Seeing Clearly
Eyebot hopes to expand the accessibility of vision tests.
Imagine being able to get a vision test and eyeglass prescription in as little as 15 minutes without needing an appointment or insurance. It’s possible with Eyebot, a revolutionary new technology emerging in the U.S.
Eyebot, headquartered in Boston, developed this one-of-a-kind technology to solve a problem many people probably didn’t know the country has. Nearly 63% of Americans don’t have vision insurance, and the population of eye doctors is shrinking. “We all have eyes and we all need vision care,” says Eyebot co-founder and CEO Matthias Hofmann. “At Eyebot, we’re working to find solutions to the roadblocks that come with eye care.”
yebot’s S1 kiosk is a first-of-its-kind, FDA-registered machine that changes the way people get a vision test. Simply step in and with the push of a button, anyone ages 18 to 64 can be evaluated. The patient casually stands in the machine, follows the prompts, is scanned using infrared light and voila! After the test is performed, results are virtually sent to a team of fully trained optometrists and ophthalmologists for review. Within 15 minutes, a prescription is written and sent to the patient’s email where they can choose to either get a pair of glasses on the spot or take their prescription to another eyeglass store. Prescriptions can also go directly to the retailer onsite for even more convenience.
The S1 kiosks are currently available in 16 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores throughout Pennsylvania, and Hofmann says Eyebot is currently expanding to other areas and locations. In addition to retailers, the machines are also available for doctors’ offices.
“Eyebot is here to help fill a gap and enhance the eye care field,” Hofmann says. “These are fundamental services and we want to make them available to everyone, most importantly rural and underserved communities.”
Hofmann says the pool of doctors practicing optometry and ophthalmology is on the decline because more are retiring than graduating. “Our population is growing and in the next 10 years, we will have 20 to 30% fewer ophthalmologists than we do now, which is why Eyebot is so essential. There are 45,000 places in the U.S. you can go to buy glasses, but there aren’t enough doctors to serve patients.”
In addition, children are becoming more myopic because of increased time spent indoors and a wave of adults will also be impacted, all within the next five years. Obtaining an appointment also poses considerable challenges, with the average wait time of nearly four weeks to see a doctor for a vision test, and in some communities with limited access to services, there are barely any eye doctors at all.
“Half our population doesn't have managed vision plans but 70% see better with glasses,” Hofmann says. “Our systems just aren’t keeping up with society. It’s broken, we needed change.”
All of these reasons are what make up Eyebot’s mission: that vision care should be accessible to everyone, equally. The technology development started over 10 years ago when Hofmann thought smartphones could be used as a health care device. He focused on vision tests but found people didn’t trust it.
“The smartphone-based vision testing we did was FDA registered but people still wanted to see a doctor, and we realized a smartphone will never be humanized so we worked to find a new way,” he says.
In 2021, Hofmann and his team did a massive amount of research and development and found the solution was creating a new interface which turned out to be the kiosk Eyebot is today.
“People were really excited and we were actually breaking through,” he says, happily. “Everyone was trying it from letter carriers to doctors. We felt so proud to be making something for everyone that also made a real impact.”
Since its rollout in 2025, Eyebot has delivered over 60,000 vision tests. Its doctors can detect 30 eye disorders but they do not provide diagnosis for issues such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy or other eye health issues. However, if Eyebot’s team of doctors notice something concerning, they will let users know.
The feedback from patients and retailers has been extremely positive and enthusiastic, according to Hofmann. “We can’t believe how good it is,” he says. “We’ve had goosebump moments where someone is getting their first pair of glasses and they’ve hugged and kissed the team on-site because they are so excited and happy. It’s an incredible feeling.”
At its core, Eyebot is mission-driven, making sure that every user is cared for, not just a number. The company’s vision is to be a leader in the space while staying consistent and finding solutions to help others, while still managing high standards and quality care.
“We have a fantastic team that works so hard,” Hofmann says. “They are the lifeblood of this organization and truly care about solving problems.”