AI was built in layers—now doctors must be trained on it fast
Healthcare AI develops through four progressive layers that eye care professionals should learn systematically. Starting with Large Language Models for documentation tasks like AI scribes that convert conversations to structured notes, optometrists can then advance to RAG systems that retrieve clinical guidelines and research evidence during patient examinations. The third layer introduces AI agents that actively participate in workflows by flagging conditions like glaucoma progression from OCT data and suggesting next steps. Finally, agentic AI coordinates multiple agents for continuous patient monitoring across diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma care. Training physicians in this stepwise progression mirrors how clinical skills develop, ensuring optometrists become skilled supervisors of AI tools rather than passive users while maintaining their essential role in patient-centered decision making and clinical judgment.
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