Role of Technology in Ophthalmology
The eye care industry is changing rapidly as new technological breakthroughs lead to new products entering the market. While all areas of medicine stand to benefit from emerging medical technologies, ophthalmology is uniquely positioned to move forward, transforming lives and restoring vision through these exciting advances. Much of the new technology adopted in ophthalmology is helping advance existing techniques and equipment to improve consistency and reliability. The ultimate goal is to exceed benchmarks previously set for eye diagnosis and treatment.
Through collaboration between industries and eye specialists, these new technologies are enhancing treatment outcomes in areas like laser eye surgery, intraocular pressure (IOP) treatments, and cataract surgery. New technologies in ophthalmology are also opening new avenues for diagnosing those with conditions that may lead to blindness.
For example, corneal pachymetry is now employed to measure cornea thickness accurately using an ultrasonic device brought in close to the surface of the eye. Pachymetry is important for early cornea disease diagnosis, eye surgery planning, and progress assessment following eye surgery. Although corneal pachymetry has been used by ophthalmologists for many years, recent technological advances have seen improvements in device size, accuracy, and patient comfort.
Technologically, the field of ophthalmology continues to show promising advances that help to understand eye and eye socket health. For instance, VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for an implantable miniature telescope. This monocular implant targets those with age-related end-stage macular degeneration. Inserted behind the iris, the miniature VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies implant enlarges images which are then projected on healthier parts of the retina leading to improved vision.
Ophthalmology has been an early adopter of emerging technologies, particularly the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning (DL). These technologies are applied to automatically analyze medical images such as optical coherence tomography(OCT) scans and retinal images. In eye care, the goal of AI is to optimize clinical decision making while also contributing to the reduction of preventable blindness and ocular disease.
Today, ophthalmology has adopted a plethora of innovative AI systems to enhance eye care. For example, by uploading patients’ OCT scans or retinal photos, eye specialists can use AI algorithms to detect various ocular pathologies and diseases. In most cases, this facilitates earlier intervention and timely treatment. In addition, AI innovators hope to reduce the financial burden of preventable blindness on the healthcare system.
Also, AI-based therapeutics may prove useful for glaucoma diagnosis and intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring. IOP fluctuates constantly, meaning the more frequently it is measured the better the overall picture the eye care specialist will have. The most common technique currently in use is for the doctor to measure eye pressures at different times of the day.
Technology, however, is now making possible more efficient mechanisms for monitoring IOP. For example, the FDA has approved Sensimed Triggerfish Sensor smart contact lenses for monitoring eye pressure. Also, the Icare HOME tonometer device developed in Europe is now available in the US. This is a disposable IOP probe that can be used several times a day.
