BLOG: A glimpse into the future with AI advances at Pioneers & Visionaries

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Not so long ago, the concept of Artificial Intelligence was something only really seen in sci-fi blockbusters. But what was once strictly the domain of Hollywood-based aliens has quickly found itself entering the mainstream – an increasingly everyday component of 21st century life. 
From mobile phone technology to real world implementations in transport, retail and advertising, AI is here, and it’s here to stay. Its use within an optometry or ophthalmology setting is opening up a whole new world of possibilities, harnessing powerful scientific advances to help the lives of our patients.
Eye care practitioners attending the BCLA’s Pioneers & Visionaries conference will hear from world-leading experts on exactly what can be achieved through Artificial Intelligence and Anterior Segment Grading, both now and in the future.
The session, led by Reena Chopra, Dr Manbir Nagra, Dr Byki Huntjens, will examine how it can be applied to change lives for the better.
The presenters said: “Approximately 20 years ago, paper-based grading scales were introduced in an effort to quantify the severity, and aid monitoring, of changes to the anterior eye.  While for much of this period paper grading scales have been the mainstay of optometric practice, change is afoot. 
“The recent introduction of computerised grading scales, eye grading smartphone apps, and artificial intelligence for the automated diagnosis of ocular diseases all hold the potential to change our way of practice. 
“This series of talks will discuss the motivation to apply automated and artificial intelligence to ophthalmology, focussed on anterior eye as well as the retina (DeepMind), and explores its future applications.”


The session will be just one of several to be delivered over the course of the BCLA’s Pioneers & Visionaries conference. 
Registration is now open for the eagerly-anticipated one-day event, which is being held at the Royal Society of Medicine in London on Tuesday, November 26.
The programme has been shaped by BCLA members and also features an exhibition showcasing the very latest technology.

Register for the event here