EyeQue

John A. Serri

CEO, EyeQue

August 23, 2024

EyeQue was founded by two visionaries, John Serri and Tibor Láczay, who shared a common goal to do something for society. After years of discussion, they zeroed in on a relevant and approachable challenge; how to make eye care accessible and affordable for everyone. The journey began in 2012 when Dr. Serri, a physicist with a passion for innovation and bad eyesight, realized that millions of people around the world lacked access to basic eye care. The statistics for uncorrected vision are truly astounding. His good friend Tibor, an entrepreneur was already the founder and CEO of one of the largest online Eyeglass companies in the world.  Both John and Tibor knew that traditional methods of vision testing were expensive, time-consuming, and often inaccessible to many, even in developed countries. There must be a better way than the traditional office visit to bring one’s world into focus.

Dr. Serri’s background in science and engineering and Tibor’s confident and self-governing nature led them to envision a different approach. They imagined a small, portable device that anyone could use at any time to test their vision at home. This device would not only empower people to monitor their eye health but also bridge the gap between them and professional eye care services.

Together in 2015, they founded and funded EyeQue, a company dedicated to creating user-friendly technology that would change the way people manage their eye health. The core idea behind EyeQue is simple: create a device that could be paired with a smartphone to deliver accurate, reliable vision tests. This device, made of plastic and costing a few dollars to make, would allow users to measure their refractive error— and determine the needed corrective lenses. This could be done without having to visit an eye doctor in person. Through tele-medicine a doctor could use this information to renew an eyeglass prescription.

In most countries where doctor prescriptions are not required to order eyeglasses, a person from home could take the EyeQue vision test and directly purchase glasses on online.

The first breakthrough came with the development of the EyeQue Personal Vision Tracker (PVT). This small, lightweight device was designed to be used with a smartphone app, making it easy for anyone to test their vision at home. This is the first and only accurate self-refraction test on Earth. The PVT utilizes a patented technology that combines optics and algorithms to measure the user’s vision with remarkable accuracy. The results processed by the app, provides users with their Refraction Numbers—a set of six numbers, 3 for each eye, that can be used to order eyeglasses online.

The EyeQue team knew they were onto something big as the PVT received rave reviews from early users and garnered attention from the tech and healthcare communities. The company was awarded best-in-class innovation awards by CES and nominated by SPIE for the prestigious prism award. The PVT’s success was rooted in its ability to empower users to take control of their eye health, especially in regions where access to eye care professionals was limited or non-existent. Today, EyeQue gives away the PVT for free.

Every startup has its up and downs, and EyeQue is no exception. Tragically, Tibor passed away in 2021 after a long illness. His hope was that EyeQue would continue to move ahead on it’s mission.

EyeQue has pushed the boundaries of what is possible in at-home eye care and continues to innovate by developing additional products like the EyeQue Insight, to test for visual acuity and other conditions, and the EyeQue VisionCheck, an automated version of the PVT that offers even more precise measurements and thoroughly tested via clinical trials. Today there are ten unique products on the market, many are free to use. EyeQue holds over 30 patents on devices , some yet to be developed

Recently the company went to the next level in creating EyeQue Connect, a secure, HIPAA compliant cloud platform connecting doctors with optical retailers and patients. The service supports asynchronous and synchronous online encounters resulting in prescriptions and medical consults.

The future is bright and EyeQue’s eventual impact will be profound. By putting the power of vision testing into the hands of everyday people, millions with no access to traditional eye care will take a first step toward better eye health. For many, EyeQue is more than just a product—it is a lifeline connecting them to the world in ways they had never could before. It is always amazing to see the smile that comes when a vision – impaired person wears eyeglasses for the first time. Their world literally comes into focus.

The company’s mission resonates with people around the world, and EyeQue is a global leader in innovative vision technology. EyeQue products are used in over 150 countries around the world. John’s and Tibor’s dream of making eye care accessible to all is becoming a reality, one set of eyes at a time.

As EyeQue continues to grow and evolve, the company remains committed to the original mission. They believe that everyone, regardless of where they live or how much they earn, deserves access to quality eye care. And with each innovation, they are one step closer to achieving that goal.

EyeQue actively seeks partners interested in joining the journey. We encourage doctors, government agencies, entrepreneurs, ophthalmic equipment manufactures, and others to learn more and consider working with us.

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