Upskilling Eye Care

Mathias Schifflers (Credit: AbbVie)

Technological advances in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) are constantly accelerating, with clinicians up against ever-increasing strains as the aging population continues to rise and the number of individuals with eye care conditions follows suit (1). The significance of this demand on the time and resources needed from ophthalmologists cannot be underestimated. Pressures are greater than ever – both patient and clinician expectations are higher, so when there is failure to restore vision it can be devastating for both parties. In this fast-moving environment, the eye care workforce must prepare itself as best it can – through education and embracing the latest technological advances.

An optimistic outlook
 

So, in a rapidly evolving clinical landscape, how can we arm ophthalmologists to best protect patients’ eye health? This is where medical education is invaluable.

The RCOphth highlighted in a 2024 statement that in order to future-proof ophthalmologists faced with an aging population and an expanding arsenal of available treatments and technologies, we need to upskill the entire eye care workforce (2). This sentiment is rippling across global ophthalmology institutions, with the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s 2024 meeting exploring topics such as maintaining scientific integrity and leveraging AI to both educate and treat our patients (3).

Fundamental to supporting the upskilling of the eye care workforce, education can have a huge positive impact on the lives of our patients. This is an especially exciting era, particularly in the field of retinal disease, where we are seeing emerging drugs for novel therapeutic targets, and patients who are increasingly well-informed about their treatment options. It’s crucial, now more than ever, for clinicians to understand which mechanisms are appropriate for patients with specific disease phenotypes. Educational initiatives empower physicians to be prepared, to select the most appropriate treatments, and to counsel patients accordingly.

Adding our drumbeat to the educational crescendo by partnering with the European School for Advanced Studies in Ophthalmology (ESASO), Advancing Ophthalmology is a CME-accredited educational program for healthcare professionals (HCPs) involved in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of people with poor ocular health, particularly those with glaucoma and retinal vascular disease. Through facilitating peer-to-peer engagement, we are answering the RCOphth’s call for those in the industry to come together and share their best practices and innovations.

Ophthalmology is an inherently innovative and cross-disciplinary field. In recent years, we have seen a rapid expansion of services, including the extension of traditional healthcare practitioner roles, such as training of nurse injectors to meet the increasing demand for injections. To meet the growing eye care needs of the population, HCPs need to maximize our collaboration with the wider multidisciplinary team (MDT), armed with the tools and technologies that innovation offers.

We aim to build valued partnerships with the eye care community by listening to their needs and maintaining strong collaborations. Technological advances could ease the direct load on ophthalmologists by making processes simpler, enabling the MDT to shoulder procedures such as retinal imaging. In addition, machine learning can help to summarize biomarker data or quantify risk of disease progression, a development that could prove especially important for emerging therapies (4). With more time available, ophthalmologists can focus on more complex cases, service redesign, and research. The emergence of home imaging systems is a breakthrough that has the potential to significantly reduce the burden on the ophthalmic community, with various forms of telemedicine playing a greater role in maximizing patient outreach and facilitating clinical decision-making practices (5).

At Advancing Ophthalmology Connect Live, the first face-to-face session in the program taking place in Lisbon, Portugal, this November, international experts will share their latest scientific points of view on a range of these critical cutting-edge topics. These include the role of AI in treating eye diseases, how advances in eye care can address patient adherence, and how advanced therapies, administration methods, and treatment paradigms might shape the future of care for patients with glaucoma and retinal vascular disease.

As the dual tides of change increase pressures and push innovation, the opportunity for improved patient outcomes and professional development is immense. Education will not only bolster the workforce in the face of growing demands, but can help us to understand the positive change that innovation brings to both our clinics and our patients.