Optical Academy- Has been pioneering the change in the delivery of eye care by making eye care the most convenient, affordable, and accessible it has ever been.
The company came to life 14 years ago after CEO, Abby Ayoub, crossed paths with a 15-year-old girl who was desperate for an eye exam. The eye exam uncovered a brain tumor that blasted her retina that could have been found years prior had she had the proper care. The young girl was getting screened by her school nurse and although she failed the screening yearly, was never brought to see an Optometrist for follow-up care. At that very moment Optical Academy was born to provide accessible, convenient, and affordable eye care to all, beginning with children. The unchanged fact that over 70 percent of children who fail a vision screening never get seen for follow-up care was the backbone behind Abby’s passion for creating Optical Academy’s Glasses 2 Classes Program.
The simple fact is that most people who have never worn eyeglasses do not know their visual capabilities. They will not take time off of work or school because it is typically not a painful problem that you can see or feel. Vision problems are usually left untreated because it is not a problem you can see or pain that you feel. Visual problems are usually left on the back burner of health-related appointments but sometimes it can be too late.
Abby recognized the issue that people just don’t have time to take off for appointments that might not feel necessary and she decided it’s time to meet people where they spend most of their time, at school, work, and with their communities.
The Glasses 2 Classes program was piloted in NYC public schools providing eyecare and eyewear to hundreds of special needs students. Since then, Optical Academy has grown to provide eye exams and eyewear to hundreds of thousands of students yearly, nationwide.
Through the growth of the Onsite Eyecare program, Optical Academy has developed a Worksite Wellness & Safety division, bringing this same affordable and accessible eye care to the workplace.
Statistics provide that 60% of employees who have a vision plan never utilize their benefits. Most of them do not have the time to take off work for non-emergency appointments.
Optical Academy has set up pop-up optical shops in thousands of workplaces where employees can utilize their benefits and spend their free time doing what they want to do instead of spending a day at the doctor’s office. The worksite safety program also allows employers regulated for safety eyewear to cut their safety eyecare and eyewear costs by over 75%. They receive a more structured safety program to target every employee for necessary vision screenings and safety glasses all in one day.
The company has no cap on innovation. While servicing onsite at both schools and worksites, Abby recognized a developing need for members to follow up through telephone after we have already left their onsite event. She saw a shift in the type of care people were looking for and immediately set in her next domain and venture: TeleOptometry.com™.
The development of TeleOptometry became a major necessity during the pandemic when most fields took the shift to telemedicine. The only difference for Abby is that this program was already in development prior to any shutdown. When the world came to a sudden stop, Optical Academy members already had a remote line of communication for any eyecare and eyewear need. TeleOptometry allows people to renew existing prescriptions, get treated for infections, and get fit into new glasses all from the comfort and safety of their homes.
Abby has a big passion for people and an even bigger one for creating. Countless efforts have been made to diminish the impact that the Optical Academy program has had on the Optical industry. This served more as motivation for creating and doing things differently. The company’s mission and purpose are stronger than the bottom line. The need to create and being fearless of failure are the powers behind Abby’s entrepreneurial capabilities. The world will always be changing and Optical Academy will continue to evolve to provide the most convenient and accessible eyecare.
