AOA Response to CNET EyeQue Review

The American Optometric Association (AOA) read your recent piece related to the EyeQue Vision Monitoring Kit. As you noted, you are “no eye expert.” That’s why we are following up to provide some additional insight. Our organization represents approximately 33,000 doctors of optometry and optometry students--all of whom are eye experts.

With regard to your question--whether the EyeQue Vision Monitoring Kit is a good substitute for a trained professional, we can confidently say that, from a patient health and safety perspective, there is simply no replacement for an in-person comprehensive eye exam. There are a number of components that are part of an in-person, comprehensive eye exam with a doctor of optometry and there is no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved, at-home device or app that people can use to self-conduct all of the elements of a proper eye examination. During a comprehensive eye exam, eye doctors can diagnose and treat diseases and conditions of the eye such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, cataract, refractive error, oculomotor dysfunction, and strabismus, among others. Additionally, a number of systemic diseases – such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, neurologic disease, and diabetes – manifest with ocular symptoms and doctors of optometry play a key role in the management of those diseases. We believe it is more important than ever to be aware of products that give the misleading impression that their devices can substitute for a comprehensive eye examination or that they can shortcut getting a contact lens or eyeglasses prescription.

We encourage you to review the information and guidance provided by patient advocacy organizations, state attorneys general and the media in warning the public about the lack of effectiveness and potential dangers of these devices and their marketing promises. Patients looking to schedule their annual eye examinations or update their prescriptions should contact their eye doctors, who are employing in-person and telehealth protocols to provide necessary prescription refills and other eye health and vision care with one goal in mind–to protect everyone's health and safety.  

We encourage you to guide your readers to AOA for more information on eye health and vision, or to find a local AOA doctor of optometry, visit AOA.org.

Sincerely,

William Reynolds, O.D.

President, American Optometric Association