NEWARK, Calif.—EyeQue, a smartphone vision testing company, said it has closed a Series C funding round of about $40 million and now has raised more than $57 million in capital since the company was founded in 2015. The company did not disclose details on the specific investors in the Series C round, but a spokeswoman told VMAIL that EyeQue has secured $40.35 million from private equity investment and strategic partnerships after its Series B round, which VMAIL reported on in June 2018 here.

EyeQue, a health tech startup, has developed a suite of at-home vision tests using optical smartphone attachments that consumers can use to self-administer a refractive error test through an accompanying app and get the results needed to order corrective lenses.
 
The company said its sales tripled during 2020 and that it "continues to be well positioned for growth as it is well capitalized." With the new funding from the Series C round, EyeQue said it plans to expand its core technology and hire new talent.
 



James Gardner
Separately, EyeQue recently named eyecare industry veteran James Gardner as vice president of business development and strategic partnerships in its effort to continue growth beyond the consumer market. Prior to EyeQue, Gardner served as vice president for global myopia management at CooperVision, and earlier was vice president of sales and vice president marketing, North America, at CooperVision. He led the launch of the Biofinity brand lens in the U.S. market and led the branding for and globalization of CooperVision’s myopia management program.
 
“We are thrilled to welcome James to the EyeQue team,” John Serri, president and co-founder of EyeQue, said in an announcement. “With more than 20 years of experience in sales and marketing leadership roles in the vision care industry, James has a broad range of experience in the U.S., European and international markets to help EyeQue achieve its goals.”
 
Added Gardner, “I’m excited by the opportunity to join the talented team at EyeQue, to make vision care more accessible through our vision, screening, testing and tele-optometry technology. Over the past 18 months, there has been a significant increase in the demand for at-home vision care, which can help augment the overall standard of care through ophthalmologist and optometrist partnerships. EyeQue is meeting the need with cutting-edge technology that can help patients get affordable care when and where they need it.”
 
In addition to funding growth with its new investment, EyeQue said it is supporting new partnerships with like-minded companies, including EyecareLive, which recently joined forces with EyeQue to offer virtual eye health services with eye doctors on EyeQue.com, as VMAIL reported.
 
Earlier this year, EyeQue began selling contact lenses on its online store and continues to add new services to make it easy for its customers as works to become a “one-stop shop” for eyecare.
 
Kathy Chueh, EyeQue's chief financial officer, said, “EyeQue is poised to be the global leader in the at-home vision care vertical. This latest investment enables EyeQue to develop international markets, as well as elevate our proprietary vision technology, while gaining regulatory approvals and market share dominance.”
 
Since its inception, EyeQue said customers have taken more than 157,000 refraction tests using its technology. The company said it is on a mission to make vision care available to people all over the world, especially those who don’t have access to traditional eyecare and have lived without vision correction.
 
The company also noted that refraction tests do not replace a comprehensive eye exam that evaluates ocular health and binocularity.