OKN Strips
v2.1Medical professionals, including neurologists, otologists, and ophthalmologists, requiring a portable, reliable diagnostic tool for eye examinations.
What Is OKN Strips?
Launched Feb 19, 2012
Updated Jan 2020
What users think iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
What does it look like?
What are the key features?
Moving strips to elicit OKN for neurological, otological, or ophthalmological evaluation
Diagnostic tool using a colored circle to assess optic nerve function
Diagnostic grid with adjustable color combinations for macular and central visual field testing
Adjustable speed, color (Red/Black), and width via pinch/zoom gestures
Intuitive swipes to reverse direction and multi-touch to toggle UI visibility
What do users think? iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
“Recent user voice shows a mixed sentiment. Users appreciate therapeutic effectiveness and adjustable settings, but report lack of instructions and limited movement customization.”
What Users Love
Has corrected my issue with left hand shaking.
I have found amazing relief of pain, when I am consistent to use it 3 times a day!
Different speeds also are a plus as is the ability to change color to red or black.
Tap the screen to make the strips go faster. Level 1 through 5.
Pain Points
Useless to me without instructions on how to use it
There are absolutely no instructions to tell you how to use this app. You click on a screen and stare at a dot in a grid and do what?
Mine will only display vertical stripes and I need horizontal as well as vertical for mdds symptoms.
I’d like it if the bars could travel left or right and up or down.
If i need to go back to the menu... i can only do so after i quit and close the application
You can get back to main menu from optokinetic by holding down on screen for two seconds
Medium confidence · 18 reviews available
How is it ranked?
| Chart | Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Paid | #54 | ▲35 |
What are the pros and cons?
Pros
- High therapeutic and diagnostic effectiveness reported by clinical users and patients.
- Simple, low-friction one-time pricing model ($3.99) that appeals to utility-seeking professionals.
- Strong baseline App Store rating (4.6+ stars) and recent upward chart momentum (↑35).
- Consolidates multiple tools (OKN, Red Desaturation, Amsler) into a single portable application.
Cons
- Severe lack of onboarding, tutorials, or basic instructions, leading to user frustration.
- Limited OKN strip movement (only vertical), alienating users who need horizontal or multi-directional testing.
- Hidden and unintuitive menu navigation that forces users to restart the app to change modes.
- Stagnant development cycle with the last update occurring in January 2020.
What is the market outlook?
Growth Opportunities
- Implement horizontal and diagonal strip movements to capture a wider range of vestibular and neurological use cases.
- Add a simple onboarding flow or 'How to Use' overlay to immediately improve declining user sentiment.
- Modernize the UI to compete with newer, highly polished diagnostic suites entering the market.
- Market the app directly to vestibular physical therapists and patients for at-home therapeutic use, expanding beyond just doctors.
Market Threats
- Comprehensive 'all-in-one' medical apps like Eye Handbook that include OKN features for free or as part of a broader suite.
- Emerging telemedicine platforms (EyeCare Live) that integrate these diagnostic tests directly into remote patient care workflows.
- Open-source and rapidly iterating modern alternatives (OcularCheck) that offer better UI/UX.
- Risk of iOS updates breaking the app due to the lack of maintenance since 2020.
Who competes with OKN Strips?
The Nemesis
OKN Drum: OKN Stripes & Strips
My Call Bag LLC
Directly competes by offering a dedicated, customizable Optokinetic Nystagmus drum simulation for clinical bedside use.
Directly competes by offering a dedicated, customizable Optokinetic Nystagmus drum simulation for clinical bedside use.
Contenders
Smart Optometry
★4.4 (528)Smart Optometry
Offers interactive eye tests for practitioners, including OKN, Amsler grid, and red desaturation functionalities.
Offers interactive eye tests for practitioners, including OKN, Amsler grid, and red desaturation functionalities.
Neuro Toolkit
Kent Ellington
Targets neurologists with bedside examination tools, including visual tracking and nystagmus elicitation features.
Targets neurologists with bedside examination tools, including visual tracking and nystagmus elicitation features.
MaculaTester
Sabina Technology, LLP
Directly competes with the Amsler grid feature, providing digital macular testing and visual field diagnostics.
Directly competes with the Amsler grid feature, providing digital macular testing and visual field diagnostics.
Peers
Ullman Indirect
My Call Bag LLC
A specialized ophthalmology tool for fundus photography, sharing the same clinical user base of eye specialists.
A specialized ophthalmology tool for fundus photography, sharing the same clinical user base of eye specialists.
What are the key takeaways?
OKN Strips is a divisive medical app that is a paid app. With a 4.6/5 rating from 555 reviews, it receives mixed feedback from users. Users particularly appreciate therapeutic effectiveness, though lack of instructions remains a common concern.
Best for: Medical professionals, including neurologists, otologists, and ophthalmologists, requiring a portable, reliable diagnostic tool for eye examinations.
How much does it cost?
Model: paid
Simple, low-friction one-time payment model targeting medical professionals who prefer a standalone utility without recurring subscription overhead.