RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—The VSP Global Innovation Center (GIC) today released “Practice of the Future,” a new Futurist Report designed to explore how emerging technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and new care models are becoming available to eyecare providers to meet growing patient demand, improve efficiency and expand their role within the broader healthcare ecosystem. The interactive report highlights what the GIC identified as six key areas of the modern eyecare practice and examines how each is evolving to help providers deliver a more connected, elevated patient experience.
“Eyecare is at a pivotal moment,” said Will Flanagan, senior manager of VSP Global Innovation Center Programs and Partnerships. “As patient needs and preferences continue to grow and technology advances at an unprecedented pace, optometry has an opportunity to expand its impact on overall health. Leveraging that opportunity takes more than new tools; it takes a new way of thinking about how care and service are delivered within the four walls of a practice.”
The six key areas highlighted in the report include the following:
Pre-test Room: Reimagining the Practice for Access and Efficiency. To meet growing demand, practices are evolving beyond traditional layouts and workflows, the announcement stated. Pre-testing, which had traditionally been confined to a single room, is becoming more flexible, supported by technologies that allow components of the exam to be conducted remotely, in waiting areas, or by non-clinical staff.
Exam Lane: A Shift Toward Whole-Body Health. AI-enabled diagnostics are reinforcing the role of the eye exam, helping providers better identify and document early indicators of broader health concerns, including cardiovascular, kidney, and neurological diseases, the announcement stated. These developments reinforce optometry’s role as a key part of the healthcare continuum as well as its value beyond vision correction to whole-body health insights.
Subspecialty Areas: Expanding the Scope of Care. As patients’ needs evolve, more practices are expanding into areas such as myopia management, audiology and aesthetics, the announcement stated. Further, many optometrists are considering the introduction of new care modalities, offering an opportunity to deliver more comprehensive care while creating new opportunities for growth.
Optical Retail Environment: Retail and Operations Enter a New Era. While many eyewear purchases still occur in physical locations, the announcement advised, many practices are enhancing the in-person experience with AI-powered tools like virtual try-on technologies and smart eyewear innovations.
Back Office: The Engine Behind the Practice. Investment in AI-enabled technology is accelerating, with key market segments projected to more than double over the next decade, the announcement said. AI-enabled practice management tools support practices looking to streamline scheduling, billing, staffing, and other operational workflows, reducing administrative burden and improving efficiency.
At Home: Care Follows the Patient Out the Door. Remote monitoring, at-home diagnostics and digital shopping tools extend care beyond the office, the announcement noted. In the Practice of the Future, the doctor-patient relationship continues beyond the office visit, creating ongoing engagement, better outcomes and new models of care delivery.
“While technology is transforming eyecare, the provider remains at the heart of the patient experience,” said Michelle Skinner, VSP Vision chief provider solutions officer. “With approximately 20 million more eye exams needed annually than a decade ago, innovation can help practices meet growing demand while giving doctors more time and resources to deliver high-quality, personalized care.”
Practice of the Future builds on VSP Vision’s broader Futurist Report series, the company advised. Through the GIC, VSP collaborates with startups and innovators to identify, test and scale solutions that expand access to care and help shape the future of eye health. To learn more and access the report, visit VSP’s Global Innovation Center and find the Futurist Report series here.
