The AOA Innovation Hub, which made its debut at Optometry’s Meeting 2025, was created to enable industry representatives and startup companies to share their innovations with meeting attendees. The Hub featured discussions on artificial intelligence (AI) in eye care, treatments, and contact lens solutions.
“This isn’t just another summit—it’s a call to action to challenge your perspectives, engage with these industry titans, and be at the forefront of the evolution of eye care,” explained Scot Morris, OD, session moderator.
Specifically, the first panel discussion, comprised of panelists Laure Pichereau (SiView), Patrick Sauvageau (Zilia), and Catherine Bornbaum (RetiSpec), tackled the practical hurdles and transformative potential of integrating AI, including resistance to change (a hurdle) and the early detection of disease via quantifiable ocular biomarkers (a potential).
A recurring theme was the necessity of overcoming resistance to change, as AI empowers practitioners to delegate routine tasks, allowing for deeper focus on complex patient needs and enhanced care quality.
Discussions emphasized AI's role in pioneering early detection of systemic conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases through quantifiable ocular biomarkers, positioning the eye as a critical "window to health." For successful adoption, solutions must offer frictionless integration into existing workflows without disruption, providing clear value to both practice and patient.
Another panel discussion focused on addressing patient workflow challenges using AI, including the benefits of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and AI-powered scribes. The panelists for this discussion were Grant Shmid (Altris AI), Colton Calandrella (Barti), and Easy Anyama, OD (AOA volunteer).
Finally, the Innovation Hub concluded with discussions on new pharmaceutical frontiers, such as small molecules targeted to reverse cataracts and therapies for geographic atrophy, and contact lenses designed for enhanced comfort and as a future drug-delivery system for conditions such as glaucoma. This panel was made up of Mile Brujic, OD (MediPrint Ophthalmics), Ben Bergo (Tenpoint Therapeutics), and Elan Weiner (ECI Therapeutics) OM
With reporting from the AOA FOCUS