Key Takeaways
- Issue 90 of Contact Lens Update focuses on AI applications in myopia management, including progression prediction, treatment personalization, and clinical decision support
- Experts featured in the issue emphasize that current AI tools remain strongest in screening and forecasting trends, while personalized treatment guidance requires further development and broader data integration
The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) has dedicated Issue 90 of Contact Lens Update to the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in myopia management, examining the technology's potential to improve prediction, personalize treatment, and support clinical decision-making.
The complimentary bi-monthly publication is available through ContactLensUpdate.com and brings together perspectives from researchers, clinicians, and educators on the opportunities and limitations of AI in contemporary myopia care.
"AI is not a substitute for clinicians, but it can augment their clinical reasoning," said Daddi Fadel, adjunct assistant professor at the University of Waterloo and a consultant for CORE. "For myopia management, systems can already help synthesize complex scientific evidence, project progression, and support personalized treatment decisions. This issue provides practitioners with a practical understanding of how AI can be integrated into daily care to improve outcomes for young myopic patients."
The issue opens with an editorial by Jeffrey J. Walline, distinguished professor and associate dean at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. Mr. Walline argues that while current AI models can predict average myopia progression across populations with reasonable accuracy, they remain limited in forecasting progression for individual patients. He notes that genuinely transformative AI capable of delivering highly personalized myopia care has yet to emerge but is likely to become a reality within the profession's lifetime.
A feature article by Nicola Logan, professor of optometry and associate dean for Research & Enterprise at Aston University in the United Kingdom, examines the expanding use of AI in myopia research. Ms. Logan reports that most current applications remain focused on screening and progression prediction rather than guiding treatment decisions. She concludes that broader international data sharing, more diverse multi-ethnic datasets, and integrated clinical decision-support tools will be necessary before AI can achieve meaningful clinical transformation.
To help practitioners translate evidence into practice, CORE's clinical insight section provides summaries of the seven International Myopia Institute reports alongside clinically focused infographics. The resources are intended to support risk assessment, treatment selection, patient communication, and other aspects of myopia management.
The issue also highlights presentations from "OPTOMYOPIA," with clinician and professional educator Epifanio Ruiz Campos discussing how AI-powered augmented intelligence platforms can support clinical decision-making. According to the report, OPTOMYOPIA integrates peer-reviewed scientific literature with patient-specific information to synthesize evidence, assist with risk stratification, and support personalized treatment planning. The platform is presented as an example of how AI can enhance, rather than replace, clinician expertise.
Contact Lens Update receives educational support from Alcon, CooperVision, and Johnson & Johnson Vision.
