01/12/2026
Patient Safety Alert: Eyebot
The Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA) is urging patients to consult with their local POA doctor of optometry to get accurate information regarding outcome claims arising from the placement of virtually unregulated, stand-alone vision kiosks—identified as the “Eyebot”—in big-box retail and/or mall settings. In recent days, the kiosk’s financial backers have apparently targeted more than a dozen Pennsylvania communities as their sites for testing.
According to Erin Draper, O.D., POA president, “There is no substitute for an in-person eye exam, for full adherence by every doctor to the recognized standard of care or for the patient-doctor decision-making that every Pennsylvanian needs and deserves. Any corporation advising otherwise can and should be publicly fact-checked and, when necessary, investigated by the authorities.”
“Optometry practices serving our communities use the most advanced health and medical technologies to support doctors in providing the personalized, connected and proven care that’s essential to safeguarding the health and vision of our patients.”
Earlier Eyebot placements this year in other states have resulted in detailed complaints with the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, based on information gathered and reported by the American Optometric Association. Other concerned health advocacy groups have submitted their own complaints to state enforcement officials.
With health misinformation on the rise and patients facing potential new risks, the POA and its doctors in nearly every county across the state are prepared to answer questions about essential eye health and vision care services, patient access and the limits of products and services that are intended to stand apart from or work to undermine doctor-led and coordinated health care delivery. To connect with a POA doctor of optometry near you, visit the POA Doctor Locator.
Dr. Draper adds: “Like our doctors, the POA takes an active role in providing accurate information regarding essential eye health and vision care to our neighbors. As new direct-to-patient products enter the market, and as bold claims about what they can do are put forward, we want to make sure the public understands relevant warnings and disclaimers, especially when they can be obscured by marketing tactics and fine print.”
