Embracing generative AI in ophthalmology

Ophthalmology has been at the forefront of research on artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine. To some extent, this is due to the transparency of eye structures and the feasibility of detailed imaging, which lends itself to data extraction and high-quality databanks of digital images. Nor is that all: another reason for the pre-eminence of ophthalmology in AI research is the potential use of data taken from eye images and measurements to predict and detect diseases which are not eye-specific such as heart failure, ischaemic stroke and Parkinson’s disease.1 At a time when the BJO is receiving manuscripts on AI at a rate of at least 15 per month, we decided to showcase the ophthalmic research activity in generative AI in particular, with a call in late 2023 for manuscripts for a Special Topic edition on Generative AI in Ophthalmology. We are grateful to guest editors Pearse Keane (Moorfields Eye Hospital & University College London, UK) and Aaron Lee (University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA) for their contributions to this BJO …