IbisVision, the Glasgow-based company that’s leading the move to remote and over-the-Internet eyecare, has unveiled breakthrough technology, the first of its kind, that allows for optometrists to determine a prescription over the Internet, with hardware that’s a fraction of the cost of traditional eyecare systems.
The company, backed by a consortium led by Miami-based Compiler VC in a recent $5.6 million funding round, will launch its updated Ibis-Connect platform at the Vision Expo West conference in Las Vegas later this month. It is envisaged that many of the larger US optical players, as well as regional operators and independent optical businesses, will be interested in what is the first truly objective over-the-Internet technology from which to prescribe corrective lenses. Not only does the system just require a simple internet connection, the patient uses a proprietary Remote Refraction Tool (RRT) that costs a few cents to produce, compared to the traditional machines that can cost thousands of dollars for opticians to acquire.
The system aligns with IbisVision’s philosophy of delivering eyecare and treatment over the Internet, while maintaining clinical excellence and the full involvement of eyecare professionals. The platform, which is currently undergoing rigorous clinical trials, can work through the most basic of computers and Internet connections and uses a simple and intuitive interface to ensure high quality reliable readings from the patient, all overseen by eyecare professionals based wherever the optometry business chooses. The technology builds on IbisVision’s existing eye-health Internet platform, whose capabilities have expanded from a single test to now offering 11 different eye exams, and bases its accuracy on being able to continually measure the patient’s distance from the camera on their computer.
Ultimately, the technology allows for a full end-to-end remote experience for patients who may be too busy or find it difficult to attend a clinic in person. The issuing of prescriptions can be combined with existing technology that allows patients to try various glasses virtually to find the best fit, look and style.
The company is ready to engage with clients – it’s FDA listed, CE marked and HIPAA compliant – and has appointed a new Miami-based Head of US Operations to oversee its business throughout the US.
Commenting on the launch, IbisVision CEO Mark Roger said “This is the breakthrough we’ve all been waiting for – allowing an optometrist to test for and issue a prescription online. This opens up huge potential not only in making eyecare available to all, but in turbocharging e-commerce behind the optometry industry, and allowing for optometrists to serve communities without investing vast amounts in cumbersome machinery. We’re delighted to be launching this at the world’s biggest optometry Expo where we expect to receive strong support and interest.”
Find the IbisVision team at Vision Expo West from 28-30 September at Booth #PAN2051. Book an appointment to speak with our CEO, Head of Partnerships or Head of US Operations at the show, here.
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Technical notes
IbisVision’s patent pending technology is based on similar principles to an autorefractor and seeks to find the refractive error using superimposing images projected onto the patients retina and monitoring the distance from the screen at which the images converge into one. The procedure is carried out on two further axes and an algorithm is used to model the curvature of the eye and thus predict the refractive error, objectively identify any astigmatism, and output a corrective prescription in a conventional sphere/cylinder/axis format.
About IbisVision:
IbisVision’s purpose is to offer innovative eye technology that revolutionizes the customer journey, increases efficiency, and makes eye care more widely accessible. Providing multiple tests on a single cloud-based platform gives universal accessibility with a software as a service (SaaS) delivery model dramatically reducing capital expenditure. The IbisVision platform allows optical professionals to remotely examine eyes using a 11 tests including 24–2, Amsler Grid, Color Vision, Visual Acuity, Visual Field and now a Refraction test. This allows for clinicians to interact with and support their patients while they assess vision remotely as well as detecting conditions such as glaucoma, a serious ailment that can cause the loss of sight, all without any need for direct contact between the medical professional and patient. IbisVision is backed by leading investors including Compiler VC, Deepbridge and Scottish Growth Investments. More information is available at www.ibis.vision
Ends
Interviews can be arranged by appointment
For more information:
Laura Hillhouse, marketing manager: 07414 558 542 lhillhouse@ibisvision.co.uk
David Clarke, press contact: 07887 600 234 david@davidgfclarke.com
– Enhancing the patient journey and supporting optometrists
– A new appetite for telemedicine solutions
– Thanks to all who visited our booth
IBIS-Connect; a part of the future of optometry
The hustle and bustle of New York was the perfect place to host Vision Expo East. The liveliness of the streets matched the energy inside the Javits Centre over Expo weekend where professionals came together to see what’s new and upcoming for the eye care sector.
IbisVision was there to showcase our platform, IBIS-Connect, a solution that allows optometrists to test patients anywhere, at any time. We also got the chance to see what else is going on in the market and speak with other companies in our space. This allowed us to further our understanding of the industry and where it’s going, resulting in a more detailed outlook for the future. There were many positive takeaways for us, and the show gave us a whole host of new companies looking at our solution. We’re delighted our platform attracted so much attention and we were happy to hear from many attendees that IBIS-Connect is leading the way in remote vision testing.
As we discovered at Vision Expo West in Las Vegas, and now again at Vision Expo East, there remains a struggle with the availability of eye doctors across the country. This is something IbisVision is exploring in greater detail to support the market further. We also noticed more discussions around the need to have a flexible solution that can work in whatever way an organisation requires. For example, a solution where the patient can be in practice, but the eye doctor is elsewhere or vice versa. This is the type of flexibility that IbisVision can offer as the optometrist and patient can be wherever is suitable for them; we were happy to demonstrate this to those who visited us at our booth and show our remote testing capabilities.
Our team were lucky enough to speak to companies who are looking to implement telemedicine solutions in the US and further afield such as Canada and Latin America. What was obvious was the appetite for telemedicine is beginning to grow more in optometry than ever before and the market knowledge of it is increasing.
What’s next?
We have some great conversations to continue as well as pick up with some of the amazing eye care professionals and suppliers we met with at the show. Vision Expo East was a great place to discuss our platform, future collaborations and where we go next in the sector. A huge thank you to everyone who came to visit us at our booth. We were once again in The Panorama neighbourhood which was a hub of the latest technologies and innovations, the perfect place for our flourishing technology.
Find out more about IBIS-Connect, here.
The IbisVision team had a very busy and successful weekend at 100% Optical where we joined the UK eye sector in discussing and discovering the latest, newest trends and innovations. We showcased our tele-optometry platform, IBIS-Connect, demonstrating our remote testing capabilities including visual acuity and visual field exams. However, the main event at the IbisVision stand was our new refraction technology. The feedback we received was greatly appreciated with some of the main insights being that there is nothing quite like our virtual refraction testing in the market and that it’s a simple and easy to use system for both the clinician and patient.
We were delighted to be alongside the Birmingham Optical team at their booth with some other great technologies and innovations there too. We also had some great conversations with optometry students competing in the Trainee Treasure Trail; it was exciting to be speaking with future eye care professionals and showing them what technology could be part of their future in optometry. As well as this, it was great to catch up with the Optical Suppliers Association which IbisVision is a part of and Vision Care for Homeless People who we have a long-standing relationship with due to the Optoversity Challenge.
As always, the event was a great place to connect and celebrate the UK optical sector! To find out more about what we were showing attendees at 100% Optical, arrange a time to chat with us here.
The IbisVision team is heading to the city that never sleeps to take on the busy streets, big energy and best of all, the US eye care sector. Vision Expo East is taking place from the 16-19 March and is the complete event for ophthalmic professionals. With a first-class venue in the Javits Center, we’re looking forward to once again experiencing the hustle and bustle of a vibrant event.
As a gathering of eye care professionals, buyers, influencers and technology, Vision Expo in New York really is the place to be this March for the optical sector. You’ll find us situated in The Panorama, a neighbourhood that showcases the technologies and innovations disrupting the eye care space. As we’ve said before, nothing compares to the US when it comes to the size of the market and being in the middle of some of the biggest names in optometry is exceptional for a technology company like ours.
As we look to roll out our remote eye testing technology in the US, we will seek to tap into the expertise of the world’s largest eye care market and forge key relationships with providers, technology suppliers and eye care organisations. IbisVision dipped its toes into US optical events last September at Vision Expo West where we had a very successful few days creating key relationships and gaining insights on the US industry that we have been utilising ever since. This combined with our progress in the UK market over the past couple of months, is making IbisVision a force to be reckoned with in the eye care sector.
We can’t wait to show our latest developments at Expo East and to continue to build on our growing and flourishing reputation in the market. Visit us at booth #PAN2240 and see our Tele-Optometry platform in action. You can also book a one-to-one demo session with our team, here.
After a short break from our travels, the IbisVision team is going back on the road, and this time we’re travelling to London. 100% Optical is the UK’s largest optical event and is taking place on the 25th-27th of February with professionals from across the country coming together to see what’s new in the sector and discuss the industry’s hottest topics. There is a top educational seminar programme on offer this year and a jam-packed exhibition floor which is where you’ll find our team.
We will be joining our UK distributor Birmingham Optical on their stand (booth M260) where we’ll be showcasing our Tele-Optometry platform. Our team will be on hand to demonstrate how our suite of exams including Visual Acuity and Visual Fields can be completed online and remotely with an eye care professional.
We’re looking forward to seeing some old and new faces over the weekend, and even have some live demo sessions planned. To book a one-to-one session with our Commercial Director, click, here. Don’t worry if you can’t join us one-to-one, we have a live group demo taking place each day of the show. Join us on Saturday at 1pm, Sunday at 2pm and Monday at 1pm; we hope you can join us then!
If you haven’t booked your ticket yet for the show, there’s still time do so, here.
Sunday 5th of February saw the first round of the Optoversity Challenge take place. You may have read our previous posts about the challenge where we mentioned that students from all over the UK were coming together to compete; and what a great day was had by all! Taking place online, the students participated with their teams and showed great collaborative skills in achieving their spots on the leader board.
The next round of the challenge will take place at 100% Optical at the end of this month and IbisVision is delighted to be participating in this too – we’ll have more to update on this soon. But, for now, take a look at the results so far and well done to all who took part!
1. University of the West of England
4. Glasgow Caledonian University
5. University of Hertfordshire
If you’re attending 100% Optical don’t forget to catch up with Vision Care for Homeless People where you will get to see the second half of the challenge take place and find out more about the great work that they do.
The Optoversity Challenge is a great event with a social effort at its centre. IbisVision is once again supporting this amazing event and the charity it’s in aid of. We recently announced our support of the challenge, and we thought we’d do a deep dive into the event to explain what it is, who’s involved and what it’s all for! Keep on reading to find out.
What is the Optoversity Challenge?
The Optoversity Challenge takes place online and brings together students from 11 universities from all around the UK, with students from all year groups taking part. Each year group is presented with an optometry challenge that they must solve with their peers and compete to be the top team in their year. The finalists from each year will then go on to attend 100% Optical, one of the leading UK optometry events, at the end of February for the chance to come first place in the entire challenge! This event is organised by Out of the Box Optics, all in aid of Vision Care for Homeless People.
So, who are these companies organising the event?
Out of the Box Optics is a company that acts as a resource for opportunities that exist outside of regular practice. This organisation believes in mentorship and in providing educational support, and they work to provide educational masterclasses and events that allow students and young optometrists to progress in their studies and in their fields.
Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP) is a charity set up to provide eye care to homeless people and other vulnerable groups in society that need a safe, friendly environment to access eye care. The majority of homeless and vulnerable don’t receive financial benefits so aren’t eligible for NHS eye exams and vouchers towards their glasses. VCHP aims to help solve this problem by preserving, protecting and promoting ocular health for those unable to access mainstream services.
What does the Optoversity Challenge support?
By raising money through sponsorship and donations, the challenge provides funds for VCHP to put towards helping the vulnerable in society. As mentioned above, many people are unable to access mainstream eye care services. The money raised from the event goes towards VCHP implementing and discovering new ways of providing these services.
Why does IbisVision support this event?
IbisVision’s technology helps to make eye care accessible. The vision of those who created the challenge, Out of the Box Optics and VCHP closely aligns with ours. Our telemedicine solution allows anyone to have an eye test with the right equipment and we can see how funding to access services like ours and others in the industry could help those who need it to take care of their vision.
Why should you support this cause and how do you do it?
If you’re looking to support a great cause in the UK and in the optometry sector, this is definitely one to look at. You would be helping to give people the opportunity to access eye care services no matter their circumstances.
There are still sponsorship opportunities available for businesses or you can simply donate. Get in touch with VCHP to do so, here.
How can you keep up to date with this event?
Make sure to stay tuned to our social channels for updates on this amazing event. Follow the event on the pages below!
Follow IbisVision on LinkedIn & Twitter
Follow VCHP on LinkedIn & Twitter
Follow Out of the Box Optics on Instagram
Optoversity Challenge on February 5th is set to be gripping with eleven universities entering teams, with the largest – of 13 students – coming from University of the West of England.
Taking place online for all year groups, the format proved during Covid to be an excellent way to engage even more entrants, believes organisers, Out of the Box Optics. The final for the top year optometry students will take place live, supported by the sponsors, at 100% Optical on February 26th.
Major sponsors of the fundraising event for Vision Care for Homeless People are Specsavers and Scope. The support from Scope is particularly close to home as Inderpreet Uppal, Scope’s Professional Optometry Liaison, was part of the very first, 2017 Optoversity team from Aston University, along with team-mate Benji Chandra who is now Chair of Leeds VCHP clinic.
Doug Perkins, founder of Specsavers, is keen to support Optoversity –
‘Specsavers is passionate about changing lives through better sight and hearing. This includes keeping the needs of people who are not so well off in focus. We are also passionate supporters of the next generation of optometrists. So, this event is a great opportunity to engage optometry students in our values and support the valuable work of Vision Care for Homeless People. Good luck to those taking part.’
The optical community is generously supporting February’s event with sponsorship and prizes from many frame and equipment companies. The star prize provided by Keeler is an ophthalmoscope & retinoscope set. Others supporting this year are AOP, Birmingham Optical, Booth & Bruce, FODO, Grafton Optical, Haag -Streit, Heine, Ibis Vision, Lenstec, Louis Stone, Millmead Optical, Mondottica, Norville, Optelec, Performance Finance, Thea and Wolf Eyewear.
There is still time for businesses to become involved in this year’s event, and any interested should contact: alison.gordon@vchp.org.uk
Students wishing to sign up and to raise additional funds for VCHP through sponsorship of their team can find out more at: https://outoftheboxoptics.co.uk/optoversity-challenge/
Issued for VCHP and Out of the Box Optics
By Janice English
10.1.23
This week is Roche’s Digital Innovation Week, and IbisVision have been lucky enough to be selected to appear alongside eight other start-ups to help solve an identified problem in Ophthalmology. Our COO will be in Basel on Thursday 10th November to share more about our business, our technology, and our telemedicine platform. This is an exciting event for IbisVision as we will be in the company of key stakeholders at Roche as well their official partners including IBM and Microsoft.
This Digital Innovation Week is hosted by Roche Digital InnoLab and as part of this, the Start-Up Day is dedicated to finding digital innovative solutions for tomorrow’s challenges. The challenges identified by Roche this year have been in Ophthalmology and Women’s Health. Companies from across the world applied to travel to Switzerland and present solutions to these problems. We’re delighted to have been one of the 26 successful start-up amongst a pool of 300 qualified applicants.
The opportunity this event provides IbisVision is great and gives us an excellent platform to share more about how telemedicine solution for optometry and how it can transform the patient journey from start to finish.
Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn for more updates on the outcomes of #RocheStartUpDay
Our travels over the past few weeks have been very exciting. We’ve been to Miami, New York and most recently the busiest city in the UK, London. We were there to attend one of the UK’s biggest optical shows, 100% Optical, where we teamed up with our partner Birmingham Optical to showcase our IBIS-Connect platform.
Birmingham Optical, a long-standing force in the UK optometry industry, held an impressive and busy stand over the 3-day event. We met and spoke to several professionals across the industry, showed them our platform and even got to see other optometry technologies in action. It was a weekend of knowledge sharing and forging relationships that will benefit the future of the sector. To also see the growing interest in telemedicine was extremely positive and validated that both IbisVision’s platform and ‘vision’ are right where they need to be.
Attendees of the event were treated to live demonstrations of our platform and our team showed them exactly how it can transform the patient journey. This was a fantastic way to show the optical world how IbisVision is revolutionising the optometry sector here in the UK and further afield. IbisVision also went paperless for this event and directed all of our new contacts online to find out more about us, why not take a look here.
Optometry students are gearing up for Out of the Box Optoversity Challenge, when they will test their knowledge against others in the same year group across the UK at the online event: Sunday 21st March.
This popular annual challenge has already attracted entrants from all year groups with prizes generously donated by Keeler, Heine, Wolf Eyewear, Hoya, Lenstec, Norville, Topcon, Millmead, Alcon, Booth & Bruce, Kirk & Kirk, Jonny Goggles, ABDO, Scope and The Crazy Optom.
The exciting challenge has a strong charity element to it with funds raised each year for Vision Care for Homeless People, through student sponsorship. As teams have already signed up from Anglia, Aston, Bradford, Cardiff, City, Glasgow, Lancashire, Manchester, Plymouth, Ulster and UWE the charity hopes it will be a bumper year for fundraising. Already several optical suppliers are sponsoring the event with funds going directly to the charity – thanks to Altacor, Haag Steit, VISUfarma, Locumkit and IBISVISION.
Organised by Out Of The Box Optics this exciting event raised £5,500 for the charity last year and in 2019 the sum was £3,600.
Harinder Paul, VCHP Trustee, is encouraging everyone to become involved –
“It is an exciting day and we are looking to draw the whole optical community together. Our terrific supporters have put up some great prizes for the best students – equipment and wonderful sunglasses, particularly.”
The day’s challenges are likely to involve an ocular disease picture quiz, multiple choice questions, practical exams and anagrams to unscramble optical terminology. This year’s Zoom event starts at 10-11.30am for year one students; Year 2 from 12-1.30pm and years 3 and 4 from 2-3.30pm.
“Everyone learns a lot at this event – particularly working to a deadline. There is still nearly a month to go so any more teams are welcome and any business wanting to support with sponsorship should get in touch,” added Harinder.
North London optom Karmelo Modina who created the event, in partnership with Gajan Singh, said –
“Optoversity has proved to be a fantastic way to bring together optometry students and to help prepare them for working life in the best way possible.”
Students can enter via the website and businesses that would like to sponsor the day please contact:
alison.gordon@vchp.org.uk
www.outoftheboxoptics.co.uk
https://www.visioncarecharity.org/event/optoversity-challenge-2021/
Issued for Vision Care for Homeless People
By Janice English
01372 465265
23.2.21
Ibis Vision
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