The future of ophthalmology; how will the patient with ophthalmic problems be cared for in 30 years’ time?

Looking back not many years ago, the significant change in how the patient used to be cared for compared to the current days is undeniable. Starting from surgical techniques and the machines we use, moving to how we now manage long-term conditions that were nearly impossible to be managed in the most optimistic ophthalmologist’s mind back in the days. For example, mind-blowing innovations and great efforts are now dedicated to controlling conditions causing significant sight impairment such as AMD or retinitis pigmentosa. Living in the current era where technology and innovations dominate and influence our lives, remarkable, unprecedented advances are taking place. As expected, tiny, well-designed and connected instruments and the accompanying apps make it possible to undertake eye examinations anywhere in the world – making patients the point of care. Internationally, this considerable step would provide ophthalmic service to people in unprivileged areas and people in war zones. Using smartphones and newly built lenses might be the future of out of hospital ophthalmology. One can imagine how using these remote approached would provide a quicker response to some of the most serious ophthalmic emergencies where time is vital in determining the future of the patients’ vision and the quality of their life. For instance, it is not imaginary being able to diagnose retinal artery occlusion or an acute angle closure glaucoma using criteria that does not require the patient to waste valuable time in A&Es. We have all heard about a watch being able to detect a fall or a life-threatening arrhythmia, not far from today, we might see devices and implants to identify ocular emergencies that significantly reduce the long-term complications of not having responded to an ophthalmic emergency in a timely manner.1,2