More Images
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Eyeris, a start-up company based here is marking its one-year anniversary this month and reports that the company secured FDA market clearance on Sept. 25 for a new daily disposable contact lens that it plans to launch in January 2020. The new lens will accompany Eyeris' software, Patient Finder, which allows consumers to see eye doctors on their own schedules. The new lens, the company said, will be priced to compete with other online brands but be available exclusively through a network of independent optometrists.

"Obtaining FDA approval for a novel contact lens is a very big deal in the optometry world," said Jeffrey Sonsino, OD, FAAO, and co-founder of Eyeris. He noted, "Eyeris is committed to always putting the doctor/patient relationship at the forefront of their mission and continually supporting private practice optometry." Added Andy Barrow, co-founder and CEO of Eyeris, "I am so proud of our whole team, but I have to commend our manufacturer and the R & D team. Their tireless efforts resulted in obtaining our FDA approval for the Eyeris Dailies lens ahead of schedule."

Eyeris is a company founded by private practice optometrists for optometrists and patients. The company's website states, "We uphold the doctor/patient relationship by providing two products: 1) A patient finder that actively places patients seeking same day or next day appointments with top optometrists in private practice by filling same day cancellations and no shows. 2) A high-quality daily disposable contact lens, available through independent eye doctors.

An Eyeris spokesperson told VMAIL that the Eyeris daily disposable contact lens "is Hioxifilcon A material, which has the lowest modulus of any soft lens material on the market, but also a very high Dk/t. It is manufactured with an 8.5 base curve and 14.3 diameter, making it non-substitutable by online retailers. We are not working with another contact lens company, but we have our own manufacturing partner. We also have global exclusivity so there will be no diversion or substitutions."

The spokesperson also explained, "We have started building a large network of ODs in private practices, OD/MD practices, and academia across the country. They are participating in our Patient Finder software and will have access to the contact lens. The doctors in our network must have control over their opticals, business decisions, and have top patient ratings across online platforms."

She added, "The Patient Finder functions a lot like 'Open Table' for eyecare. We have a strong, edgy, consumer-facing presence on social media talking about the importance of in-person eye exams. When a patient wants a same or next day appointment with a top optometrist, they input a small amount of information. The Eyeris platform then pings all of the ODs in our network within the consumer’s desired travel radius. The first three practices willing to see the patient get presented to the patient in one email.

"In one click, the patient chooses the practice they want to visit on their schedule, at which time the practice pays Eyeris a $20 marketing fee. There is no monthly charge to be in this network. We are currently operating the patient finder in Nashville, but are scaling to Chicago and New York in October. We will launch any market with a critical mass of ODs in the network (to be able to satisfy the patient demand) and start leveraging social media assets."

Top-rated, independent optometrists who are interested in becoming part of the Eyeris network and being one of the first to prescribe the lens in January can find out more at myeyeris.com/ods. http://myeyeris.com/doctor-sign-up/ The program will also be previewed at the Academy of Optometry meeting, Oct. 23 to 27 in Orlando, Fla.