Will AI replace Optometrists?

The core of your work stays human. For you, AI is mainly an amplifier.

Task exposure to today's AI

22/100

Low exposure

This is the occupation's typical task mix. Your own score can be up to 30 points higher or lower depending on how you work: routine share, people contact, judgment and how much you already use AI.

Get your personal score

Will AI replace Optometrists?

Not entirely. Today's AI tools can take on about 22% of the typical work in this occupation, mostly: analyze test results and develop a treatment plan. The parts that stay human include: Examine eyes, using observation, instruments, and pharmaceutical agents, to determine visual acuity and perception, focus, and coordination and to diagnose diseases and other abnormalities, such as glaucoma or color blindness.; Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision aids.; Analyze test results and develop a treatment plan..

People who learn to use AI for the automatable parts keep the edge. The 3-phase plan below shows where to start.

Which tasks AI can take on

The largest tasks in this occupation, their share of the working week, and how much of each today's AI tools can do.

TaskAutomatable

Analyze test results and develop a treatment plan. 50%

Educate and counsel patients on contact lens care, visual hygiene, lighting arrangements, and safety factors. 33%

Prescribe medications to treat eye diseases if state laws permit. 23%

Provide patients undergoing eye surgeries, such as cataract and laser vision correction, with pre- and post-operative care. 20%

Examine eyes, using observation, instruments, and pharmaceutical agents, to determine visual acuity and perception, focus, and coordination and to diagnose diseases and other abnormalities, such as glaucoma or color blindness. 15%

Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision aids. 15%

+ 4 more tasks (10% of the week) in the full test.

Your human edge

Examine eyes, using observation, instruments, and pharmaceutical agents, to determine visual acuity and perception, focus, and coordination and to diagnose diseases and other abnormalities, such as glaucoma or color blindness.
Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision aids.
Analyze test results and develop a treatment plan.

AI tools to try

Clinical documentation and transcription assistantsChatGPT / Claude for patient information (no patient data)Clinical decision support in your systems

Related roles

A 3-phase AI learning plan

Phase 1

Less documentation time

AI transcription and note drafting where your organisation allows it.
Patient information leaflets in plain language.
Never put identifiable patient data into public tools.

Project

Use AI to draft 10 plain-language patient leaflets (contact lens care, dry eye, glaucoma drops, post-cataract care) with no identifiable data, and time the drafting versus writing them yourself.

Phase 2

Evidence and decision support

Guideline and literature summaries with AI, checked in the source.
Understand how decision-support tools reach their output.
Know the limits and liability.

Project

Pick 3 recurring clinical questions (e.g. myopia control, glaucoma referral thresholds) and have AI summarise current guidelines, then verify every claim against the source and log errors found.

Phase 3

AI in care processes

Coordination, scheduling and handover with AI help.
Take part in your organisation's AI projects.
Teach colleagues safe use.

Project

Build an AI-assisted recall and pre/post-operative follow-up scheduling template for cataract and laser patients, run it for 4 weeks, and report missed-appointment rates before and after.

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