Will AI Replace...
Optometrist?
🥩 Medium Rare
"AI can read your retinal scans better than most humans, but good luck getting ChatGPT to adjust your nose pads or explain why your insurance won't cover designer frames."
⏱ Timeline: 5-7 years
🚨 What's at Risk
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Analyzing retinal photographs and OCT scans
high
-
Initial prescription calculations from autorefractor data
medium
-
Screening for diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma
high
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Basic visual field analysis interpretation
medium
🛡️ What's Safe (For Now)
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Physical eye examinations and palpation
Requires hands-on assessment of eye movement, pressure, lid function
-
Fitting contact lenses and adjusting frames
Physical manipulation requiring dexterity and patient comfort assessment
-
Patient counseling on eye care and treatment options
Complex communication requiring empathy and trust-building
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Managing complex cases with multiple comorbidities
Requires nuanced clinical judgment and synthesis of multiple factors
TL;DR
AI is becoming scary good at reading eye scans and detecting diseases, potentially outperforming humans in diagnostic accuracy. However, the physical examination, patient interaction, and hands-on care aspects of optometry remain firmly in human territory. The profession will likely evolve toward more complex clinical decision-making while AI handles the routine screening grunt work.