Embracing AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already transforming ophthalmology and will continue to do so in ways that have not been seen before. With that in mind, Kerry D Solomon MD not only encouraged his colleagues to incorporate AI-enabled products into their practices but to become involved in shaping the transformation so it serves their best interests and those of their patients.

“We are at an amazing time now where we can see things we could not see before because of AI. We can process information faster than humanly possible, we can treat diseases earlier, and soon, we may even prevent some diseases from occurring,” Dr Solomon said.

“There are already great AI products now, and they will only get better with time. With AI, we will change the quality of life for our patients in ways we never dreamed. The future is not just bright; it is unimaginably bright.”

Benefits of integration

Delivering the Cornelius D Binkhorst MD Lecture at the 2026 ASCRS annual meeting in Washington, DC, Dr Solomon proposed that adopting AI-enabled tools into practice is necessary to meet growing demands for increased practice efficiency. At the same time, while AI holds the key to economic growth across the board, Dr Solomon said this holds particularly true for cataract surgeons, as they need solutions for overcoming the challenges posed by growing workforce shortages and increasing patient volume.

Discussing economics, Dr Solomon cited Medicare cataract reimbursement cuts and rising practice overhead costs in the US.

“Finances are terrible. We need to become more efficient to handle growing patient volumes, but with AI we can also increase the culture of our practice, our customer service, and patient adoption of premium lenses, which is what we need to do to stay ahead of what is coming,” he explained.

Dr Solomon believes that implementing AI tools will improve patients’ overall experience and suggested raising patient satisfaction levels will translate into growth in a practice’s cash pay business for premium IOLs.

As more concrete advice, Dr Solomon offered using tools for clinical documentation (ambient scribes), surgical planning, call centre and patient engagement, and billing support as areas where practices can incorporate AI. He noted that ambient scribes can save 45 minutes per clinic day per provider, which can allow providers to dedicate more time to each patient. Cataract and refractive surgical planners improve clinic workflow, patient outcomes, and, based on Dr Solomon’s experience, premium IOL adoption rates. Call centre and patient engagement tools handling incoming calls, scheduling and rescheduling, and appointment reminders reduce no-shows and increase patient satisfaction. By reviewing insurance claim forms and catching discrepancies, billing support tools minimise payer denials and accelerate revenue return.

“As a common thread, all these tools let us do more with less,” he said. “They free staff from repetitive tasks so we can all spend more time on patient care and complex practice issues. The result is a better patient experience and higher conversion to premium IOLs.”

While he urged ophthalmologists to integrate AI into their practices now, Dr Solomon outlined future areas of growth for the technology, including advances in oculomics, cataract and vitreoretinal robotic surgery, drug discovery, disease management, liquid biopsy, and vaccine development.

Getting involved

“Steve Jobs was right: Software is the magic, and AI is nothing more than sophisticated software,” Dr Solomon said. “The question is no longer whether to adopt AI into your practice, but how quickly can it be integrated into your practice, workflows, and patient care.”

Dr Solomon reassured ophthalmologists that patients are accepting provider transitions to AI-enabled tools if the change results in more time spent in direct patient care. Moreover, he suggested patients will seek out practices that have implemented AI technologies.

“Relevance is another reason for adopting AI,” he said. “Because patients are going to look for practices who offer the latest advancements, providers need to keep updated. Standing still is no longer safe—it risks falling behind.”

Issuing a call to action, he urged ophthalmologists to visit the booths of AI tool vendors on conference exhibit floors and to trial the products in their practices.

“Don’t just watch a demo,” he advised. “Implement what makes sense by starting simple, perhaps with an AI scribe or surgical planner, and resist the urge to quit early.”

Emphasising that AI will never replace the human qualities underpinning the patient-physician relationship, Dr Solomon also spoke to the importance of giving early and ongoing feedback to AI developers.

“The companies building these tools need your clinical voice. Tell them what works, what doesn’t, and what you actually need,” he said.

“We must be in the same room with software engineers and other industry shareholders to represent our profession, our patients, our humanity, and our passion. And for these products to have any meaningful effect in medicine and ophthalmology, they have to live and breathe inside our clinic workflow. Therefore, we need to collaborate with the developers from day one all the way through to commercialisation.”

Kerry D Solomon MD is Chief Medical Officer, US Eye, and Medical Director, Carolina Eyecare Physicians, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, US. kds@cepmd.com