April 7, 2021
Luneau Technology USA has introduced its second generation Visionix Eye Refract, a system that includes upgrades based on the 5.5 million refractions collected over a five-year period using the first-generation product.
The Eye Refract system measures eight square feet and is comprised of an automated, binocular and digital phoropter combined with wavefront-based auto-refractometry and keratometry (AR/K), a digital acuity short chart and integrated lens analyzer. Results from a 2018 published ARVO study demonstrated that Eye Refract generated accurate prescriptions with more repeatable results when compared to peer-to-peer refractions.
Among the hundreds of upgrades based on user feedback, clinicians can now use keratometry data collected from the Eye Refract system to fit soft contact lenses without having to run the patient through another instrument. This new release introduces Physiological Refraction to help ECPs quickly identify the patient’s comfort zone and find the balance between clear and comfortable vision. Additional improvements were made to the algorithm and wavefront laser, resulting in faster and more accurate results on a wider diversity of challenging patient demographics.
Accurate data and a more flexible labor model
“Our second-generation Eye Refract is an exciting leap forward because this new version incorporates years of customer feedback and associated technology improvements,” says Dan McNulty, president of Luneau Technology USA. “With accuracy and reproducibility backed by our published ARVO study, confident delegation of refractive data collection to a moderately trained technician in the pre-test room is possible. Technician turnover and the associated impact on patient flow was one of our customers’ biggest concerns, especially ECPs who desire a more efficient office. The second-generation Eye Refract resolves a major piece of that puzzle, leaving clinicians free to focus on patient consultations while technicians – regardless of experience – generate consistent and accurate recommended final prescriptions along with other pre-test data.”[
Luneau Technology clinical staff train new users to follow a scripted, tablet-driven process that generates accurate recommended final prescriptions in about four minutes. McNulty emphasizes the practical application of delegation to maximize clinician value, “Because of its algorithm-guided interface, your new staff or non-specialized technician will send consistently accurate recommended final prescriptions and K-readings to you from the pre-test room – just like topography or fundus imaging. As a result, ODs can focus their patient consult time on more robust medical consultations or other growth opportunities to transform their practice.”
Specialists stay in control—and practice at the top of their license
EMR/EHR-ready Eye Refract allows clinicians to access recommended final prescription data from a secured computer interface in another room or office. This asynchronous functionality is an ideal solution for practice owners interested in a remote-ready model. With an effective delegation process in place for up to 90 percent of the patient load, practices can free up more doctors to focus on patients who need advanced eye examination.
Visionix data integration makes it possible for clinicians to access and review the final recommended prescription and all standard pre-test data before seeing the patient in the exam lane. While it enables the technician to generate a recommended prescription, the final review and approval process remains with the clinician. With this modified approach, specialists can focus on more challenging patient cases – roughly 10 percent of the total population – which require the use of a manual phoropter to complete the subjective portion. Practices can benefit from time savings when the staff clinician’s traditional refractive skill is reserved for those challenging patients who will benefit from it.
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More Practical ROI Considerations
Current Eye Refract users report improved client satisfaction and reduced remake rates, allowing staff to sell lenses with confidence. Clinics with this technology share that the Eye Refract exam setup and tablet-driven refraction process continued to impress their patients and inspired positive online reviews, according to Luneau Technology. The company points out: “Practices using this cutting-edge technology can brand themselves as a ‘high tech’ optical and often position their practice as more modern and convenient. The modified workflow with Eye Refract also allows cold-start practices to start seeing patients without the need to add an onsite optometrist immediately upon opening, delaying further spending until justified.
ECPs interested in Eye Refract, or any Visionix technology, can visit luneautechusa.com/virtualdemo to book a virtual demo and ROI consultation.
