Dispensary Apps of My Eye How are mobile apps connecting patients, doctors, staff and suppliers? By John Sailer and Andrew Karp Monday, August 18, 2014 12:00 AM RELATED CONTENT What ECPs Are Saying About Apps VM Microsite Delivers 'Intelligent Office' Techniques and Technologies App Snaps: Dispensary App Snaps: Exam Lane App Snaps: Practice Systems App Snaps: Waiting Room App Snaps: Outside the Office Click here to view a PDF of Apps of My Eye Remember when polarized lenses were demonstrated by holding up two lenses and rotating them? Or when patients learned about glaucoma treatments by reading a brochure? How about when medical records arrived by mail in a manila envelope? These scenes, familiar in most eyecare practices, now seem almost quaint in the age of m-health, where many routine activities are increasingly being managed by mobile applications that offer speed, convenience and greater functionality. An increasing appetite for apps among both patients and practitioners has created a fast growing and remarkably diverse market. Peruse any internet app store and you’ll find a wide range of apps that can be used to locate doctors, educate patients and professional staff, access electronic health records, virtually try-on frames and experience lenses and remind patients when to take medications. The emergence of optical apps is the latest development in “The Intelligent Office,” VM’s term for eyecare practices and optical retail stores that use new technologies to manage and share information more efficiently, both internally and externally. On the following pages, you’ll see how the broad range of eyecare and eyewear apps is helping The Intelligent Office become even smarter. We’ve also assembled a gallery of snapshots of some of the most innovative apps being used in eyecare practices and optical retail stores. These handy “App Snaps” include a brief description of the features and benefits of each app and user comments.