When screens, slopes or late-night grinds start to show their effects, most reach for coffee. Eyeonize, a caffeinated and menthol-charged under-eye balm, offers a different solution: a pocket-sized boost that refreshes tired eyes and helps them stay sharp and focused. [Photo above: Jak Green and his son Sanjay]
Founded by Jak Green and his son Sanjay, the company blends real-world experience with entrepreneurial energy. The duo went through the Bend Outdoor Worx (BOW) program together, learning how to bring the brand to the masses, and today, with a mix of personal passion and community-minded ambition, Eyeonize is finding its stride.
The Origin of Eyeonize: Solving Computer Vision Syndrome
Q: Was there a specific moment or experience that made you think, “This product needs to exist”?
A: I used to own a sales agency that represented a bunch of different brands, one of which was Skullcandy Headphones [which are popular in the gaming world]. I thought that I should develop something for the gaming community that helps them play longer and easy to use.
After researching what can happen to people when they stare at a screen for long hours—a side effect called Computer Vision Syndrome—I learned it’s an issue that impacts millions of people. Symptoms can include eye fatigue, dry eye and headaches.
A Caffeinated Eye Balm for Gaming, Driving, and Outdoor Athletics
Q: When did you realize this idea could turn into something real?
A: When I fell in love with the product! Eyeonize can benefit people who are doing all sorts of things: gaming, driving, studying, working, adventuring, snowboarding, mountain biking, traveling, playing stick and ball sports, or just anytime a person wants to be more alert and focus on what’s in front of them.
Q: What were some of the biggest challenges in building Eyeonize?
A: Time, focus and resources. I didn’t want to be busy launching a new brand and not have enough time to be present with my kids. I also love working in real estate, my current day job. Plus, there are so many fun things to do in Bend. So it was difficult to focus on giving Eyeonize the time needed to bring it to life.
Like most startups, it’s expensive to invest in everything needed to grow. We’d like to scale quickly, which requires heavy investments.
Q: How has living and working in Bend shaped the way you think about your priorities?
A: There’s a supportive entrepreneurial community here, but there are also a lot of other great things to do. It’s tough to strike the balance of taking care of business while still enjoying all that Bend has to offer. Being in an active and healthy community also has us thinking a lot about the ingredients we use. It’s important for us to use the cleanest ingredients possible, so the product is not only effective, it’s also healthy and good for the skin.
How Bend Outdoor Worx (BOW) Helped Launch Eyeonize
A: Bend Outdoor Worx was incredible and helped support us in the work needed to get to market, and amazing local retailers were quick to bring our product into their stores.
Having this kind of support has been fantastic for refining Eyeonize, as well as helping us build the confidence needed to keep moving forward. The community has motivated us to want to grow this into a company that provides rewarding, local opportunities and a cool company culture—something we can be proud of—and a culture supportive of adjusting schedules as needed to enjoy whatever is important in a person’s life. The work still needs to get done, but we aim to attract people who will thrive in a healthy work/life balance.
Beyond Caffeine: Reducing Eye Puffiness and Dryness for Athletes
Q: When you imagine the future of Eyeonize, what kind of impact do you hope it has on people’s everyday lives?
A: We hope it offers people a healthy habit that helps them stay tuned in. A side bonus is that it benefits customers in ways that we didn’t anticipate. People have told me how it reduces eye puffiness. I’ve experienced firsthand how much it helps with keeping contacts from drying out. Before using the product, my contacts would dry out when I went snowboarding and mountain biking.
Now I use Eyeonize when doing these activities, and it’s a non-issue.
Having a positive impact is a big motivator for us. Our plan is to give 10% of profits to social and environmental organizations that are already out there doing great work. The more we grow, the more we plan to give.
Learn more and shop with Eyeonize | Tune in to the full interview with Jak Green on the new “Birth of the Brands” podcast series. Bend Magazine’s “The Circling Podcast” with Adam Short can be found on all major podcast platforms.
