Streamlining eye care operations at major US retail chain
Background
A major US retail chain providing eye care services noticed that rising patient demand was exposing operational bottlenecks that could slow the organisation’s plans for growth.
One key focus area for improvement was slit lamp examination imaging. While clinically effective, the retailer’s existing technician-led process depended heavily on manual skill and experience. Imaging quality varied between operators, training requirements were substantial, and examination times placed pressure on both staff productivity and patient capacity.
Recognising that these inefficiencies would cause delays and frustration amongst its customers as the business scaled, the organisation launched a technology evaluation programme. Within its clinical testing facility, new imaging solutions were assessed under controlled conditions to determine whether automation could meaningfully improve performance, in which Aetheia:Auto was included alongside alternative technologies.
Challenge
The retailer’s existing slit lamp imaging process relied heavily on manual operation, placing significant demands on technician skill and experience. Under typical conditions, examinations lasted around fifteen minutes, but this duration frequently increased when technicians encountered difficulties achieving precise focus, correctly positioning patients, or adjusting illumination settings. These variations introduced unpredictability into clinic schedules and limited the efficiency of patient flow across locations.
Image quality inconsistency presented an additional operational challenge. Approximately thirty percent of examinations required retakes due to suboptimal imagery, extending appointment times and creating workflow interruptions. Each repeat examination added cost, delayed subsequent patients, and contributed to uneven performance outcomes between technicians. Over time, these inefficiencies can intensify, affecting both productivity and the overall clinical experience.
Training requirements further increased the problem. Because successful imaging depended on manual technique, new technicians required substantial onboarding and ongoing support to reach consistent performance levels. As the retailer planned for continued growth, they recognised that scaling the existing approach would inevitably increase training demands, operational expense and variability across sites.
The organisation therefore began searching for a solution capable of delivering faster examinations, consistently reliable image quality and a significantly simplified training pathway; ideally reducing dependence on operator expertise while maintaining clinical confidence.
Aetheia's contribution
Eyoto’s Aetheia:Auto was assessed within the retailer’s controlled clinical testing, allowing direct comparison against current workflows and the competing technologies.
The evaluation focused on whether automation could eliminate the variability inherent in manual imaging.
Key features assessed during the testing included:
- Automated focusing - removing the need for manual adjustment
- Intelligent illumination control - ensuring optimal image exposure
- Structured, step-guided workflow - guiding technicians through the examination process
Rather than relying on advanced operator skill, Aetheia:Auto standardised the imaging process through automation and guided interaction. Technicians with varying experience levels participated in testing to determine real-world usability and training requirements.
The results
The retailer’s testing programme demonstrated clear and measurable improvements in imaging efficiency and consistency when using Aetheia:Auto. Across evaluations conducted within the controlled testing, the Eyoto model consistently enabled technicians to complete a full examination in under five minutes. This represented a substantial reduction compared with the organisation’s typical fifteen-minute manual workflow timing and indicated strong potential to increase patient capacity without requiring additional staffing resources.
Equally significant was the reliability of image capture. During testing, complete examination image sets were successfully obtained on the first attempt each time, effectively eliminating the retakes that had previously affected approximately thirty percent of examinations. Removing the need for repeat imaging reduced workflow disruption and created a more predictable and streamlined clinical process, allowing appointments to proceed with greater consistency.
The evaluation also highlighted a dramatic reduction in training requirements. Technicians were able to operate Aetheia:Auto confidently after less than one hour of instruction, a marked contrast to the extensive training traditionally required for manual slit lamp imaging. Automation and guided workflows reduced dependence on individual technique, enabling technicians with varying levels of experience to achieve consistent outcomes.
Taken together, these results demonstrated that Aetheia:Auto can deliver faster examinations, dependable image quality and simplified staff onboarding, addressing the primary operational challenges identified by one of the US’ largest retailers during its evaluation process.
What they said:
“This technology is game changing in terms of its ease of use, lower training requirements, and consistent imaging.”
- Senior Project Lead Optical Doctor, major US retailer
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