Objective:

To evaluate the impact of autonomous AI-assisted diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening on patient attendance at specialist eye care.

Key Findings:

• Patients screened via AI were more likely to attend specialist eye care, particularly among African-American patients.
• AI screening reduces barriers by providing immediate results and actionable referrals.
• Improving screening alone is insufficient; downstream access to ophthalmic care is crucial.

Interpretation:

The study suggests that autonomous AI can enhance engagement with ophthalmic services, particularly in underserved populations, thereby potentially improving health outcomes.

Limitations:

• The study is retrospective and exploratory, limiting the ability to establish causality.
• Conducted within a single integrated healthcare system, which may affect external validity.

Conclusion:

While promising, the findings highlight the need for continued efforts to ensure access to ophthalmic care alongside improved screening rates.