TECNIS® Vision Simulator vs Vision Simulator
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TECNIS® Vision Simulator
This app helps medical professionals educate patients about eye conditions and intraocular lens (IOL) options. It features a vision simulator to demonstrate the benefits of different lens types, aiding in patient understanding of vision correction.
- Patient education on eye conditions
- Overview of IOL types
- Vision simulator for lens benefits
- Country-specific content selection
- Information on medical devices
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The TECNIS Family of IOLs Vision Simulator is designed to assist physicians and their staff in educating patients about the common eye conditions that they may be experiencing, as well as an overview of the different type of IOLs available to address these conditions, and a vision simulator that helps illustrate the different performance benefits of each lens type. Content within this app is intended for residents of a particular country or region. The application will prompt you to select the available country that applies to your location on launch. It may contain information on medical devices and products that are not approved in other countries or regions.
Vision Simulator
Experience the world through the eyes of someone with various vision conditions. This tool uses your camera or photos to simulate effects like nearsightedness, astigmatism, cataracts, and glaucoma, aiding understanding for patients, students, and the curious. It offers adjustable severity and side-by-side comparisons.
- Simulates multiple vision conditions
- Uses live camera or uploaded photos
- Adjustable severity sliders
- Side-by-side comparison mode
- Built-in sample scenes
- Offline functionality
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See the world the way someone with an eye condition does. Vision Simulator applies realistic, clinically informed vision effects to your live camera or any photo. Point it at a room, a face, a street at night or an eye chart, then switch conditions to see how each one changes sight. It was built by Dr. Ryan Evans, OD, a practicing optometrist, to help patients and families understand what an eye condition does to vision. WHO IT'S FOR • Families who want to understand what a parent or child is going through • Eye care professionals explaining a diagnosis in the exam room • Optometry, medical and nursing students • Teachers, caregivers, designers and anyone curious about vision 10 CONDITIONS • Myopia (nearsightedness): with Snellen acuity presets • Astigmatism: with adjustable axis • Cataract: yellowing, glare and contrast loss • Glaucoma: peripheral field loss by stage, down to end-stage tunnel vision • Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): distortion early, a dark central blind spot when advanced • Diabetic Retinopathy: hemorrhages, exudates and vitreous hemorrhage by stage • Color Vision Deficiency: red, green and blue types • Floaters & Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD) • Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP): narrowing tunnel vision • Presbyopia: the near-focus blur that starts in your 40s Plus Normal Vision, a clear reference to compare against. FREE • Live camera and photo upload • 6 built-in sample scenes, including a reading test, eye chart and Amsler grid • Normal Vision plus 3 conditions: Myopia, Astigmatism and Cataract • Adjustable severity • Plain-language notes for each condition PRO: ONE-TIME $4.99 UNLOCK No subscription. Pay once, keep it. • 7 more conditions: Glaucoma, AMD, Diabetic Retinopathy, Color Blindness, Floaters/PVD, Retinitis Pigmentosa and Presbyopia • Combine multiple conditions at once, such as cataract plus glaucoma • Side-by-side Compare: drag to wipe between normal and simulated vision • Family Sharing supported • Restore your purchase anytime on your devices PRIVACY • No ads • No account needed • Data Not Collected: images are processed on your device and are never stored or shared An internet connection is required to use the app. IMPORTANT Vision Simulator is for education and demonstration only. It is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a comprehensive eye examination. Simulations are approximations, and every person's vision is different. If you notice changes in your vision, see your eye doctor.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Vision Simulator at 5.0 against TECNIS® Vision Simulator's 3.8. Vision Simulator also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 9 months) and device support (3 vs 1). TECNIS® Vision Simulator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (8 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Vision Simulator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. TECNIS® Vision Simulator asks for nothing beyond the download.
Vision Simulator holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TECNIS® Vision Simulator has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
TECNIS® Vision Simulator ships an update every 9 months, Vision Simulator every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TECNIS® Vision Simulator | Vision Simulator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (8 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 45 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc. | Ryan Evans |
Customer experience
TECNIS® Vision Simulator
Vision Simulator
In-app purchases
TECNIS® Vision Simulator
No in-app purchases
Vision Simulator
- Vision Simulator Pro$4.99






