AI steps in for eye-tests as Lenskart looks to beat optometrist crunch

Recently listed Lenskart has been open about this imbalance, repeatedly flagging the limited availability of qualified optometrists in India, Southeast Asia and West Asia as a significant risk in its draft red herring prospectus submitted to the capital markets regulator in July last year. The company warned that it continues to face challenges finding, training and retaining opticians and optometrists, especially as it expands into new markets.

This restriction has become even sharper as Lenskart accelerates expansion. In its FY26 Q2 earnings release, the company noted the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered remote eye testing across more than 500 stores as a way to overcome this limitation.

“High-volume or clinically complex locations may continue to have optometrists on-site, but newer or lower-volume stores are increasingly being designed around remote testing from day one,” said one person directly involved in the company’s operations.

Under this remote testing model, optometrists are centralized and effectively “beamed” to stores across the country via video links and specialized AI-powered diagnostic equipment. “The technology allows a single optometrist to perform many more eye tests than would be possible in a traditional, shop-based setup,” the contact said. “It’s about multiplying the impact of scarce talent, rather than endlessly competing for it.”

Lenskart expects remote and self-guided optometry (an internal operating term for AI-assisted eye testing) to become the default core layer of eye care delivery as the company expands into underpenetrated markets, the person said.

This shift has already been reflected in volumes: the company conducted 9.3 million eye tests in India in the first half of FY26; this figure exceeded the total for the entire Fiscal Year; This was largely thanks to the remote testing capability, with eye testing volumes increasing by 47% year-on-year.

The company also offers at-home eye tests in major cities, where routing algorithms assign the nearest optometrist and ensure tests are completed within 60 minutes. AI-led systems have reduced in-store eye test wait times from an average of 19.5 minutes to 15.8 minutes, he said, adding that on-site optometry “will continue to play an integral role in high-density, high-complexity clusters.” However, the company has not publicly explained how clinical complexity is defined, defined, or increased in its remote and self-guided optometry models.

Lenskart’s closest rival, Titan Eye+, by contrast, continues to rely on traditional in-store clinical testing by optometrists. The company offers “20-step zero-error” eye testing performed by trained professionals, according to its annual report.

Queries sent to Lenskart were not responded to by press time.

Beyond prescription glasses

While eye tests and eyeglass prescriptions are increasing, there are concerns about the use of technology on expert eyes. Health experts argue that optometry is not a routine retail business and cannot be treated as such.

Secretary of the Indian Optometric Association (IOA) and president of the Asia Pacific Optometry Council, Dr. “The eye is one of the few places in the body where blood vessels can be directly observed, allowing experts to flag early signs of conditions such as diabetes or thyroid disorders, often before patients realize it,” said Rajeev Prasad.

He said the core value of optometry is not just prescribing glasses but preventive care, early diagnosis and timely referral.

“Companies are structurally incentivized to sell eyewear, fail to invest in preventive eye care, and are unlikely to prioritize high-efficiency retail environments,” Prasad said.

This is where concerns about AI-led retail-first models arise. While remote optometry and AI tools can aid consultation and simple refraction, scaling them up as substitutes could erode clinical judgment, undermine the optometrist’s role as the primary eye care provider and compromise care in complex cases, such as pediatric, geriatric, diabetic or patients at risk for glaucoma, experts said.

lack of skills

Underlying this are deeper distortions in the labor market. An estimated 6,000 to 7,000 graduate-level optometrists are trained annually in India, according to IOA estimates, but many qualified professionals report unemployment or underemployment even as companies cite shortages. The IOA says the difference is due to lower wages.

Three eye experts working at Lenskart stores said: Mint Among the winners are diploma holders. ₹20,000 and ₹25,000 per month. “Large chains disproportionately hire degree holders or short-term technicians,” Prasad said. “Consumers cannot easily distinguish between credentialed, licensed, or master’s-level optometrists in the store, creating unequal gaps in quality of care and accountability.”

Policy uncertainty has compounded the problem. India’s optometry education pipeline remains fragmented, with courses ranging from one-year diplomas to doctorates and a lack of clear separation of roles. The government and the University Grants Commission have repeatedly revised the curriculum, alternating between four- and five-year programmes, without resolving issues of professional recognition or career progression.

“This uncertainty reduces student recruitment and worsens the deficit over time,” Prasad said.

Responsibility – how does it work?

Experts said liability is more prevalent in technology-driven systems.

While licensed clinicians continue to take responsibility for individual prescriptions, “[liability] It works in part with technology architects who manage the data quality associated with AI-enabled optometry applications,” said Abhivardhan, president of the Artificial Intelligence and Law Association of India, an industry forum.

“This model doesn’t actually solve the optometrist shortage; it allows companies to scale around it,” said Sohom Banerjee, senior research fellow at CUTS International, a policy research and advocacy group.

He added that people are still involved, but it’s not like before. “What we are seeing is the centralization of clinical decision with AI-powered augmentation, not just automation.”

This shift is changing the risk profile on a broad scale. “Scale not only increases efficiency but also increases the consequences of failure,” Banerjee said.

He noted that centralized remote testing is also transforming eye care into a data-advantaged platform business, with human expertise being increasingly repositioned into surveillance and escalation rather than routine care.