Walmart is offering customers in Pennsylvania the opportunity to have a 15 minute eye exam for people looking to update their current prescriptions.
This initiative will be available at 12 Walmart Vision Centers and 4 Sam's Club Optical Centers in Pennsylvania and for only $25, customers can use an automated kiosk called an "Eye Bot" that guides them through a series of tests to determine their prescription. The tests are completed in about 15 minutes with results then reviewed remotely by a licensed ophthalmologist who then prescribes the appropriate glasses or contact lenses.
The Eye Bot isn't meant to replace a comprehensive eye health exam, which would identify any underlying eye conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration or glaucoma. It is just meant to offer patients a cost-effective solution to be able to update their current prescriptions.
If the pilot program is successful, Walmart could offer it nationwide. This could potentially lead to traditional optometry practices to offer more competitive pricing for eye exams.
