On this episode of Real Talk, Easy Anyama, OD, joins Scot Morris, OD, to discuss the revolutionary impact of data and artificial intelligence on the eye care industry.
The episode kicks off with Dr. Morris breaking down the definition of data, explaining that big data is characterized by the three V’s: Volume (massive amounts of information), Velocity (data generated in real-time) and Variety (everything from handwritten notes to live feeds and purchasing patterns).
From there, the discussion moves to how big data, powered by AI, is shifting medicine from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to precision medicine. By analyzing genetic data and lifestyle habits, AI can predict which specific medication will work best for a unique patient’s biology. The technology also promises to improve the standard of care by moving practices from a reactive system—fixing things after they break—to a proactive system that prevents problems from happening in the first place. Dr. Anyama notes that the biggest myth about AI is the fear of “human replacement,” when in reality, AI will be an augmentative tool.
The end of the conversation focuses on a major challenge in current workflows: data silos. Dr. Morris and Dr. Anyama emphasize that practices must first identify their workflows, eliminate inefficiencies and only then adopt AI tools to solve specific problems and headaches. For Dr. Morris, the biggest workflow problem is the “gray box”—the human brain—which is full of bias and error. Dr. Anyama shares the “great hope” of AI: a deep personal understanding of individual specifics and a clear way to communicate that to another person, strengthening the human-to-human connection.
The takeaway: AI is here to augment and disrupt for the better; the practices that evolve will replace those that don’t.
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