Optometrists' Perspectives Regarding Artificial Intelligence Aids and Contributing Retinal Images to a Repository: Web-Based Interview Study
BackgroundA repository of retinal images for research is being established in Scotland. It will permit researchers to validate, tune, and refine artificial intelligence (AI) decision-support algorithms to accelerate safe deployment in Scottish optometry and beyond. Research d...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2023-05-01
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| Series: | JMIR Human Factors |
| Online Access: | https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2023/1/e40887 |
| _version_ | 1797734088453390336 |
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| author | Aurora Constantin Malcolm Atkinson Miguel Oscar Bernabeu Fiona Buckmaster Baljean Dhillon Alice McTrusty Niall Strang Robin Williams |
| author_facet | Aurora Constantin Malcolm Atkinson Miguel Oscar Bernabeu Fiona Buckmaster Baljean Dhillon Alice McTrusty Niall Strang Robin Williams |
| author_sort | Aurora Constantin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundA repository of retinal images for research is being established in Scotland. It will permit researchers to validate, tune, and refine artificial intelligence (AI) decision-support algorithms to accelerate safe deployment in Scottish optometry and beyond. Research demonstrates the potential of AI systems in optometry and ophthalmology, though they are not yet widely adopted.
ObjectiveIn this study, 18 optometrists were interviewed to (1) identify their expectations and concerns about the national image research repository and their use of AI decision support and (2) gather their suggestions for improving eye health care. The goal was to clarify attitudes among optometrists delivering primary eye care with respect to contributing their patients’ images and to using AI assistance. These attitudes are less well studied in primary care contexts. Five ophthalmologists were interviewed to discover their interactions with optometrists.
MethodsBetween March and August 2021, 23 semistructured interviews were conducted online lasting for 30-60 minutes. Transcribed and pseudonymized recordings were analyzed using thematic analysis.
ResultsAll optometrists supported contributing retinal images to form an extensive and long-running research repository. Our main findings are summarized as follows. Optometrists were willing to share images of their patients’ eyes but expressed concern about technical difficulties, lack of standardization, and the effort involved. Those interviewed thought that sharing digital images would improve collaboration between optometrists and ophthalmologists, for example, during referral to secondary health care. Optometrists welcomed an expanded primary care role in diagnosis and management of diseases by exploiting new technologies and anticipated significant health benefits. Optometrists welcomed AI assistance but insisted that it should not reduce their role and responsibilities.
ConclusionsOur investigation focusing on optometrists is novel because most similar studies on AI assistance were performed in hospital settings. Our findings are consistent with those of studies with professionals in ophthalmology and other medical disciplines: showing near universal willingness to use AI to improve health care, alongside concerns over training, costs, responsibilities, skill retention, data sharing, and disruptions to professional practices. Our study on optometrists’ willingness to contribute images to a research repository introduces a new aspect; they hope that a digital image sharing infrastructure will facilitate service integration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:39:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4497e072592444aba18b060f2950184a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2292-9495 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:39:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Human Factors |
| spelling | doaj.art-4497e072592444aba18b060f2950184a2023-08-28T23:58:24ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Human Factors2292-94952023-05-0110e4088710.2196/40887Optometrists' Perspectives Regarding Artificial Intelligence Aids and Contributing Retinal Images to a Repository: Web-Based Interview StudyAurora Constantinhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5352-5300Malcolm Atkinsonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2632-0013Miguel Oscar Bernabeuhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6456-3756Fiona Buckmasterhttps://orcid.org/0009-0001-6460-9961Baljean Dhillonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5993-0278Alice McTrustyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3726-6956Niall Stranghttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7062-8846Robin Williamshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9044-4611 BackgroundA repository of retinal images for research is being established in Scotland. It will permit researchers to validate, tune, and refine artificial intelligence (AI) decision-support algorithms to accelerate safe deployment in Scottish optometry and beyond. Research demonstrates the potential of AI systems in optometry and ophthalmology, though they are not yet widely adopted. ObjectiveIn this study, 18 optometrists were interviewed to (1) identify their expectations and concerns about the national image research repository and their use of AI decision support and (2) gather their suggestions for improving eye health care. The goal was to clarify attitudes among optometrists delivering primary eye care with respect to contributing their patients’ images and to using AI assistance. These attitudes are less well studied in primary care contexts. Five ophthalmologists were interviewed to discover their interactions with optometrists. MethodsBetween March and August 2021, 23 semistructured interviews were conducted online lasting for 30-60 minutes. Transcribed and pseudonymized recordings were analyzed using thematic analysis. ResultsAll optometrists supported contributing retinal images to form an extensive and long-running research repository. Our main findings are summarized as follows. Optometrists were willing to share images of their patients’ eyes but expressed concern about technical difficulties, lack of standardization, and the effort involved. Those interviewed thought that sharing digital images would improve collaboration between optometrists and ophthalmologists, for example, during referral to secondary health care. Optometrists welcomed an expanded primary care role in diagnosis and management of diseases by exploiting new technologies and anticipated significant health benefits. Optometrists welcomed AI assistance but insisted that it should not reduce their role and responsibilities. ConclusionsOur investigation focusing on optometrists is novel because most similar studies on AI assistance were performed in hospital settings. Our findings are consistent with those of studies with professionals in ophthalmology and other medical disciplines: showing near universal willingness to use AI to improve health care, alongside concerns over training, costs, responsibilities, skill retention, data sharing, and disruptions to professional practices. Our study on optometrists’ willingness to contribute images to a research repository introduces a new aspect; they hope that a digital image sharing infrastructure will facilitate service integration.https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2023/1/e40887 |
| spellingShingle | Aurora Constantin Malcolm Atkinson Miguel Oscar Bernabeu Fiona Buckmaster Baljean Dhillon Alice McTrusty Niall Strang Robin Williams Optometrists' Perspectives Regarding Artificial Intelligence Aids and Contributing Retinal Images to a Repository: Web-Based Interview Study JMIR Human Factors |
| title | Optometrists' Perspectives Regarding Artificial Intelligence Aids and Contributing Retinal Images to a Repository: Web-Based Interview Study |
| title_full | Optometrists' Perspectives Regarding Artificial Intelligence Aids and Contributing Retinal Images to a Repository: Web-Based Interview Study |
| title_fullStr | Optometrists' Perspectives Regarding Artificial Intelligence Aids and Contributing Retinal Images to a Repository: Web-Based Interview Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optometrists' Perspectives Regarding Artificial Intelligence Aids and Contributing Retinal Images to a Repository: Web-Based Interview Study |
| title_short | Optometrists' Perspectives Regarding Artificial Intelligence Aids and Contributing Retinal Images to a Repository: Web-Based Interview Study |
| title_sort | optometrists perspectives regarding artificial intelligence aids and contributing retinal images to a repository web based interview study |
| url | https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2023/1/e40887 |
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