BUSINESS The AI Connection With Eyecare Where Is the Technology Headed? By Daniel Breeman Sunday, January 26, 2025 1:00 AM RELATED CONTENT Striking a Balance: AI and Personalized Eyecare Generative AI Takes a Seat in the Clinical Setting Eye Disease Research Is Utilizing AI to Benefit Eyecare Patients ECPs Use AI to Increase Access to Remote Diagnostic Care ODs Increase Efficiency in Patient Care With AI Download a PDF of the AI Connection with Eyecare. As the calendar turns to 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) continues to cast a wide net over nearly every industry, and the optical industry is no exception. Developing at a torrid pace, AI is being implemented by optometrists, ophthalmologists and primary care physicians as a means to increase efficiencies in their practices while still striving for optimal patient outcomes. As the technology continues to evolve, it is being used to enhance applications and perform a variety of tasks such as disease detection and diagnosis, screening and monitoring, expansion of telehealth, personalized medicine, virtual and augmented reality, administrative tasks, drug discovery, and perhaps most importantly, to improve access to care and patients’ overall health. “As AI-driven algorithms identify early indicators of conditions like heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and kidney failure through retinal imaging, optometry moves beyond eye health to become an essential bridge between vision care and broader medical management,” said Ehsan Vaghefi, Ph.D., president and CEO of Toku Inc., a technology company that specializes in developing non-invasive, AI-powered diagnostic and screening tools using retinal imaging to measure cardiovascular and other health risk factors. The global market size of AI in health care is predicted to increase from $19.27 billion in 2023 to approximately $613.81 billion by 2034, according to a report from Precedence Research, a worldwide market research and consulting organization. The North American market size of AI in health care was valued at $8.67 billion in 2023. Artificial intelligence in the health care market is primarily driven by technological advancement, government initiatives and research projects, the report said. A Q1 2024 survey by McKinsey & Company revealed that more than 70 percent of respondents from health care organizations said that they are pursuing or have already implemented generative AI capabilities. About 60 percent of those who have implemented generative AI solutions said they are either already seeing a positive ROI or expect to. Among those surveyed who are implementing generative AI, 59 percent are already partnering with third-party vendors to develop customized solutions, 24 percent report plans to build solutions in-house and 17 percent expect to buy off-the-shelf generative AI products, the survey said. At Vision Expo West in Las Vegas last September, Jobson Optical Group presented, “The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Practical Applications in Eye Care Today,” an event that included leading companies and a panel of experts in the field of A.I. discussing what technologies are being used and are available for implementation. Specifics covered how A.I. will change clinical care, business operations, R&D, and sales and marketing across the eyecare industry. Dr. Ahmed Al-Ghoul“The eyecare industry is on the brink of a technological revolution, thanks to AI,” said Dr. Ahmed Al-Ghoul, the innovator behind CSI Dry Eye Software, which uses AI and machine learning to diagnose patients with dry eye. “We’re seeing AI being used to enhance diagnostic accuracy, streamline workflows and even predict patient outcomes. But the potential goes beyond these areas. AI can provide personalized care by analyzing vast datasets from multiple sources—medical history, diagnostic results and even lifestyle factors—to tailor treatments for each patient.” In this regard, Topcon Healthcare, a leading provider of medical devices and intelligent software solutions for the global eyecare community, has been a key player in the AI space. The company has created Healthcare from the Eye, the strategy of applying AI models to imaging data from the eye to facilitate earlier detection and better management of disease. Last year, they partnered with Microsoft Corporation to deliver AI-powered Healthcare from the Eye solutions to improve health care access, cost and quality. Healthcare from the Eye is powered by Harmony, a cloud-based, vendor-inclusive digital health information platform enabling a connected care ecosystem. Topcon has also partnered with BeeKeeperAI, Inc. to accelerate Healthcare from the Eye. Harmony combined with EscrowAI is intended to accelerate the strategy of applying AI models to imaging data from the eye, facilitating earlier detection and better management of disease, according to the companies. “We are integrating advanced technology to enhance both patient care and operational efficiency,” said Dr. Shane Swatts, owner of Eastern Virginia Eye Associates in Chesapeake, Va., and a co-founder of OD Immersion, providing dry eye implementation training and consulting services to doctors across North America. “In our specialty dry eye clinic, we utilize CSI Dry Eye to diagnose and manage dry eye conditions by analyzing patient data and providing tailored treatment recommendations. Athelas AI Scribe automates clinical documentation, allowing our team to focus more on patient interaction, thereby enhancing the quality of care. Additionally, chatbots handle patient inquiries, providing instant responses to frequent questions and assisting with appointment scheduling. We are currently testing an AI tool to optimize our appointment booking process.” Dr. Swatts continued, “In the next six to 12 months, we plan to expand our use of AI in personalized patient care, leveraging data-driven insights to tailor treatments. We also aim to enhance our telehealth services with AI, providing more comprehensive remote consultations through tools like Advanced Ophthalmic Systems (AOS develops software to help clinicians perform remote eye exams, analyze images and communicate with patients.) Additionally, we hope to fully implement the appointment scheduling capabilities of AI to improve our scheduling efficiency and reduce no-shows.” Following up on our report from June 2024 Vision Monday spoke with AI technology and software companies, contact lens companies and eyecare professionals about what new AI-based offerings are available and how ECPs are using the ever-changing technology to enhance their practices and patient experiences heading into the new year. We also asked them to look ahead over the course of 2025 to predict how AI may influence product development choices, technology and staffing options in their practices. Digital Diagnostics is a health care technology company that designs and implements AI systems that can diagnose disease by analyzing high-quality images. Digital Diagnostics said its flagship product, LumineticsCore, is an AI system designed to diagnose diabetes-related eye disease without the need for a physician to look at the images. According to the company, LumineticsCore can help increase patient access to care by bringing diagnostic results to where the patient already is, referring only those patients that need follow-up care. John Bertrand Digital Diagnostics’ LumineticsCore is an AI system designed to diagnose diabetes-related eye disease. “One of the top benefits to eyecare professionals is improved productivity. With LumineticsCore, physicians don’t have to spend time reviewing retinal scans for the markers that indicate diabetic retinopathy,” said John Bertrand, co-founder and CEO, Digital Diagnostics. “Additionally, physicians don’t even have to be the ones operating the system. With minimal training, anyone—from an ophthalmologist to a primary care physician to a health care assistant—can operate LumineticsCore. This increased productivity benefits patients, too, by allowing for more personalized care.” Over the next year, Bertrand stated that Digital Diagnostics will continue to innovate in the eyecare space by developing several patient-centered algorithms. The company is focused on disease detectable technology using fundus imaging where patients are in most need to prevent blindness, and similar life-altering complications using algorithms to find glaucoma, diabetic macular edema and age-related macular degeneration. Bertrand continued, “In the long term, I believe that AI in the optical industry will be patient-first. We’re already seeing this play out—a few years ago, just the term ‘AI’ was enough to get your foot in the door, but eyecare professionals, health care systems and investors are becoming more discerning. As the novelty wears off, decision-makers will look at AI tools with two very specific questions in mind. First, how does this improve patient outcomes, and second, how will this make us more productive and allow us to bring care to as many patients as possible? “I also believe that AI in the optical space will come to work closer and closer with whole-body health. The eyes provide a window into many of the body’s major systems, and advanced AI can glean all sorts of information about a range of outcomes from imaging a patient’s eye,” Bertrand said. HarmonEyes, launched in 2024, was born out of a 12-year-old company called RightEye, an eye-tracking-based device that delivers vision assessments in areas such as dynamic vision, sensorimotor, sports vision and reading. RightEye has sold thousands of devices in eyecare, neurorehabilitation, and sports industries over the past 10 years, according to Adam Gross, CEO and co-founder. Adam Gross“We created HarmonEyes to combine AI with our large eye-tracking database (including 130 scientifically validated datasets), and our state-of-the-art eye-tracking data analytics platform to detect and predict the state of a person—anywhere, anytime and on any device,” Gross said. “Examples include real-time identification and prediction of fatigue (including visual fatigue), cognitive load (an indicator for stress and anxiety) motion sickness and more. The idea is that if we know ahead of time when a person will reach a high level, interventions can be delivered to prevent bad outcomes whether they are performance related or vision related.” HarmonEyes is also currently working to migrate some of the original RightEye products so they will be delivered via webcams. According to Gross, this opens the door for anyone with a laptop or desktop to access some of RightEye’s products that are currently limited to the bespoke device. “Most of the current AI developments I’ve read about are focused on the operational and administrative side of the eyecare industry,” Gross said. “Our focus is on using AI to improve patient experiences and outcomes, and we believe that this will develop into an area of interest for ECPs over time. “With our new division, HarmonEyes, we can work in the eyecare industry in multiple ways. Our solutions can be an ingredient to enhance existing eyecare medical devices (AR/VR, PCs), we can deliver our existing RightEye products in a more convenient way, and we can solve real problems for ECPs as they deliver eyecare in new and amazing ways. We are excited to play a part during this transformational time,” Gross said. Heru is University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute spin-off company that has developed patented autonomous AI-powered diagnostics and vision augmentation. The company has built downloadable software applications for use on commercially available augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) glasses that diagnose and correct for visual field defects, double vision and visual distortions, among other vision defects. Abou Shousha, MD Heru has built downloadable software applications for use on commercially available augmented reality/virtual reality glasses to diagnose vision defects. Heru Prime is a virtual reality (VR) diagnostic platform powered by AI. By automating and digitizing critical components of diagnostic testing, it addresses the very real challenges we face today and positions optometry for a future defined by efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility, according to CEO Mohamed Abou Shousha, MD, FRCS, PhD. “For decades, pretesting has relied heavily on manual processes, leading to inconsistencies and variability across clinics,” said Dr. Shousha. “These inconsistencies, combined with rising turnover rates among ophthalmic technicians, contribute to errors and inefficiencies in care delivery.” Heru eliminates this variability by replacing manual testing with standardized, automated protocols. AI algorithms, such as Heru’s proprietary re:Imagine technology, streamline visual field testing by predicting patient responses and optimizing testing sequences in real-time. Dr. Shousha continued, “The value of an optometrist’s time cannot be overstated. As clinicians, our expertise lies in analyzing data, forming differential diagnoses and crafting individualized treatment plans—not in performing routine pretesting. Yet, historically, ancillary tests such as cover testing, extraocular motility, and pupil exams have required manual input from the optometrist, taking time away from more meaningful aspects of patient care. Heru Prime automates these ancillary tests with the same precision and efficiency it brings to visual field diagnostics. Through AI-powered tools, optometrists get real-time results—a win for both efficiency and accuracy.” Xenon Ophthalmics has developed fully integrated products combining hardware for data collection, real-time AI and advanced data analytics. The XO Exam System consolidates 12+ diagnostic tests into a single wearable device, eliminating the need for bulky tabletop machines. According to Zeshan Khan, president, founder and CEO at Xenon, this integration enables faster diagnostics and reduces test times to under 10 minutes; converts non-quantifiable data into actionable insights, providing doctors with precise information; empowers real-time monitoring and analytics, allowing doctors to make immediate, accurate diagnoses; and supports telehealth, enabling remote diagnostics for underserved areas, further increasing efficiency. Zeshan Khan The XO Exam System from Xenon Ophthalmicsconsolidates 12+ diagnostic tests into a singlewearable device. Beyond the XO Exam System, Xenon said it is preparing to launch the XO Lens, a pocket-sized refractor powered by patented liquid lens technology. According to Khan, the company is also working on advanced AI algorithms to support real-time monitoring and long-term patient tracking, enabling doctors to monitor disease progression and treatment efficacy, along with providing seamless integration with electronic medical records to streamline data management and improve patient care. “AI has the potential to revolutionize vision care by improving diagnostic speed, expanding access by enabling telehealth solutions, automating routine tasks, enhancing preventive care and reducing costs,” said Khan. “At Xenon Ophthalmics, we aim to redefine global vision care by combining real-time AI, advanced hardware and seamless data analytics.” CSI Dry Eye Software is an advanced AI-powered platform designed specifically to help doctors improve the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease. The company’s software reduces diagnosis guesswork by analyzing clinical inputs—like diagnostic testing, patient history and environmental factors—to provide accurate, data-driven information that guides clinicians toward a better diagnosis, the company said. CSI Dry Eye Software uses predictive algorithms to assist doctors in determining the type and severity of dry eye disease. Based on these predictions, it allows for personalized treatment plans tailored to the individual patient. “In the next decade, I believe AI will become indispensable in both diagnostics and patient management,” said CSI’s Dr. Al-Ghoul. “Eyecare professionals are increasingly embracing AI, especially as they see its potential to enhance patient care and reduce the administrative burden. However, challenges remain, including skepticism about technology’s accuracy and concerns about replacing the human touch in health care. Our goal with CSI Dry Eye Software is to augment—not replace—the clinician’s expertise. By providing insights and recommendations, the software enables clinicians to make informed, confident decisions while fostering patient trust.” Altris Inc., a company that develops AI platforms for analyzing eye scans, reports it has built a unique ophthalmic image management system powered by AI that automates the selection of pathological optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans and the detection of 70+ pathologies and biomarkers, including early signs of glaucoma. As a web-based tool, it can be used by anyone with internet access, eliminating the need for complex installations or specialized hardware. In addition to detecting retinal pathologies, Altris AI offers advanced features such as automated quantification of biomarkers and pathology tracking. According to Maria Znamenska, MD, Ph.D., ophthalmology and chief medical officer at Altris AI, these capabilities empower eyecare professionals by providing robust diagnostic decision support, improving accuracy and efficiency in patient care. Maria Znamenska, MD Altris has developed an ophthalmic images managementsystem powered by AI that automates the selectionof pathological OCT scans and the detection of 70+pathologies and biomarkers. “The Altris AI platform is valuable to any physician as it has wide functionality that will meet the needs of any practice,” said Dr. Znamenska. “There are five clear benefits for eyecare professionals and patients. First, AI enables more efficient patient triage. Second, Altris AI provides diagnostic decision-making support: eyecare specialists get an opportunity to have a second opinion on OCT scans. Third, Altris AI provides an objective quantification of all retina pathologies and biomarkers. Fourth, automated objective progression tracking allows users to assess the effectiveness of treatment. And fifth, patients also benefit from Altris AI: color-coded images are easy to understand so they learn about their disease and see the value of OCT diagnostics.” She added, “It is very important to understand that AI will never substitute eyecare specialists but will certainly become a reliable assistant. Why won’t AI replace optometrists as many fear? Simply because the final diagnosis will always be on the eyecare specialist who will have to take into account many additional parameters for diagnosis: other diagnostic test results, lab test results, patient clinical history, concomitant diseases, family clinical history, etc. AI for OCT scan analysis will rather serve as a colleague who provides a valid second opinion with additional data. Eyecare specialists want to be empowered with AI to assist with OCT scan analysis.” Eyebot uses advanced AI-driven algorithms and touch-free imaging technology to conduct 90-second vision tests that enable tele-doctors to write accurate and well-tolerated eyeglass prescriptions remotely, the company said. The Eyebot vision test is fully autonomous and adapts to the user’s body, height and position. The AI technology analyzes the collected test data from refraction, visual acuity, lensometry and intake to suggest a well-tolerated Rx to the tele-doctor. The tele-doctor can then make adjustments to the Rx or directly approve the Eyebot-generated Rx. Eyebot kiosks combine the AI-enabled automated vision test technology with an intuitive user interface that works for a broad spectrum of the population, making vision care more accessible. The S1 Eyebot vision test kiosk terminal is compact, self-serve, and works in any environment. With the push of a button, users get a free vision test in 90 seconds that educates them on their vision quality, indicates if their current eyeglasses are outdated, and offers the ability to get a doctor-reviewed prescription. Plug it in and you have a simple and convenient Rx solution in-store, Eyebot said. Matthias Hofmann The S1 Eyebot vision test kiosk terminal is compact, self-serve and works in any environment. With the push of a button, users can get a free vision test in 90 seconds. The company said its S1 + G1 kiosk is a self-serve, custom-branded presence for any company. It has eye-scanning technology plus customizable merchandising real estate in the wrapper, TV screen and top sign. “Our kiosks bring vision care to convenient locations, eliminating the need for booking appointments. We can educate the public on the quality of their vision and provide appropriate solutions—such as a new prescription, eyeglasses or a referral to an in-person exam,” said Matthias Hofmann, CEO of Eyebot. “They free up time for doctors to focus on eye health, complex cases and other clinical responsibilities while helping reach underserved or hard-to-access communities by providing vision testing in non-traditional settings and health deserts.” In the coming months, Hofmann said the company plans to introduce its Gen 2.0 model that incorporates multimodal clinical datasets to better address challenging edge cases; introduce AI auto-screening tools for early detection of eye health issues like cataracts, keratoconus, amblyopia and anisocoria; and use AI to recommend eyewear options tailored to individual prescriptions and preferences. “At Eyebot, our mission is to make vision care accessible to everyone, equally. We see a future where technology and AI work seamlessly with eyecare professionals to expand access to personalized vision care for all those who need it,” Hofmann said. Gaurav AgarwalEyenuk Inc.’s AI-powered EyeArt AI system provides fully autonomous screening for vision-threatening eye diseases based on international clinical standards and immediate reporting in a single office visit during a patient’s regular exam, according to the company. The EyeArt AI system is the first and only AI technology to have U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for autonomous detection of both more-than-mild and vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy, the company said. “AI is fundamentally transforming eyecare by democratizing access to specialized diagnostics,” said Eyenuk CEO Gaurav Agarwal. “We’re seeing AI systems handle routine diabetic retinopathy screenings with remarkable accuracy. In doing so, these systems are not just supporting clinicians but actively enhancing their capabilities, allowing them to focus on the most critical aspects of patient care.” He added, “Looking ahead to the next six to 12 months, I anticipate AI will continue to expand beyond diabetic retinopathy screening into other critical areas of eye health. We’ll likely see increased integration of AI systems into standard clinical workflows, improved interoperability with existing health care systems, and potentially new applications in early detection of other eye conditions. The focus will be on making these technologies more accessible to primary care settings, ultimately helping to address the growing demand for eyecare services.” Cognoptix, a leading medical diagnostics company for Alzheimer’s, offers a non-invasive eye scan that detects beta-amyloid deposits in the lens. Amyloid is the earliest biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease, and the company said its system can detect it years or decades before amyloid appears in the brain. RetinAI Inc. launched RetinAI Discovery for Clinics earlier this year, with two product versions to address the needs of ophthalmologists and optometrists. Discovery for Clinics and its expert-level AI models have been designed to accelerate and enhance clinical decision workflows, teleophthalmology management, referral decisions and patient management generating data efficiencies, and enhancing decisions for clinics, the company said. Barti uses AI to transform electronic health records (EHR) and simplify practice management for eyecare professionals. With the first AI scribe in optometry, Barti said it enables doctors to automatically capture, structure and summarize key details in real time during patient consultations, reducing documentation time and easing cognitive load. Colton CalandrellaThe company said its AI Office Copilot, developed in partnership with Google Cloud Platform, seamlessly manages incoming calls through Barti’s built-in VoIP phone system. It schedules appointments, collects patient information, and instantly updates Barti’s calendar—all in real time. This allows eyecare professionals and staff to focus on patient care without interruptions from routine calls. Its AI Smart Agent on barti.com delivers quick and accurate answers to questions about the company’s products and services. It helps eyecare professionals easily explore Barti’s features, schedule demos and access support resources, ensuring a seamless and informative experience. “Barti delivers significant benefits to eyecare professionals by minimizing documentation time and allowing providers to focus more on delivering exceptional patient care,” said Colton Calandrella, CEO and co-founder of Barti. “Our AI-powered tools, such as AI Scribe and AI Office Copilot, automate time-consuming manual tasks and enhance operational efficiency. Barti is specifically designed for eyecare professionals, ensuring tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of optometrists and ophthalmologists.” AOAExcel, a member-benefit and for-profit subsidiary of the American Optometric Association, recently made a financial investment in Barti. In addition, AOAExcel has endorsed Barti Software, marking the first time that AOAExcel has endorsed an eyecare EHR. Over the next six to 12 months, Barti plans to infuse AI into every aspect of its platform, according to Calandrella. Some of these projects include: AI Image analysis for OCT, retinal photos and other diagnostic data; AI agents to scrub, submit and appeal denied insurance claims to double the productivity of a biller; and an AI chatbot that has access to a full patient record. “At Barti, we believe in empowering eyecare professionals with tools that are simple, efficient and innovative. By combining AI with a user-friendly EHR platform, we’re redefining what’s possible in eyecare practice management,” said Calandrella. Weave, an all-in-one customer experience software and payments platform, recently launched a modern, intuitive interface that integrates powerful AI tools, enhanced communication, scheduling, and billing and payment options directly into communication workflows. Designed for simplicity and efficiency, the company said the platform improves practice operations by consolidating tasks into a more unified, easier-to-use system. Weave’s Call Intelligence solves two significant challenges for health care practices: limited call insights and time-consuming manual data analysis. According to the company, providers can quickly identify why calls don’t convert into appointments without taking time away from patient interactions or business-critical activities like scheduling and billing. Contact Lens Companies Embrace AI Alcon, a leader in eyecare and a manufacturer of contact lenses, is using “responsible” artificial intelligence (AI) under Alcon’s AI policy and framework in many different ways, according to Ian Bell, senior vice president, chief operating officer at Alcon. This includes optimizing the company’s ability to innovate and create products to meet the growing eyecare needs around the world. Ian Bell“We are also using AI technology to enhance the associate experience at Alcon and identifying ways to use AI to save time, allowing for even greater focus on supporting our customers and patients across the globe,” Bell said. “There are many potential benefits of AI for eyecare professionals and patients. For example, in ophthalmology, leveraging AI could help create even more customized treatment plans for patients’ unique needs. This includes helping to evaluate patient data and taking into account surgeon preferences, preferred formulas and lens types.” Bell continued, “Currently across the larger health care industry, we are facing significant physician shortages. We believe AI will play a larger role in building efficiencies into our systems to help support eyecare professionals and their patients. In the next several years, we anticipate the industry will be leveraging AI using different datasets and formulas to generate recommendations and further streamline planning processes. We also expect to leverage AI features to help practices run more efficiently.” Bell emphasized that Alcon is focused on bringing bold innovation to markets to advance optimal patient outcomes. “We are looking at tomorrow’ s patient needs— not just today, which means looking into the best uses of AI in a responsible manner to accelerate innovation and integrate AI capabilities into our next-gen technologies,” he said. CooperVision is using AI alongside its teams’ deep industry knowledge to help identify growth opportunities for eye-care practices, identify specifically tailored data and recommended actions. “In addition, we’re using AI to better understand what type of information is most relevant to each of our customers, which respects their individual needs while reducing content overload,” said Michele Andrews, OD, vice president, marketing and professional affairs, Americas, at CooperVision. “For instance, AI helps to assess what’s working for customers, then uses those criteria to recognize new opportunities. This partnership pinpoints options that practices can use for better decision making.” Michele Andrews, ODShe added, “The combination of AI with our team’s deep industry knowledge is helping customers become more efficient, in turn helping them become more profitable. AI-derived data highlights where the best opportunities may be, which enables our sales force to spend more time with customers in those areas. By better understanding each practice’s opportunities, we can tailor their experience with CooperVision and improve their outcomes.” Despite the early benefits CooperVision is experiencing with AI, Andrews recommends a slow and steady approach when it comes to implementing the new technology. Mark Gaynor“You cannot rush adoption, since people need time to understand how it works and to build trust in the data and underlying system. Remember that you always need the human element to complement AI,” Andrews said. “Use AI with caution. There’s always bias with AI, since humans are building the models. Our people’s industry and professional knowledge provides more context to the data, adding specific knowledge that the AI does not have. We are mindful that human intelligence and interaction has to remain a big part of the picture.” J&J Vision is actively leveraging AI in responsible ways, according to Mark Gaynor, chief digital officer, Vision, Johnson & Johnson, to help deliver content generation, patient profiles/guided health pathways to strengthen engagement and meet customers where they are; fitting calculators to help the doctor determine correct lens/correction, help streamline the fitting experience; and simulators, using VR to help patients experience what IOLs can do for their vision. Gaynor said, “As we look to the future, within the vision industry, there are potential opportunities to leverage AI in thoughtful, responsible ways to help solve dropout rates for contact lens wearers. We know that dropout is a big issue with building loyalty for contact lens users. So, finding opportunities to leverage AI to help support ECPs is something really interesting and promising. Also, AI can be used for large scale analysis of medical imaging, for multiple purposes, such as disease identification.” Bausch + Lomb, another leading contact lens manufacturer, is also beginning to discover the advantages of AI. “We believe AI has the potential to transform drug discovery, improve product development, enhance workflows and support predictive maintenance in automated production lines—advancements we’re already beginning to explore,” said CEO Brent Saunders.