.
If you are intrested please feel free to contact me on email at opti_vision@yahoo.com id be glad to discuss further.
Regards
Pradeep
I’m looking for the technology for client websites which use the “try-it-on” technology for eyeglass frames. The links at the end of the article do not lead to providers of web modules like the one in the video.
Can you provide links to vendors which have this technology available.
Thanks
Brian
Eyewear- Try On Apps
To see links go to: http://www.opticalvisionresources.com/eyecare-eyewear-optometry-ophthalmology-apps
MobiShades Allows Users To Try On Eyewear
iWear – Try glasses online with app
Total Immersion has unveiled a breakthrough mobile commerce application that uses AR face tracking to enable consumers to try – and buy – eyeglass frames directly from an iPhone 4.
Designer Eyeglasses- (N/C) shows you how glasses look on others.
iSun- lets you use different sunglasses in your image
Spex-Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
iShades Lite (Entertainment) Latest Fashion Designs from Major Brands including Prada, Gucci, D&G, Armani, Oakley and many more…Upgrade to PRO with iShades. It has over 150 of the most popular sunglasses in existence and is the largest collection of shades that can be viewed and looked through on the iPhone. iShades Lite not only lets you CHOOSE the style you like but also allows you to VIEW through them using the onboard camera.
Sunglass Couture (Lifestyle) $.99 – With Sunglass Couture, you can take a picture, or select a photo in your library and virtually try on 50 of the most popular sunglasses for sale today… Choose a pair, position it on a photo, size it rotate it, and then save it to share with your friends on Myspace or Facebook, Twitter to get the opinion of your friends.
Eyewear
Nokia Eyewear Vision Of The Future
Sunglasses Photograhy
Effector Eyewear (Android App)
Porsche Eyewear
Vestal Eyewear
Silhouette
Silhouette- Virtual Mirror App
Blinde Eyewear (Android App)
Electric Visual (Lifestyle)
Eyewear- Retail
No Brans (Utilities) $.99-Using iPhone’s camera, you can now have a user friendly pair of sunglasses that automatically adjust themselves according to lighting conditions and change focus according to where on the screen you tap! You can now show off both your iPhone and your new pair of sunglasses to your friends!
Perfect Glasses (Utilities) N/C Able to buy Paul Frank Frames, German Designer Frames, Sunglasses or great discount glasses starting at just $19.00 (prescription included) then iGlasses is the perfect iPhone application.Choose from over 120 frames, with many different styles and colors, with the satisfaction of having a money back guarantee. Frames are available for children and adults, in both men and women styles.
Eyewear- Fun
Fun Glasses (Entertainment)-add glasses, sunglasses or ‘FunGlasses’ to pictures of you and your friends! Glasses can be magnified, shrinked and turned in order to fit them the way you want. Fun to use while hanging out with your friends, on dates or while traveling!
Lens Apps
Shamir is releasing a new app for iPad
iTint- (Utilities) $1.99 iTint calculates a relative Visible Light Transmission (VLT) percentage of an transparent object. The most practical use is for automotive glass, but can also be used for sunglasses, swim goggles, and camera filters. Yes, this app can even do windows! Measure and record your results for future reference. Shopping for a pair of sunglasses? Why not record the VLT of each pair instead of just guessing the the tint darkness.
Lens Consulting (Business) Rodenstock- The app provides an illustrative demonstration of the differences and benefits of different Rodenstock products – from the conventional to the individual and from single-vision to progressive lenses.
Contact Lens Apps
Metro Optics Custom Contacts (under Medical)
Opticalc Contact Lens Calculator (Medical)
HD Ophthalmology (Medical)
Contact Lens Toric by Bausch and Lomb (Medical)
iContact Lenses Updates- iPhone and iPod touch (2nd generation) Requires iPhone OS 2.2 or later URL: http://www.perfectacumen.com
Eye Dock
Contact Lens Support
Contact Lens Tracker (Healthcare and Fitness) ipad and iPhone
Lens Tracker Pro (Healthcare and Fitness)
CL Tracker (Bausch and Lomb)-app for people that wear 30-day or 14-day contact lenses. Easily track and manage your contact lenses with notifications for replacement, when to reorder and even when to schedule your next eye exam.
Lenslife (Medical)
Lens Toss (Healthcare and Fitness) $.99
Contact Lens-Eyewear- Retail
Lens Gauge- by 1-800 Contacts, tracks how many days contacts have been in eye
Contact Lens Shoppe (Utilities)
Coastal Contacts
Optical Center
Insight Frame Finder -iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
Eyes- Fashion
iShow Makeup- (Entertainment)
Virtual Makeover (Lifestyle) N/C
Eye Exams
At Home Eye Exams
Random Eye Chart
iExam
EyeXam
iChart 2000- Phone and iPod touch Requires iPhone OS 2.2 or later URL: http://www.thomson-software-solutions.com/
A Simple Eye Exam
Eye Exam Photography
Vision Test http://www.moblly.com/taxonomy/term/681
Vision Test 3M (healthcare and Fitness) .99
Netra Cell Phone based Optometry Solutions- mobile-phone application that, coupled with a small plastic device held over the screen, can determine users’ eyeglass prescriptions. Called NETRA or near-eye tool for refractive assessment
iCanSee, the first iPhone application ihttp://theopticalvisionsite.com/technology/ican-see-iphone-app/
New Smart Phone Turns Into Optometrist
IChart for iDoctors With iPhones
Eye Check Lite- (Medical) work, study or tourism in china, especially need to drive, often need to accept the Chinese standard of professional eye examination. You can use this software, ahead of familiar eye sight inspection methods of China , can also be used at any time to monitor the change of your eye sight.
Eye Test Pro- (Medical) $.99 Eye Test Pro is the ultimate app for Eye Test Professionals. It includes all you need to conduct a Professional Eye Exam, including the following features:
Helsana Eye Test -(Healthcare and Fitness) Hold your iPhone with your arm stretched out and adjust its position so that the “E” is upright at all time. The letter becomes smaller and smaller, which enables you to find out quickly how good your eyesight is. English, French, German, Italian
My Eye Test (Medical) $.99- program is designed for eye examination. eye test is random viewing with alphabet and number Korea’s standard eye chart, based on a vision test will be. This program is a vision test, color vision tests, foods for eye
Essilor- The Vision Test
Eyecare/ Eye Health Apps
Eyecare- Save Your Vision-iPhone app that tells to save your vision and take a rest
Eye Health (Healthcare and Fitness)Bausch and Lomb N/C- keeping eyes healthy whether you wear contact lenses, glasses, or have no vision correction at all. Eye Health transforms iPhone or iPod Touch into a reference tool for caring for eyes and keeping vision as strong as it can be
ieye (Healthcare and Fitness) $1.99
Eye Health (Medical) $4.99
eye Check lite (Medical) N/C
Eye Exercises (Healthcare and Fitness) .99
How To Protect Your Eyes (Healthcare and Fitness) N/C
Yoga For Your Eyes (Healthcare and Fitness) $9.99
Better Eyesight Without Glasses (Lifestyle)$3.99
Macula Tester
Vision by AppZap – This application helps test and protect your vision. It includes various functions such as eye exercises that keep your eyes healthy and minimize eyestrain, fun games like optical illusions and stereograms, as well as tests tracking your color vision, astigmatism, retinal function and visual field. It also provides practical information relating to different aspects of vision.
Diabetes Goal Tracker (Medical)
Visi Test (Healthcare and Fitness) N/C
Vision- Everything for perfect sight; tests and entertainment (Healthcare and Fitness) $.99
Optometry and The Eye (Medical)
Improve Your Eyesight (Education) $1.99 -This app is all about how to improve your eyesight using the famous Bates method.
ColorBlindness
Colorblind Assistant (Utilities) $2.99
ColorBlind Test (Medical) N/C
Colorblind Helper
ColorHelper
Visolve
Acuity (Healthcare and Fitness) N/C Acuity Color Blindness is a game mixed with a visual test
Magnifiers
Eyeglasses ($2.99)
Look Closer
iMag (Utilities) N/C
Freeverse
Miscellaneous
Eye Handbook
Visually Impaired or Blind app.
Oratio – Blackberry platform, Oratio is a screen reading software that lets you manage instant messages, emails and SMS functions audibly. You can place and receive calls (with caller ID) and use all of the calendars and alarms with an intuitive audio interface that’s customizable by selecting the voice’s rate, pitch and verbosity.
LookTel –LookTel considers itself an “artificial vision” application. Using the phone’s built-in camera it can distinguish common objects based on their shape and identifies them in real speech, can teach it to recognize new objects, it links you to a live assistant who can verbally describe exactly what’s in front of you.
BrainPort – A visual prosthetic device that connects to the tongue, BrainPort takes digital video from a pair of sunglasses and translates it into electrical stimulation in your mouth. Although it’s still in the prototype stage and not yet available on the market, studies show in less than 10 hours people can gauge the distance of far-off objects
Google released two Android applications designed to help the blind with walking directions that pair Google Maps with GPS navigation technology. The applications, WalkyTalky and Intersection Explorer, both use spoken walking directions from Google Maps giving the blind (or visually-impaired) the opportunity to explore the layout of streets before navigating them in the physical world.
Braille
Learning Braille
Bumps – A Braille Guide by Izatt International , learn Braille on the go
Learn Braille by Paul Ziegler – This application helps anyone with regular sight learn and master Braille. also in Japanese, Hebrew, Korean and Chinese.
Braille Clock by Peter Elst – Practice your Braille numbers with this Braille Digital Clock.
Linguistical by glyph.org.uk – This program helps you learn to sight read Braille as well as a variety of other languages. A language learning tool, the system was designed to increase your vocabulary skills while you’re on-the-go.
Braille Alphabet Trainer (Productivity) $1.99
Visually Impaired Clock (Utilities) .99
VisionHunt Color Edition (Utilities) Uses camera phone to detect colors, paper money and light resources ($19.99)
Medical Productivity
iChart EMR- A complete mobile Electronic Medical Record system to track and manage patients with a simple ‘touch & tap’ interface.
Bump
Ophthalmology and Optometry
EyePro
Astig Master-
Besst 2-BESSt 2.0”: the 1st version for the iPhone of “BESSt 2.0 IOL Power Calculator”. A must-have tool for all Anterior Segment surgeons who need to perform cataract surgery after laser refractive surgery (OCULUS™Pentacam™ required). Features:
VA Converter- (Medical) Converts between the most commonly used Visual Acuity notations (Snellen 6/6, 20/20, Decimal, LogMar). It is an essential tool for Ophthalmologists and Optometrists who are living the painful (but inevitable!) transition to LogMar notation.
OOO’s Business
iLocate- Optometrist (Navigation)iLocate is a comprehensive searchable database for all the Optometrists wherever you are with contact info, directions, and so much more – all at the touch of a button.
ilocate- Opticans (Navigation)
Optical Dispensing Assistant (Medical) $.99 Application is what all Optical Dispensing Opticians And Optical Dispensing Assistants have been waiting for. Optical Dispensing Assistant gives you all the most important calculations you are likely to require in your day to day work. 1. Calculate Lens thickness. 2. Calculate new lens power required with different Frame fitting (Vertex) distances. 3. Calculate how much Prism you are creating by changing Lens Decentration. 4. Calculate Lens Diameter required in a Frame for a given Patient PD. 5. Lens Power Transposition, From +/- and -/+ . This Application will save you a fortune in costly mistakes. Also as an added Bonus there are excellent diagrams of parts of the Eye on the flip side of each page along with instructions for use.
OD Wire (Social Networking) N/C
Trade Press
20/20 Magazine; .99
Hong Kong Trade Fair – iPad-Official Magazine of the HKTDC Hong Kong Optical Fair
G and F -iPhone application that allows to view a series of strategical contents published every day on Glasses & Fashion, the first web portal addressed to end-consumers and eyewear, lifestyle and fashion enthusiasts.
Can you please let me know if you know any company that makes a solution for my web site selling glasses on-line so I’ll be able to provide virtual-try on to my customers. I really appreciate if you can direct me to a right source.
Thanks
Best
Bruce
Great question! Try OptiKam First http://www.optikam.com, I believe they have the technology to do this. Call Clearvision (cvoptical.com) and ask them who they are using, as they have the technology on their site. Mychic http://www.mychic.com has the technology too.
Hi Bruce,
If you still need Virtual tryon solution for your website you can see the demo here http://vtodemo.thesoftsol.com/vto-demo.html and to buy a license kindly contact to sales@thesoftsol.com
Looking forward
Seth