A Warrington optometry company has won funding to develop digital vision charts for remote eyecare consultations. 

Optonet has created a system of web-based vision tests, which it claims is one of the first in the world, and which it said allows patients to undergo a vision test in their own home with the supervision of a clinician.

The company’s Optonet Vision Unit is designed to run on any device and operating system, and is operated remotely by the clinician and accessed by the patient in their own home or care home.

Last year Optonet won a £75,000 package of support from Innovate UK to adapt its vision tests for remote consultations with a remote link to the patient’s computer or tablet. This year it landed a further £40,000 of funding from the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) to further develop its system for NHS Scotland, where it is due to undergo clinical trials in the autumn.