You can now take your vision test at home thanks to Warby Parker

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Anyone else out there put off their annual eye exam due to the pandemic? Yeah, I thought so, but now you don’t even need to go to the optometrist, thanks to Warby Parker’s revamped telehealth app. The one catch? You’ll need an iPhone as it leverages Apple’s Vision Framework tech.

The new Virtual Vision Test by Warby Parker makes it simple for anyone to renew glasses or contact lens prescriptions in less than ten minutes. You’ll need an iPhone 6s or newer to do so, but the good news is that you don’t need to find a ruler or any other tools to measure things like your pupillary distance.

Warby Parker only asks that you’re between 18 and 65 years of age, have no eye health concerns, and that you can see well with your existing single-vision prescription. You can’t use the app for bifocals or progressive lenses, so you’ll still have to trek into the optometrist for those.

The test is in two parts, a short five-minute eligibility check and a five-minute vision test that replicates the chart-reading section of an in-person test.

Then, a qualified eye doctor will review your results and either renew your prescription (which will cost you $15) or recommend that you get an in-person, comprehensive eye exam (in which case you won’t be charged).

We probably should point out that this app is for those who already have a vision prescription and not for those who don’t already wear glasses.

It’s also not intended to replace in-person visits when you think you’ve got a problem with your vision that isn’t covered by your glasses. Still, it’s nice that you can skip some in-person visits.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Warby Parker leverages Face ID to let you try glasses on virtually
• iPhones now account for 50% of all smartphone activations in the US
• TCL’s new smart glasses create a 140-inch virtual screen you can watch anywhere
• For some reason, Snap is working on yet another pair of AR glasses

Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.