SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AmblyoPlay, a home-based vision therapy solution for children and adults with amblyopia (lazy eye), mild strabismus (crossed or turned eye) or convergence insufficiency (eyes unable to focus together), today announces the launch of its software-based vision therapy solution in the U.S. market.
In the U.S., 100,000 children are born with conditions that require vision therapy each year. Colloquially known as lazy eye, amblyopia is a vision development disorder in which the vision of one eye is less developed than the other. Because the brain has a difficult time merging two images when one is of weaker quality, it starts to favor the stronger eye over the weaker one.
Traditional vision therapy exercises used to treat amblyopia are repetitive and time-consuming, which often leads to abandonment of the therapy for a high proportion of patients – especially young children. With AmblyoPlay, users perform vision therapy through red and blue glasses and interactive gaming software and are rewarded with tokens they can exchange for physical awards that are sent to their home. The program – available via Windows and Mac computers, Android tablets and iPads – stimulates the eye muscles through two 15-minute sessions per day.
“We realized quickly that for our target age group – children aged four to 14 – making the therapy engaging and rewarding was the first step in supporting parents and doctors as they treat amblyopia,” said Žan Menart, CEO of AmblyoPlay. “Lazy eye can lead to depth perception and vision problems that have long-lasting effects, like reading and learning difficulties, social trauma, disadvantages playing sports, difficulty obtaining a driver’s license and more.”
Users have three subscription options for gaining access to AmblyoPlay – three months, six months or a year. The different durations address the unique needs of the user, which can be affected by the user’s age, the severity of their vision problem and how regularly they complete the vision therapy exercises. Parents can monitor the progress of their child through AmblyoPlay’s automated progression tracker and share the results with their child’s doctor at subsequent eye examinations.
While it varies by location, vision therapy performed at private practices or vision therapy clinics can cost as much as $900 for an initial consultation and $170 per weekly appointment. Pricing for AmblyoPlay starts at $110 for a three-month subscription and is available for purchase on AmblyoPlay’s website.
“AmblyoPlay does not replace the expertise provided by a doctor – eye care specialists are essential to any eye diagnosis or vision therapy,” said Menart. “Our software serves as another tool to improve visual function of patients and improve their quality of life.”
AmblyoPlay was developed by eye care startup Smart Optometry, creators of the Smart Optometry app for eye screening and diagnosis, eye therapy and eye damage prevention. It is currently used by 75,000 doctors worldwide.
For more information about AmblyoPlay, visit www.amblyoplay.com.
About AmblyoPlay
AmblyoPlay is a vision therapy solution for children with lazy eye, mild strabismus or convergence insufficiency that is performed through playing therapeutic games and exercises every day for 30 minutes through specialized software. AmblyoPlay complements in-office vision therapy and increases at-home vision therapy participation through gamification. AmblyoPlay was developed by eye care startup Smart Optometry, which previously developed the Smart Optometry app for eye doctors, currently at 75,000 doctors using it worldwide. Learn more about AmblyoPlay at https://www.amblyoplay.com.
Media Contact
Amber Richards
Uproar PR for AmblyoPlay
arichards@uproarpr.com
(321) 236-0102, x234