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Scott Sedlacek, OD


OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio—The optometric team at The Eye Place is using cutting edge technology to talk to their patients about eye conditions, and artificial intelligence (AI) is front and center to their efforts. According to practice owner Scott Sedlacek, OD, “We are using personalized communication to inform patients about new treatments and products by using an avatar video.” The application, called HeyGen, enables Dr. Sedlacek to easily create videos of himself by uploading a script to his avatar. He uses the video technology to explain diagnostic and treatment options for his patients.

In addition to HeyGen, The Eye Place uses the following AI applications:



(L to R) The Eye Place team includes Kim Sedlacek, office administrator; Sydney Adamonis, office intern;  Scott Sedlacek, OD; and licensed opticians Amanda Aquino and Camelia Filipescu.



Altris AI analyzes OCT images to detect and describe abnormal pathology in the retina and can be used to educate patients about their eye conditions by using color-coded images.

“Altris AI makes me more efficient, accurate, and consistent with its almost-immediate analysis of patient data. Technology helps in treatment planning, reduces over referrals and allows me to detect things earlier, enabling me to put interventions into place sooner, which usually gets us better outcomes,” Dr. Sedlacek said.

“With the Altris AI and my 3-D OCT images I can make better decisions about what to do with my advanced macular degeneration patients. I can see whether there is subretinal fluid or not, whether I’m catching it early enough, and it helps me decide whether a patient needs an injection or not. I have been using this technology every day since the beginning of the year and I believe it is something every optometrist should have. It’s a need, not just a want,” he said.

EYE5 uses augmented reality glasses for patients suffering from low vision, including people diagnosed with macular degeneration. Barti has scribing capabilities using AI and offers assistance with electronic medical records and patient management systems. Both tools are used in the practice.

“These AI technologies are some of the easiest things I have implemented in the 25 years I have been an eye doctor, and that includes the staff training, which is so important,” said Dr. Sedlacek.

He believes that these AI applications help him make more descriptive and accurate diagnoses more quickly and consistently. “Patients understand their condition better and that leads to better compliance with my treatment. I can do progression analysis of data and show trends over time, which allows me to do more of the decision-making instead of the data gathering.

“My patients love it when I stay on the leading edge of technology and always bring them the best testing and treatments available. My team members are really engaged in our mission, and they excel at customer service, so they hear directly from patients who love what we do and tell everyone else about us.

“Some people have a misconception that AI is autonomous, and they will lose control of decision making, but the type of applications we use augment our decision making. I am proud to embrace new and innovative solutions that will help my patients and practice. Scientific discoveries and technological advancements are happening faster than most doctors can learn about them and implement them. “Optometry must keep up so that we may provide the best outcomes for our patients, receive the best income for our practices, and cement our relevancy in the future of health care delivery,” Dr. Sedlacek concluded.