AI Resilience Report forOptometrists

Right now, AI in optometry is mostly acting as a helpful assistant rather than a replacement. On the diagnostic side, the FDA has cleared autonomous AI systems that can screen for diabetic retinopathy without an eye doctor interpreting the images, and the technology is now commercially available with a tabletop imaging device, with screenings also available using a portable handheld device, and screening for DR with AI is reimbursable in the US under CPT code 92229, according to Optometry Times ^[1]. The American Optometric Association ^[2] says AI will become an augmentative assistant on both the administrative and clinical sides of practice, helping diagnose patients and streamlining operations, from billing codes and scheduling to suggesting diagnoses inside EHRs.

Documentation is the fastest-growing use — a 2026 Nature Eye review ^[3] notes that overall physician usage of AI nearly doubled from 2023 to 2024, from 38% to 66%, with the most prevalent use in documentation via ambient AI scribes.

Adoption is accelerating because eye care faces real staffing pressure. Review of Ophthalmology ^[4] reports that AI-based screening and remote monitoring could offset some workforce shortages, but require infrastructure, training and oversight. Reimbursement helps too: Chief Healthcare Executive ^[5] explains that autonomous AI can bring "specialty-level diagnostics" to primary care settings and even retail clinics, potentially increasing access and lowering cost.

Still, thoughtful rollout matters. At AOA 2026 ^[1], Dr. Jessilin Quint advised colleagues that "AI will not replace doctors, but doctors using AI will replace doctors not using AI" — a reminder that human judgment, patient counseling, and hands-on care (fitting contacts, building trust, connecting patients to specialists) remain uniquely yours. The takeaway for students eyeing this career: AI is changing the tools, not erasing the profession.