While tech giants like Meta and Apple grabbed headlines in 2023 with smartglasses and mixed reality headsets, a quiet revolution was taking shape in Finland. A startup named IXI, founded in 2021, has unveiled what it claims are the world’s first autofocus prescription glasses, aimed at solving a much more practical problem: improving everyday vision.
The company emerged from stealth mode in April with 36 million dollars in funding and a mission to transform how people with vision problems experience the world.
Not Just Another Smart Device
“None of the tech giants are fixing eyesight,” said Niko Eiden, IXI’s cofounder and chief executive, in an interview. “They are focused on turning eyewear into wearable platforms for AI or social media, but not solving the actual vision issue.”
Eiden brings years of experience in imaging and augmented reality. He worked at Nokia for over a decade and later cofounded Varjo, a leading company in mixed reality. Now he is taking on what may be his most ambitious goal yet.
How the Glasses Work
Unlike smartglasses filled with cameras or virtual reality features, IXI’s glasses use a small low power sensor that tracks where your eyes are looking. The sensor sends light pulses and measures how they reflect off the surface of the eye, which helps determine the distance of focus.
This data is instantly sent to lenses that contain a thin layer of liquid crystal between two plastic sheets. When the glasses apply an electric current, the crystals shift and bend light differently, adjusting the focus automatically. The change happens in about 0.2 seconds.
“We want to replicate the same kind of leap that cameras made when they moved from fixed focus to autofocus,” said Eiden.
A Better Alternative to Bifocals
IXI aims to replace bifocal and progressive lenses, which correct for multiple distances but often distort vision at the edges or limit the area for reading. These traditional lenses can make everyday tasks like walking down stairs feel awkward or even unsafe.
Because IXI’s lenses adjust on demand, the entire lens can be used for sharp vision, no matter the distance. The electronics are compact enough to fit inside a regular sized frame, keeping the glasses sleek and lightweight.
Challenges Ahead
The technology is still under development. IXI has not yet set a launch date for its first product. The team is working to improve clarity, reduce haziness, and ensure the glasses can be worn comfortably all day. They also need to meet medical-grade standards for prescription eyewear.
Despite these hurdles, Eiden is confident. He believes IXI can carve out a space between flashy smart glasses and traditional eyewear, which he says prioritizes branding over optics.
An Industry Ready for Change
The global eyewear industry reached 200 billion dollars in 2024 and is growing steadily by nearly 9 percent each year. As more people suffer from worsening vision — linked to screen time, indoor lifestyles, and poor lighting, demand for better glasses continues to rise.
IXI is not alone in chasing this opportunity. French startup Laclaree and Japanese company Elcyo are also working on similar technology, though they have yet to release products.
With its latest funding round, IXI plans to expand its team of 50 people, build a new headquarters with lab space, and begin live demonstrations later this year.
“Moving from static lenses to dynamic ones is a natural evolution,” said Eiden. “Whether it is us or someone else, it is going to happen.”