Brussels-based entrepreneurs Ditar ready for international breakthrough with AI and AR assistant for opticians

Brussels-based start-up Ditar has launched Optisuite, a first in the eyewear sector: a digital tool that helps opticians and people wearing glasses find the most aesthetically pleasing and ergonomically suitable glasses faster, smarter and in a more personalised way. Using a simple tablet, Optisuite combines artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and data-driven insights to guide opticians and bespectacled individuals through every step of the selection process. ‘This is not just any app. We are revolutionising the way we buy glasses,’ says Alexandra Macsimov of Ditar. The start-up is now ready to conquer the international market.

Stylish frames, the right lens thickness, comfort, price… These are all factors that influence the choice of a new pair of glasses and make the search anything but easy—not only for a lot of those who wear glasses, but also for the opticians. The Belgian start-up Ditar is aiming to change that with its ‘Optisuite’ application.

“Many opticians still rely on paper catalogues and manual processes. This takes time for both the optician and the customer and does not always result in the right eyewear. Technical expertise remains essential, but even in the optician’s shop, customers today expect the speed, transparency and personalisation they are used to online. With Optisuite, we give ophthalmic professionals the tools to work in a more efficient and customer-oriented way. We don’t just digitise the process, we tailor the optician’s entire operation to today’s needs and expectations.”
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​— Alexandra Macsimov, founder of Ditar

The right frame before you even try it on

Today, many opticians still spend hours walking around their shops, showing frame after frame to customers looking for new glasses. Ditar discovered that these manual consultations take up to 30% longer and often push customers towards cheaper options, simply because the customer cannot visualise the difference between the various pairs of glasses.

That’s why Ditar’s innovation scans the customer’s face before a single frame is tried on, using an iPad. After the tool has measured parameters such as nose width, distance between the pupils and facial proportions, Optisuite’s algorithm automatically suggests frames that best suit both style and comfort. In the AR environment, customers can immediately see how they look with the new frames. The integrated lens configurator in the app then instantly shows them the visual impact of different lenses. This way, the tool immediately highlights the difference between pairs of glasses.

“We are taking a more thorough approach to fitting eyewear. Our lens configurator allows consumers to immediately experience how wide their field of vision will be with certain lenses—something that normally only becomes clear after a purchase. We ultimately link all these insights to the price of each pair of glasses, enabling customers to better distinguish the performance of these in the different price ranges. Our approach therefore reinforces the optician’s expertise by giving customers a better understanding of what the impact and value of the right pair of spectacles is.”
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​— Alexandra Macsimov, founder of Ditar

New round of financing

The Belgian start-up Ditar is no novice. Courtesy of funding and acceleration programmes from imec.istart, Innoviris and Eebic, the company has developed digital solutions for more than 460 opticians in seven countries over the past four years, in collaboration with leading players such as Hans Anders, Krys, Tokai and Markus T. With Optisuite, Ditar is bringing together all its technologies in a single integrated platform, which is an important step towards achieving its international ambitions. The company is now launching a new round of financing to accelerate its roll-out in key international markets.

“It is evident that Optisuite has garnered interest from opticians worldwide. An American retailer

has already become the first to launch the tool in stores. We have demonstrated the impact of our platform and know that there is demand for it: higher conversion rates, faster sales cycles, and a better experience for both the optician and the customer. We are now scaling up globally. Our goal is to bring Optisuite to the 4 billion people who wear glasses and make the purchase of a new pair of glasses more modern, effortless and attractive.”
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​— Alexandra Macsimov, founder of Ditar