With Prescription Check—an app from the trendy (and affordable) eyewear purveyor Warby Parker—you might be able to get a new eyeglass prescription right from your home, no doctor’s visit required. All you need is your iPhone, a desktop or laptop computer, and a credit card (for measuring purposes).
First the caveats: Prescription Check is only available for distance prescriptions—not reading, progressive, or bifocal—and isn’t a comprehensive eye exam. To receive a prescription, you must be between the ages of 18 and 50 and live in one of the following states: AL, CA, CO, D.C., FL, HI, IL, LA, MA, MN, NM, NY, OH, PA, TX, UT, VA, VT, or WA.
Meet the requirements? Here’s how it works.
After you answer a series of questions about your eye health, you’ll be guided through the setup process: Place your computer on a flat surface and link it to your iPhone by scanning a QR code. Then hold a credit card up to your computer screen and follow the instructions; the standard size of the credit card helps the service figure out the size of your computer screen.
Finally, walk backward while keeping your iPhone camera pointed at a checkerboard pattern on your computer screen. The app will alert you when you’re 12 feet away. (If the app has trouble recognizing the pattern, try dimming your lights, closing blinds, or adjusting the brightness on your computer.)
The vision test, which takes about 20 minutes, should feel familiar. You’ll identify sections of a fan shape that appear blurry and indicate which direction a small letter C is pointing. For both, you’ll wear your existing prescription glasses. Your iPhone serves as a remote.
When you’re done, a doctor in Warby Parker’s network reviews the results. The cost of getting your prescription is $40, but if the doctor recommends taking an exam in-person, you won’t be charged. Apple Pay makes it easy to authorize the transaction with your fingerprint or Face ID on your iPhone X.