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Seeing The Future: How AI is Enhancing Eye Care

Nov 27, 2024 | 9:12 AM

Detecting eye disease far earlier than ever before is now a reality through artificial intelligence, and IRIS has started incorporating it into their exams. Doctor Mark Langer from IRIS Optometrists and Opticians in Vernon spoke about the technology.

“It’s just another tool that we can use to make sure we’re not missing anything from an ocular health standpoint,” Dr. Langer said. “It’s able to identify, measure, monitor things on a scale that would be hard to detect with the equipment we traditionally use in an optometric setting.”

The AI technology isn’t a replacement for traditional eye exams by an optometrist. It’s a tool available to the doctor in addition to the regular exam, should the patient choose it.

“It doesn’t replace us, but it certainly enhances and elevates the type of care we’re able to provide by monitoring numerous different ocular health parameters and looking for various warning signs.”

The AI software detects things earlier and can identify very slight changes. Along with assessing a patient’s current eye health, it also establishes a baseline and then can monitor for changes. “It’s able to detect minor changes that would almost be imperceivable to the naked eye or to even a very skilled optometrist.” stated Dr. Langer.

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It’s also 100% objective.

Optometrists measure the microvascular system in the back of the eye, looking for changes due to conditions like hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, cholesterol, and hyperlipidemia. “And with those kinds of evaluations, it is incredibly susceptible to subjective opinions,” he explained.

Because it doesn’t have an opinion, bias, or any subjectivity, the AI software isn’t prone to potential errors. It measures objectively and consistently. Then when a patient returns the next year, it measures again with the exact same parameters.

When the AI evaluation shows the eyes are healthy, Dr. Langer says he appreciates being able to show that to the patient.

“It’s not just letting them know that everything looks good. It’s that everything looks good because this is what I’m seeing, and this is what looks awesome about your eyes.” He added, “And we have the software to back that up.”

It automatically generates a report that has all the patient’s photos and scans, with the images enhanced by the software.

“The amount of detail this report sends is really incredible, and the images are beautiful” said Dr. Langer. “So many people are just blown away by it.”

IRIS is the only company in Canada currently incorporating artificial intelligence into exams. The software was developed by a Canadian company that’s been in operation for over 25 years.

Interested? You can book an appointment by calling IRIS in the Village Green Shopping Center, or book online at iris.ca.