Get ready for some exciting developments in the eye care sector in 2024. We’ll be seeing some continuing progress from 2023 and we've also got some new trends incoming.

Let’s look at some of the key trends ready to shape the industry in the coming year.

Tele-optometry; another boost for remote technology

Telemedicine has been rapidly gaining acceptance as an exciting channel for providing eye care services over the last several years. Interest and adoption have been building and the potential value in adopting telemedicine solutions is becoming clearer to both eye care professionals and patients alike. With high rates of smartphone ownership, remote exams can be made available to a substantial population making adoption that much easier and with a drive for digital healthcare solutions, tele-optometry usage is likely to increase substantially over the coming year. Read our whitepaper, Telemedicine and Optometry; the future of eyecare, for more insights.

Artificial intelligence and its ongoing journey

Like telemedicine, artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming various fields, including optometry. Diagnosis aids and treatments are being developed to become more accurate and efficient and technology like this can now be used to aid in the early detection of eye conditions. AI is playing a vital part in various aspects of eye care, and it will continue to play an increasingly important role in optometry as we move through 2024.

Augmented and virtual reality; embracing immersive experiences

Along with AI, augmented and virtual reality are picking up the pace in the optometry space. With virtual reality devices becoming more affordable to practitioners and their organizations, interest and use of them is growing in multiple sectors including healthcare. In optometry, virtual reality headsets are being created to support conditions such as glaucoma testing and augmented reality is being used to create devices for use by people with AMD. While a lot of these devices and new routes to care are still being developed, they’re definitely here to stay.

Human connection and a personalized eye care experience

Tailoring eye care plans to individuals is looking to become a bigger part of service in 2024. There’s more drive than ever to offer a personalized service with multiple means of technology now available to help make this happen. What’s being tailored? Different parts of the process can now be personalized such as pre-screening needs, vision measuring methods and selections of online eye exams prior to or in place of in-person visits. This personalized experience is important to create and maintain given that many organizations are pushing more towards technology solutions. It gives the user the human connection even when they may be in a different location to their eye care professional.

Sustainability in eye care

Environmental sustainability has been much talked about in the last decade and we’re now moving at an even faster pace. There is a big movement in both eyewear and ophthalmology to continue this journey whether that be for equipment, devices or clinics. Research from Jobson earlier this year (the Environmental Sustainability Study) found that over 70% of eye care professionals said that it was ‘somewhat or very important’ to employ environmentally friendly practices to make their location ‘green’ and 58% said their patients were of this opinion. We look forward to next year to see some further developments and where this evolving movement will lead us next.

The above trends are going to play an integral part in the progression of the industry in 2024 and we’re positive that more insights and developments will appear as we progress through the year.

IbisVision is once again playing a key part in optometry trends by offering our telemedicine solution to the sector. Get in touch with us to find out more and keep up to date with the trends for next year. Contact us, here.