SpaMedica announces rollout to all hospitals
Background
There are, currently, nearly 600,000 people waiting for specialist eye care on the NHS, with a third waiting longer than the 18-week target time. One of the most common procedures is cataracts surgery with approximately 700,000 people in the UK living with the problem.
With over 60 specialist eye clinics across the country, SpaMedica is a leading independent provider of NHS eye care services, specialising in high volume cataract surgery and ophthalmology treatments. In 2018 it became the UK’s largest provider of NHS cataract surgery.
Our partnership
Eyoto and SpaMedica began working together in October 2024, initially deploying Aetheia systems in four live hospital environments. These early installations focused on validating remote and automated examination workflows in real world clinical settings, with particular emphasis on efficiency, image quality, and clinical confidence.
While continuing to support Aetheia:Remote in the market, Eyoto was simultaneously advancing the next generation of digital slit lamp technology. This work culminated in the launch of Auto-Optometry™ in August 2024, enabling fully automated anterior eye examinations with no technician input. This forward thinking approach to product development laid the foundations for scalable, technician-led and asynchronous workflows.
Auto-Optometry™ represents a step change in how eye examinations can be delivered. By automating image capture, alignment, illumination, and examination protocols, Aetheia:Auto removes variability from the examination process while maintaining clinical quality.
This innovation was specifically designed to support high volume healthcare environments where consistency, throughput, and workforce flexibility are critical. The ability to perform repeatable, standardised examinations without requiring a skilled operator at the point of care was a key factor in enabling SpaMedica to consider deployment at scale.
Outcome
Following a successful pilot in 100 clinics and feedback from more than 2,000 patients, SpaMedica announced the rollout of Aetheia:Auto across its entire hospital network in December 2025.
Following extensive clinical use, the pilot found that remote-led eye assessments reduced cancelled clinics, shortened waiting times and minimised unnecessary journeys for patients. Benefits also included improved patient flow, greater consistency of examinations, and the ability to expand services without increasing specialist staffing requirements.
SpaMedica’s decision reflects not only confidence in the technology itself, but also in Eyoto’s forward thinking approach to automated eye care and our commitment to developing solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern healthcare systems.
This marked one of the largest deployments of automated eye examination technology in the UK and represented a major milestone for both SpaMedica and Eyoto. It underscores the role of Auto-Optometry™ as an enabling technology and positions Aetheia as a cornerstone of SpaMedica’s future eye care delivery model.
What they said:
Helen Kitchen, SpaMedica’s regional team lead optometrist, said:
“Aetheia has helped massively with patient care. When it is difficult to find cover for clinics, it has allowed me to assess and list patients for cataract surgery in the south while I have been located in the north. This helps to keep waiting times down and gives the patients easy, quick access to vital treatment.”
Naomi Maunder, a hospital optometrist at one of SpaMedica’s NHS facilities, said:
“It’s a game-changing innovation which brings the professional to the patient - and potentially revolutionary, particularly for urgent eye care.”
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