As technology rapidly advances in healthcare, including optometry, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a central topic. AI is an umbrella term for technologies that mimic aspects of human thought or reasoning, while “augmented intelligence” describes AI as a tool that supports human decision-making through improved data gathering and analysis (Busquets, 2023).
AI has been promoted as a transformative tool that could speed up disease screening, detection and diagnosis, personalise treatment and improve productivity. But is this realistic – or simply hype?
Globally, 2.2 billion people are affected by vision impairment, and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness has warned of a worldwide shortage of eye care professionals (Krishnan et al, 2025). As demand rises, AI is increasingly seen as a potential solution to help detect conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration more quickly.
Peter Thomas, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Director of Digital Development at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, believes AI can help ease pressure. “Historically, we’ve had an approach where we think that there’ll be a technology silver bullet that’ll solve all our problems,” he says. “AI is a powerful tool in the armoury and could make a massive impact, but that impact multiplies when we make other transformations to the clinical pathway alongside it.”
Fiona Buckmaster MCOptom, locum optometrist and a doctoral researcher in AI literacy at the University of Huddersfield, agrees. “We have an ageing population and an increasing prevalence of eye diseases. Something needs to be done to try and alleviate some of these pressures and it’s very likely that AI will play a role in this.”
Optometrists appear enthusiastic about AI’s potential, according to a College survey. It found that 91% of respondents believed AI could improve the diagnosis of eye conditions through greater accuracy and efficiency, while 79% felt it could improve patient information and triage (COptom, 2025a).
The government has also embraced AI, with its 10 Year Health Plan highlighting ambitions to improve diagnosis, productivity and clinical pathways through AI use. A 2025 review similarly suggested AI could streamline decision-making and improve efficiency in optometry (Krishnan et al, 2025).