Credit: Image supplied by Allen C. Ho
What industry trends are catching your attention right now?
The ecosystem of investment, translational science, clinicians and patients with unmet need remains vibrant because vision is so highly valued. In retina, pay attention to gene therapy approaches for rare and more common diseases like AMD and diabetic retinopathy, mutation agnostic approaches to retinal degenerations and macular degenerations such as photo-switch small molecules or optogenetic strategies, next generation cell therapies and delivery strategies for macular/retinal degenerations. Also, immune modulating strategies for macular degenerations, and new molecules like cell death pathway inhibitors that may impact AMD, glaucoma, and retinal detachment. Lots of fresh shots on goal with significant promise.
How do you think AI and machine learning will impact ophthalmology?
As data sets (for example, electronic health records, genetic databases, visual field testing results, OCT and color fundus imaging, among others) improve and mature, AI and machine learning will generate new insights that can improve and expand therapeutic options for patients. Precision image guided robotic surgery, accelerated candidate drug screening, hypothesis generation for new treatment strategies, and public health disease screening are areas where we will see impact. Alternatively, AI can also help us improve our understanding of vision loss in patients. The non-profit organization – the Blind Canvas Project – uses AI-generated imagery to transform an individual’s experience of blindness into an expressive work of art. An enlightened understanding of what patients experience will help us develop and provide better care.
Allen C. Ho is Attending Surgeon and Director of Retina Research Wills Eye Hospital Philadelphia USA, and Professor of Ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University.
