System and method for enabling customers to obtain refraction specifications and purchase eyeglasses or contact lenses
Inventors
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-10874299-B2
Publication Date
2020-12-29
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for obtaining sight screenings, optical prescriptions and fittings for eyeglasses and contact lenses. A system can be self-operated through a voice-activated response system that enables an individual to determine one's own refraction, or can be operated with the assistance of a technician. A plurality of customer diagnostic locations can include digital equipment and optical instruments to conduct the sight screening. The data generated at these locations can be transferred to a remotely located eye doctor who interacts with a customer via a live audio-video connection to assist with interpreting the data, diagnosing the customer and operating the instruments at the locations. The eye doctor diagnoses, consults and authorizes the prescriptions for the customer. The customer's data can be sent to a lens laboratory to enable the fabrication, purchasing, and delivery of eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Core Innovation
A remotely assisted vision screening system allows customers to obtain optical prescriptions for eyeglasses or contact lenses using optical equipment configured to perform one or more vision tests. The optical equipment includes at least one auto-refractometer and at least one auto-phoropter, and the system includes at least one computing device interfaced to control at least a portion of the optical equipment during an eye examination for a customer.
The computing device generates objective vision data associated with an objective refraction of at least one eye of the customer using the auto-refractometer and generates subjective vision data associated with a subjective refraction of the at least one eye based on usage of the optical equipment and one or more responses received from the customer through the user interfaces. The computing device sends vision screening data to a remote practitioner via a network, where the vision screening data includes the objective vision data, the subjective vision data, and the user data, enabling the remote practitioner to determine a refractive error for the at least one eye.
The computing device receives prescription data from the remote practitioner via the network, where the prescription data includes an optical prescription associated with the at least one eye, and provides the optical prescription to the customer through the one or more user interfaces. Administering the eye examination includes providing one or more user interfaces with a voice-enabled component that performs a self-refraction procedure using audio output and receiving voice-based inputs, interfaced with the auto-phoropter such that voice-based inputs are utilized to electronically control and adjust the auto-phoropter to determine the subjective refraction without assistance from an onsite eye doctor, while also providing an interactive audio-video eye examination enabling participation of the remote practitioner.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides one independent claim that covers the end-to-end remotely assisted vision screening system, including objective and subjective refraction generation, network transmission to a remote practitioner, remote prescription generation with an electronic signature, and voice-enabled self-refraction with optional remote audio-video participation. The main inventive features are the following.
Remotely assisted vision screening with auto-refractometer and auto-phoropter
A system comprising optical equipment configured to perform one or more vision tests, including at least one auto-refractometer and at least one auto-phoropter, and a computing device that controls at least a portion of the optical equipment through an equipment interface during an eye examination for a customer.
Objective and subjective refraction data generation from customer interaction
A computing device that generates objective vision data associated with an objective refraction of at least one eye and generates subjective vision data associated with a subjective refraction of the at least one eye based on usage of the optical equipment and one or more responses received from the customer through the one or more user interfaces.
Network transmission of vision screening data to remote practitioner for refractive error
Sending vision screening data to a remote practitioner via a network, where the vision screening data includes the objective vision data, the subjective vision data, and the user data, enabling the remote practitioner to determine a refractive error for the at least one eye.
Remote practitioner prescription with electronic signature and customer presentation
Receiving prescription data from the remote practitioner via the network, providing the optical prescription to the customer, and where the optical prescription includes a current refractive error for the at least one eye and an electronic signature from the remote practitioner authorizing the optical prescription, with the optical prescription presented to the customer through the one or more user interfaces.
Voice-enabled self-refraction to determine subjective refraction without onsite doctor assistance
Administering the eye examination including providing one or more user interfaces with a voice-enabled component utilized to perform a self-refraction procedure that enables the customer to obtain the subjective refraction without assistance from an onsite eye doctor by generating audio output and receiving voice-based inputs, where the computing device is interfaced with the auto-phoropter and voice-based inputs are utilized to electronically control and adjust the auto-phoropter during the self-refraction procedure to determine the subjective refraction without assistance from an onsite eye doctor.
Interactive audio-video participation and remote control of the auto-phoropter
Providing an interactive audio-video eye examination enabling participation of the remote practitioner, where the customer is located at a diagnostic center at a first location and the remote practitioner is located at a second location remotely with respect to the first location, and the remote practitioner interacts with the customer using the voice-enabled component and controls the auto-phoropter during the self-refraction procedure based on voice-based inputs, including receiving at the equipment interface commands to control or adjust the auto-phoropter during the interactive audio-video eye examination.
Independent claim combines auto-optical equipment to obtain objective and subjective vision data, network transmission of objective/subjective vision data plus user data to a remote practitioner for determination of refractive error, and receipt of an optical prescription including an electronic signature for presentation to the customer. It further specifies voice-enabled self-refraction without onsite eye doctor assistance and interactive audio-video remote practitioner participation with remote control of the auto-phoropter.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
Interested in licensing this patent?