Smartphone app claims to deliver full eye prescriptions

Copenhagen-based company OptikosPrime claims to have derived a complete eyesight prescription using only a standard smartphone camera, a breakthrough it asserts bypasses the need for traditional optometry hardware during refraction.

Developed under the internal platform name Argus, the software reportedly generates precise refraction data from a single image captured on a consumer handset. While digital eye care applications typically focus on basic vision screening,using on-screen tests to measure visual acuity and identify blurred vision, they rarely provide the specific lens parameters required for corrective eyewear.

OptikosPrime's technology seeks to bridge this gap by transitioning from simple diagnostic screening to a full-scale digital alternative for traditional refractive exams.

OptikosPrime said Argus produces the refraction values used to prescribe corrective lenses. The company positioned the development as a shift from screening towards prescription.

Online eyewear sellers have looked for ways to reduce reliance on in-person eye tests. A consumer-facing smartphone approach could alter the steps between an online measurement and a purchase if it proves clinically equivalent to established methods.

"If Argus provides a super fast, accurate, and high-quality refraction for online consumers, it will be a game-changer," said Doron Kalinko, Co-founder of SmartBuyGlasses, SmartBuyGlasses. "This is precisely what the industry needs."

Real-world conditions

OptikosPrime framed the challenge as operating outside a controlled clinical setting. It cited inconsistent lighting, hand movement, and reflections from the cornea as factors that can affect image-based measurements.

The company said it designed the system to run on a standard mobile device in under sixty seconds. It also pointed to use cases in high-volume retail settings and remote outreach programmes, where traditional optometry devices may be difficult to deploy.

"Speed and simplicity are non-negotiable," said Ståle Fredlund Husby, Co-founder of OptikosPrime, OptikosPrime. "If a solution needs several devices, careful setup, or multiple minutes per person, it simply does not work in rural outreach or online retail environments."

The company contrasted its approach with alternatives that rely on hardware attachments or multi-step processes. It said it was the first to publicly confirm a complete prescription derived from a simple photo taken with a smartphone camera.

Humanitarian interest

OptikosPrime linked the product direction to gaps in access to refraction services. It cited World Health Organisation estimates that more than 2.2 billion people have near or distance vision impairment.

In many markets, the issue is not the price of spectacles. The bottleneck is access to trained personnel and equipment that can determine the correct lens values. That constraint affects both public health programmes and retail distribution models.

A large share of eye care delivery in lower-resource settings depends on visiting clinics and periodic screening. Organisations that work in this area have increasingly trialled mobile tools, though most remain limited to screening and referral.

Sumrana Yasmin, Deputy Technical Director for Eye Health at Sightsavers, described the potential significance of a smartphone-derived prescription for outreach models.

"Innovations like Argus have the potential to transform how communities worldwide receive eye care. This breakthrough shows what is possible when innovation is guided by equity and a commitment to reaching the hardest to reach communities."

Validation pathway

OptikosPrime said it is preparing for its next funding round. It said it plans further data acquisition, clinical validation, and regulatory work as it moves towards wider deployment of Argus.

The company did not disclose the size of the planned raise. It also did not specify which regulatory pathways it intends to pursue first.

"Building state-of-the-art technology that moves measurements of physical phenomena from well-controlled environments and into the wild is a significant research and development challenge," said Anders Kofod-Petersen, Co-founder and CEO of OptikosPrime, OptikosPrime. "The intellectual and technical effort to achieve this has been significant; it was a classic two steps forward and one step back process relying on rigorous science."

OptikosPrime already sells a product called VisionCheck. The company described VisionCheck as mobile vision screening software. It said it continues to scale that product while it prepares the next stage for Argus.

If OptikosPrime can demonstrate clinical performance at scale and clear regulatory hurdles, smartphone-only refraction could become a focal point for online eyewear retail and for organisations that run eye care outreach in areas with limited access to optometrists.