THE PRODUCT PROBLEM
In Brazil, the lack of ophthalmologists in over 70% of municipalities created a significant barrier to accessing eye care, a critical health service. This gap in healthcare infrastructure meant that many individuals were unable to receive even basic vision screenings, leading to undiagnosed and untreated eye conditions. For EyeCare Health, the business challenge was to democratize access to eye care using technology that was already in the hands of most people: smartphones. The competitive pressure came from the need to provide a scalable, cost-effective solution that could reach underserved populations without the need for traditional medical facilities.
THE DECISION
The decision to leverage smartphones for vision testing required careful alignment across multiple teams, including product management, engineering, and healthcare compliance. The tradeoff involved balancing the simplicity and accessibility of the smartphone solution with the accuracy and reliability of traditional eye tests. PMs and engineers had to ensure that the app was user-friendly while maintaining medical-grade precision. The alignment was challenging due to the differing priorities of speed-to-market versus ensuring regulatory compliance and accuracy. In hindsight, the decision to prioritize accessibility over immediate precision was validated by the broad reach and impact of the solution, though it required subsequent iterations to refine the accuracy of the tests.
THE LESSON
This case highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in product development, particularly in healthtech. While PMs often focus on user needs and market fit, engineers bring critical insights into what is technically feasible and how to iterate on functionality post-launch. The EyeCare Health example underscores that successful PM/eng collaboration often requires a willingness to embrace initial imperfection to achieve rapid deployment and user feedback. This iterative approach, while not typically emphasized in PM advice blogs, is crucial when addressing complex societal issues with technology. It demonstrates that sometimes the fastest path to impact involves launching a minimally viable product and refining it through real-world use.