12/07/2025
Hot Take: AI isn’t going to replace optometrists. But it will replace the ones who pretend it’s not coming.
I don’t believe AI will replace optometrists.
But I do believe it will replace the ones who pretend it’s not coming. And honestly, I get it.
It's easier to brush it off as a "tech trend" than to admit we might need to rethink the way we've always done things. But the world is changing, with or without our permission.
Patients are living in a reality where everything is faster, smarter, more intuitive. And if we are honest with ourselves we want the same thing as a consumer ourselves!
So why are so many practices still drowning in manual workflows, paper trails, and outdated systems?
This isn’t about losing the human touch.
It’s about protecting it.
Because the more time we spend buried in admin, the less time we spend with the people we actually got into this field for.
AI isn’t the enemy. It’s the assistant we’ve always needed but never had until now.
It can automate the boring stuff. Streamline the chaotic. Flag what we might miss on a busy day. And most importantly, it gives us back something we've been running short on for years: time.
Time to listen.
Time to educate.
Time to lead with empathy instead of rushing through appointments.
The optometrists who are open to change, who ask better questions, test new systems, and stay curious, those are the ones who’ll shape what this industry looks like in the next 10 years.
I’m not here to preach tech. I’m just here to say.
We can either evolve... or watch from the sidelines while others do. And I’d rather grow with it then get left behind by it.
Curious, have you started using any AI tools in your practice or workflow?
What’s working for you or what are you still unsure about. Let’s share notes.(Brianna Rhue)