Boston Foundation for Sight

What Boston Foundation for Sight does

Boston Foundation for Sight (operating as BostonSight) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 and headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts, that treats severe ocular surface disease and irregular corneal conditions through PROSE (Prosthetic Replacement of the Ocular Surface Ecosystem) — a custom medical treatment using FDA-cleared prosthetic scleral lens devices (14mm–23mm) made from gas-permeable polymer and manufactured in-house using DAC high-precision CNC lathes. The organization operates a Needham clinic with 11 exam rooms staffed by 1 ophthalmologist, 4 optometrists, and 6 ophthalmic technicians, and extends treatment reach through a global PROSE Network of certified providers at top tertiary eye centers including Johns Hopkins Wilmer, Weill Cornell, Bascom Palmer, Duke, and LV Prasad Eye Institute. Its commercial product line, BostonSight SCLERAL, is an FDA-cleared evidence-based scleral lens sold through hundreds of optometrists in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, India, the UK (via Moorfields NHS), and Spain/Portugal/Morocco (via Conóptica SL), with features including SmartFocus multifocal, SmartSight HOA correction, Quad-Elevation, and a 14.5mm–19.0mm diameter range.

BostonSight monetizes through four primary streams: (1) direct PROSE treatment services at the Needham clinic, with approximately 80% of patients covered by insurance or financial assistance; (2) custom PROSE device and BostonSight SCLERAL lens sales via the PROSE Network and international licensed distributors; (3) FitAcademy practitioner education programs including the 2.5-day FitAcademy Immersive at $1,250 per attendee, FitAcademy for Residents, and FitAcademy International; and (4) charitable donations supporting patient financial assistance (the organization receives up to $1,000,000 in annual assistance requests). The proprietary FitConnect web platform integrates fitting, design modification, ordering, and tracking for PROSE Network clinicians. BostonSight is recognized as the #1 contributor to specialty lens peer-reviewed publications in the U.S. and #2 worldwide, with over 100 published reports, and was the first entity to obtain FDA approval for therapeutic use of scleral lenses (1994) and the first to apply mathematical spline functions to scleral lens design.

Name

Boston Foundation for Sight

Legal name

Boston Foundation for Sight

Website

https://bostonsight.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Boston Foundation for Sight (BostonSight) is a Needham, MA-based nonprofit founded in 1992 that restores vision in patients with severe ocular surface disease using custom PROSE prosthetic scleral lenses and the commercial BostonSight SCLERAL product line, served through its clinic, a global PROSE Network, and licensed international distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmology Specialty Lenses

NAICS

Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Offices of Optometrists (62132), Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers (423460), Offices of Optometrists (621320)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Contact Lenses & Care Systems (Soft/RGP/Scleral Lenses; Cleaning/Disinfection Solutions) (HLAHAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery (LASIK/PRK) (HLAKAKAF)

Keywords

• Scleral lens treatment
• Ocular surface disease
• Prosthetic lens devices
• Specialty contact lenses
• Eye care education

Headquarters

HQ city

Needham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. PROSE Treatment Services: Direct medical treatment services provided at the BostonSight Needham clinic, including initial consultation, device customization, fitting, training, and follow-up care. Patients are co-managed with their primary eye care provider during and after treatment. Almost 80% of patients are covered by insurance and/or financial assistance.
2. PROSE Device Manufacturing and Sales: Custom-designed and fabricated PROSE prosthetic devices manufactured at the Needham lab and shipped to PROSE Network clinics worldwide. Devices are ordered through FitConnect platform and delivered next day.
3. BostonSight SCLERAL Lens Sales: Commercially available scleral lenses sold through licensed distributors in Europe, Latin America, and directly through the PROSE Network in the U.S., Canada, India, and internationally.
4. Donations and Philanthropy: As a nonprofit organization, BostonSight receives charitable contributions to support patient financial assistance, research, and educational programs. The organization receives up to $1,000,000 in annual requests for financial assistance from patients.
5. FitAcademy Education Programs: Educational training programs for eye care practitioners including FitAcademy Immersive (2.5 days at Needham Clinic, $1,250 registration fee), FitAcademy for Residents (invitation-only for cornea/contact lens residents), and FitAcademy International (held in Guatemala, Colombia, Spain, etc.).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

BostonSight provides PROSE Treatment, a comprehensive custom medical treatment that uses fully customized FDA-cleared prosthetic scleral devices (14mm-23mm in diameter) to restore visual function in patients with complex ocular surface diseases including severe dry eye, keratoconus, graft-versus-host disease, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, Sjögren's Syndrome, post-LASIK complications, and post-corneal transplant complications. In parallel, the organization designs, manufactures, and distributes BostonSight SCLERAL, an evidence-based commercial scleral lens available globally through eye care practitioners, supported by the proprietary FitConnect fitting platform and an FDA-registered ISO 13485:2016-compliant manufacturing lab.

Product overview

Boston Foundation for Sight (BostonSight) operates a two-product portfolio: PROSE Treatment is a comprehensive medical treatment using fully custom FDA-cleared prosthetic scleral devices (14mm–23mm) for complex ocular surface disease, delivered through co-managed care at PROSE Network clinics; BostonSight SCLERAL is the commercially available scleral lens product distributed through hundreds of optometrists in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, India, and Europe, supported by proprietary fitting software (FitConnect), SmartFocus multifocal optics, SmartSight HOA correction, and Quad-Elevation haptic design. Both products share the same manufacturing lab and research infrastructure, and FitAcademy provides practitioner education across both offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PROSE: PROSE (Prosthetic Replacement of the Ocular Surface Ecosystem) is a custom medical treatment using highly customized scleral lens devices to restore visual and physiological function in patients with ocular surface disease.
• BostonSight SCLERAL
• FitAcademy

Products and services

• PROSE Treatment (Prosthetic Replacement of the Ocular Surface Ecosystem) A comprehensive custom medical treatment that uses fully custom FDA-cleared prosthetic scleral devices (14mm-23mm in diameter) to restore visual and physiological function in patients with complex ocular surface disease, including severe dry eye, keratoconus, graft-versus-host disease, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, Sjögren's Syndrome, post-LASIK complications, post-corneal transplant complications, and pediatric ocular surface disease. Devices are made of gas-permeable polymer, rest on the sclera, vault over the cornea, and are filled daily with preservative-free saline. Treatment involves co-managed care between PROSE-trained optometrists and ophthalmologists.
• BostonSight SCLERAL Commercially available evidence-based scleral lens available at hundreds of optometrists across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, India, and Europe (Spain, Portugal, Morocco via licensed manufacturer Conóptica SL). Available in diameters from 14.5mm to 19.0mm and supports options including SmartFocus multifocal optics and Quad-Elevation haptic design. Targeted at optometrists treating patients with ocular surface conditions.
• FitAcademy Education Programs Educational training programs for optometrists and ophthalmologists on scleral lens fitting, troubleshooting, and ocular surface disease management. Includes FitAcademy Immersive (2.5-day hands-on training at Needham Clinic), FitAcademy for Residents (cornea and contact lens residency), and FitAcademy International (Barcelona, Guatemala, Colombia, India). FitAcademy Immersive carries a $1,250 per-attendee registration fee and serves as both an educational offering and a practitioner acquisition channel for the PROSE Network and BostonSight SCLERAL.
• FitConnect Proprietary web-based fitting software and order management platform used by PROSE Network clinics. Enables real-time meridian-specific design modifications, haptic/sagittal height/base curve adjustments, graphical design visualization, treatment progress tracking, prescription issuance, and real-time shipment tracking. Interfaces with BostonSight's DAC high-precision lathes to support next-day delivery of custom prosthetic devices to network clinics worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• 87% of patients with dry eye reported improvement in eye health, vision, and quality of life with PROSE treatment
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Conóptica SL (subsidiary of Hecht Contactlinsen)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2025Licensed manufacturer for BostonSight SCLERAL lenses in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco since December 2025. Conóptica has been providing products, services, and training to eye care professionals since 1963, aligning with BostonSight's mission to expand European access to scleral lens technology.
• Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (UK)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensing agreement signed for distribution of BostonSight SCLERAL in the United Kingdom. Moorfields is the leading specialist eye hospital in the UK.
• Spectrum InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLatin American market distributor partnership for BostonSight SCLERAL, expanding access across the region.
• LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), IndiacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFirst PROSE Network clinic outside the U.S., established in India. LVPEI is a WHO Collaborating Centre for Prevention of Blindness, providing comprehensive eye health and serving as a training hub for the region.
• New England College of Optometry (NECO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier sponsor of FitAcademy for Residents. BostonSight is a clinical site for NECO's Cornea and Contact Lens residency program, hosting contact lens residents one day per week. Also hosts NECO ocular surface diseases residents from Boston VA Hospital.
• MCPHS University (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBostonSight is a clinical site for MCPHS University's 4th year clinical externship rotation program. Hosts four 4th year Optometry students on a quarterly basis throughout the academic year for training and prosthetic device customization education.
• GlaukosminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremier sponsor of FitAcademy Immersive and FitAcademy for Residents. Glaukos is a pharmaceutical company focused on ophthalmic therapies.
• LENZ TherapeuticsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGold sponsor of FitAcademy for Residents.
• Scleral Lens Education SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional organization dedicated to scleral lens education. BostonSight is a partner organization.
• OptoAcademyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollaborator sponsor for FitAcademy Immersive.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blanchard Contact Lenses: Specialty contact lens laboratory offering custom scleral and GP lenses with a practitioner distribution model. Direct peer to BostonSight SCLERAL in the custom specialty contact lens market with overlapping practitioner customers.
• AccuLens: Specialty contact lens manufacturer with a focus on scleral and custom GP lenses for ocular surface disease. Comparable to BostonSight in addressing complex corneal conditions via custom scleral lens products sold to eye care practitioners.
• Valley Contax: Custom contact lens manufacturer producing specialty and scleral lenses for optometrists and ophthalmologists. Direct competitor to BostonSight in the practitioner-facing custom scleral lens category, with similar distribution model.
• EyePrint Prosthetics: Manufacturer of fully custom ocular prosthetics including EyePrintPRO scleral lenses using impression-based technology. Most direct technological competitor to BostonSight's PROSE in the fully-custom, impression-based scleral lens category.
• SynergEyes: Specialty hybrid and scleral contact lens manufacturer serving optometrists with custom lens solutions. Closely comparable to BostonSight SCLERAL as a commercial specialty lens competitor targeting the same practitioner channel with FDA-cleared scleral products.

Broad incumbents

• Alcon: Global eye care leader in surgical, pharmaceutical, and vision care products. Comparable as a broad incumbent in ophthalmic goods with adjacent scleral lens and ocular surface disease offerings and extensive international distribution that overlaps with BostonSight's geographies.
• CooperVision: Large contact lens manufacturer offering specialty and scleral lens products. Comparable to BostonSight in product category (contact lenses) and distribution-to-practitioners model, though at significantly greater scale and broader product range.
• Bausch + Lomb: Major global ophthalmic goods and contact lens manufacturer (Bausch + Lomb from Bausch Health). Comparable as a broad incumbent with scleral and specialty lens product lines and a global distribution footprint that overlaps with BostonSight's commercial SCLERAL distribution.

Emerging players

• TruForm Optics: Specialty and custom contact lens laboratory producing scleral and GP lenses for the practitioner channel. Comparable as a smaller-scale specialty lens manufacturer with similar product category and distribution model.
• X-Cel Specialty Contacts: Specialty contact lens manufacturer offering custom scleral, hybrid, and GP lenses to eye care professionals. Comparable as a smaller specialty lens manufacturer competing for the same practitioner channel in custom scleral lens fittings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bostonsight
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bostonsight

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Boston Foundation for Sight