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Artificial intelligence in ophthalmology and healthcare
A retina surgeon’s view of which AI tools will change eye care, what it takes for physicians to trust them, and where the opportunities are for companies and investors.
Why ophthalmology leads medicine in AI
Ophthalmology is one of medicine’s most image-driven specialties. Retina specialists rely on optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus photography and angiography for nearly every decision, and chronic diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease generate years of images for each patient. That combination of rich imaging, high patient volume and clearly measured outcomes makes eye care a natural proving ground for artificial intelligence.
Dr. Joshua Mali has written and spoken about AI in eye care since 2018. As a practicing retina specialist, a clinical trial investigator and an entrepreneur, he looks at AI from three sides at once: does it work clinically, does it fit how a real practice runs, and is there a market that will pay for it?
Where AI is changing eye care
Imaging and diagnostics
AI analysis of OCT and retinal images to detect and grade macular degeneration, geographic atrophy and diabetic eye disease, and to flag disease activity that needs treatment.
Remote and home monitoring
Home-based monitoring that catches conversion to wet AMD earlier and extends care beyond the clinic, a topic Dr. Mali has covered in Ophthalmology Times and Ocular Surgery News.
Clinical workflow and practice analytics
Tools that reduce documentation burden, support treatment decisions and help busy injection clinics use their data.
Adoption, validation and reimbursement
The evidence physicians, health systems and payers need before an AI tool earns a place in routine care.
A track record of calling AI early
- 2018: wrote on artificial intelligence in the early detection of wet AMD and on telemonitoring for earlier detection and timely treatment of AMD in Ocular Surgery News.
- 2018: named home AMD monitoring among his Top 5 predictions for ophthalmology.
- 2021: predicted AI would permeate clinical ophthalmology, a forecast covered by Becker’s ASC Review.
- 2026: placed AI at the center of his Top 5 predictions in ophthalmology for 2026.
How Dr. Mali helps AI companies and investors
Through Mali Enterprises, Dr. Mali advises AI developers, device and diagnostics companies, and the investors evaluating them. Typical work includes assessing whether an algorithm solves a problem retina specialists actually have, reviewing validation data and study design, mapping how a tool would fit into clinic workflow and reimbursement, and identifying the barriers to physician adoption.
He also speaks on AI in ophthalmology at investor events, conferences and corporate meetings, and provides commentary for medical and business media.
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Talk with Dr. Mali about AI
For AI strategy, due diligence, advisory work, media commentary or speaking, email Dr. Mali directly.
Email malienterprisesglobal@gmail.com