Nigeria must prepare for smart eye clinics – Expert - Punch Newspapers
Eye care service. Source: Shutterstock
The Executive Director of AutoVision Initiative, Desmond Bassey, has urged Nigeria to be ready for smart eye clinics as eyewear is becoming more intelligent all over the world. Speaking to The PUNCH in Benin, Edo State, the vision technology entrepreneur and smart eye care advocate said what was once viewed mainly as a technology experiment is becoming a new category of eyewear with prescription vision combined with audio, calls, cameras, voice interaction and other connected capabilities. He noted that eyewear is becoming more intelligent, adding that the place where people receive eye examinations, prescriptions and glasses should be ready for that change. He added, “This is where the idea of the smart eye clinic becomes important. It is not simply an eye clinic with smart glasses displayed on a shelf. “It is a different way of connecting clinical eye care, optical services and technology, in that order. The eye comes first. A qualified eye-care professional examines the patient, assesses their visual needs and determines the appropriate prescription. Technology comes after that foundation.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google “That distinction will become increasingly important as smart eyewear moves from novelty to everyday use. For decades, the experience at an eye clinic has followed a familiar pattern: examination, prescription, frame selection and dispensing. That model remains essential. “Accurate prescriptions and professional eye care cannot be compromised by technological excitement. “But the person walking into the clinic today is living a very different life. People work through screens for hours. Communication is increasingly digital. Professionals move between offices, vehicles, meetings and connected devices. Content creators document their surroundings. Entrepreneurs need to remain connected while moving through their day. Drivers spend long periods navigating increasingly technology-driven environments. Orbih was a courageous, kind party loyalist, says Imasuagbon Ex-Edo lawmaker tackles Dino Melaye over Atiku petition NDLEA intercepts N3.4bn drugs, arrests fake cop, mechanic “Yet the basic experience of getting prescription eyewear has largely remained unchanged. The smart eye clinic is an opportunity to close that gap.” He said that after the clinical examination, the conversation should no longer end with, “Which frame would you like?” adding that it can become a more useful question: “How do you want your eyewear to fit into your life?” He added, “A commercial driver may have different requirements from a professional who spends 10 hours a day working on computers, phones and other related devices. “A content creator may value camera and voice capabilities. An entrepreneur may simply want hands-free communication. Another person may want nothing more than a conventional pair of prescription glasses. All of those choices should remain valid.” He noted that the objective was not to turn every eye patient into a technology customer but to make the eyewear conversation more intelligent, so that people could understand the options available to them and choose what genuinely fits their needs. “This is the transition that Phomax Technology is building toward. Phomax approaches smart eyewear as a vision technology ecosystem rather than simply another eyewear product. “Its model combines prescription smart eyewear with professional eye care, working with an independent clinical partner for examinations and prescriptions. “The technology is therefore not positioned as a replacement for the clinician. It is designed to extend the experience that follows proper clinical care. That distinction should shape the future of smart eyewear in Nigeria,” he said. Adeyinka Adedipe
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