Paul Olsovsky is an optometrist with close to 30 years of experience in the field. In the following article, Dr. Olsovsky discusses the technology advancements in optometry, and how they are benefiting both patients and providers.
Technology is advancing in all fields, but none quite as rapidly as the seemingly futuristic innovations seen in the world of optometry. With new devices and software coming to the sector at unprecedented paces, it's a profession ripe with possibilities for patients with a wide range of eye conditions.
And as all industries shift into an ever-digital space, Paul Olsovsky of Oregon expects this rapid evolution to continue bettering optometrists' diagnoses and patient outcomes.
The New Technology Is Set to Change Optometry for The Better
Technological advancements are hitting the optometry field all the time. But Paul Olsovsky of Oregon says that practitioners consider these to be the most effective and exciting:
Corneal Imaging Advancements
In recent years, huge changes have been made in the diagnostics field, particularly in corneal imaging.
Paul Olsovsky of Oregon says that the shift from keratometry and refraction to wavefront aberrometry and corneal topography is massively beneficial for selecting the best refractive action for every patient.
A Scheimpflug camera system, innovated overseas, was made to record incredibly high-frame-rate videos of corneal deformation.
After taking the videos, optometrists can run the footage through objective image analytic software to detect corneal strength. Ultimately, this allows practitioners to accurately analyze the cornea's biomechanical structures and make better procedural decisions.
Paul Olsovsky of Oregon says that by integrating the Scheimpflug camera footage with corneal topography data provides an easier and quicker risk assessment.
Preservative-Free Eye Artificial Tears
According to Paul Olsovsky of Oregon, optometrists treat dry eye complaints frequently. And more often than not, patients tell them they've tried store-bought eye drops containing preservatives.
While preservative-stabilized artificial tears have been around for years and work on some patients, they're detrimental to most, causing corneal or conjunctival irritation.
But thankfully, several companies now offer preservative-free OTC solutions. Estimated to represent
40% of the artificial tears market around the world, these drops can fulfill the needs of those with numerous conditions causing ocular discomfort.
The most recent addition to the dry eye armamentarium was introduced in the United States earlier this year. Paul Olsovsky of Oregon explains that the formula includes trehalose, povidone, and hyaluronic acid to provide long-lasting relief and lubrication.
OPTOMAP Retinal Exam
Corneal imaging isn't the only diagnostic method to receive advancements in recent times — retinal imaging has changed for the better, thanks to OPTOMAP.
Paul Olsovsky of Oregon says that this latest technology captures 80% of the entire retina in one image, making it miles better than traditional retinal imaging, which only captured 15%.
OPTOMAP's broader scope ensures optometrists can:
- better detect ocular diseases.
- receive insights that would otherwise go unknown.
- create permanent retinal records to compare in the future.
- show images to their patients.
IDx-DR
IDx-DR is an FDA-approved artificial intelligence software program designed to detect diabetic retinopathy. It's the first-of-its-kind screening method that doesn't necessitate an ocular professional to interpret the readings.
Paul Olsovsky of Oregon says that due to the ease of understanding, IDx-DR can be implemented in a range of health and medical centers unrelated to eye care, providing unparalleled care to patients with diabetes.
The AI algorithm analyzes Topcon NW400 retinal images sent to a cloud-based server. It screens the pictures and decides whether the patient requires referral to an eye care professional.
Pegasus AI
Like IDx-DR, Pegasus AI was developed to screen for glaucomatous optic neuropathy and detect the condition earlier.
Developed by the UK-based company, Visulytix, the artificial intelligence platform analyzes stereoscopic photographs of the optic disc, deciding whether glaucoma is present explains Paul Olsovsky of Oregon.
According to a study,
Pegasus is as accurate as optometrists in detecting glaucomatous optic neuropathy early. Amazingly, the software can classify patients within 10% of the time it takes eye care professionals.
Google's DeepMind AI Unit
DeepMind, the artificial intelligence unit developed by Google, reviews OCT scans, already proving a phenomenally high accuracy rate when detecting 50 ocular diseases.
Initially, Paul Olsovsky of Oregon reports that researchers fed the unit thousands of OCT scans during the deep-learning procedure.
Afterward, they conducted a preclinical trial which concluded that the algorithm could identify specific diseases in more than 90% of cases.
Such technology allows ocular care to become more readily available in non-ophthalmic settings, improving patient outcomes for otherwise sight-losing diseases.
Optometry: The Ever-Innovating Profession
Advancements are constantly cropping up in the optometry world, optimizing decision-making and enhancing early detection. It's certainly an exciting time to be an ocular professional.
