For Prof. Andrzej Grzybowski (Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland, and Head of the Institute for Research in Ophthalmology, Foundation for Ophthalmology Development, Poznan, Poland), AI’s promise lies in freeing up time for what matters most. “It can help to avoid unnecessary work and help spare more time for patients,” he says. In an era where physicians face increasing administrative demands, AI-powered automation could return valuable minutes to the clinical encounter, enhancing both physician satisfaction and patient care.

For Dr Karl Stonecipher (Medical Director of TLC Greensboro, North Carolina, USA) AI is already integrated into his workflow. “I use it every day,” he explains. “We use it in dry eye disease, intraocular lens calculations and ablation profile creation.” These applications highlight the ability of AI to support clinical decision-making and optimise outcomes, particularly in complex areas such as refractive surgery and ocular surface disease.

On the operational side, Prof. John Sheppard (Professor of Ophthalmology, Eastern Virginia Medical School) points to a different, but equally valuable, benefit: logistics. “Practice appointment and staffing logistics optimization,” he notes, is an area where AI could greatly reduce inefficiencies. By streamlining scheduling, resource allocation and patient flow, AI has the potential to relieve administrative burdens and improve the overall patient experience.

Clinical research is another area where AI may have a profound impact. Dr David Eichenbaum (Director of Research at Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida) sees opportunity in trial design and recruitment. “The potential for improving the efficiency of recruiting for clinical trials” excites him most. By identifying suitable candidates faster and more accurately, AI could accelerate the development of novel therapies and bring them to patients sooner.

Finally, Prof. Anat Loewenstein (VP Ambulatory Services, Head of Retina, Tel Aviv Medical Center) highlights AI’s predictive power. “Ability to predict patient response,” she explains, could revolutionise personalised medicine in ophthalmology. By anticipating which patients are likely to benefit from specific therapies, AI could help clinicians tailor treatments more effectively, minimising trial-and-error approaches.