Lenskart Bets Big on AI for Remote Eye Exams to Fuel Expansion
Overview
Eyewear giant Lenskart is deploying AI-enabled remote eye testing across hundreds of stores to overcome a critical shortage of optometrists in India and abroad. This tech-driven approach allows a single optometrist to serve multiple locations, accelerating expansion into new markets. However, health experts raise concerns about potential erosion of clinical judgment and preventive care in favour of retail sales targets.
Lenskart is tackling a significant hurdle to its rapid growth: a scarcity of trained optometrists across India, Southeast Asia, and West Asia.
The company, which filed for an IPO last year, has repeatedly flagged the limited availability of qualified personnel as a key risk.
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To circumvent this constraint, Lenskart is accelerating the rollout of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled remote eye-testing. This strategy allows optometrists to conduct tests remotely from centralized locations using diagnostic equipment and video links.
"Technology allows a single optometrist to conduct far more eye tests than would be possible in a traditional, store-bound setup," a source close to the company stated. "It's about multiplying the impact of scarce talent."
Data Drives Expansion
The shift is already yielding significant volume increases. In the first half of FY26, Lenskart conducted 9.3 million eye tests in India, surpassing the total for the entire FY24. Eye test volumes grew 47% year-on-year.
Newer or lower-volume stores are increasingly designed around remote-testing from day one, while high-volume or complex locations may retain on-site optometrists. AI-led systems have already reduced average in-store eye-test wait times from 19.5 minutes to 15.8 minutes.
Expert Concerns Emerge
Despite the technological advancements, health experts caution against over-reliance on AI and remote models. Dr. Rajeev Prasad, secretary of the Indian Optometry Association (IOA), highlighted that optometry's core value lies in preventive care and early detection of conditions like diabetes or thyroid disorders, not just prescription dispensing.
"Corporates are structurally incentivized to sell eyewear, not invest in preventive eye care," Prasad noted, raising concerns that scaling remote AI models could erode clinical judgment and compromise care for complex cases, potentially weakening the optometrist's role. Experts also point to fragmented optometry education and low pay contributing to perceived shortages despite a large number of graduates.
Competitive Landscape
Lenskart's primary competitor, Titan Eye+, continues to rely on traditional in-store clinical testing by optometrists, emphasizing a meticulous, error-free process performed by trained professionals.
