What Providers Need to Know: 2026 Ophthalmology Trends

It’s an exciting time in ophthalmology — and for eye care professionals on the cutting edge of technology trends. In 2025, the global advanced ophthalmology technology market was valued at $9.08 billion, and it’s expected to nearly double by 2034.¹

With a robust forecast, there are several reasons for ophthalmology providers to stay on top of the latest technology and trends, one of which is to enhance their practice. A 2024 survey found that eye care professionals who invested in new technology reported improvements in patient outcomes and office productivity.² Read on to learn what ophthalmology trends will be advancing the industry forward in 2026.

Advanced Ophthalmic Innovations in Patient Care

There are plenty of reasons for providers and patients alike to be excited about breakthroughs in ophthalmic technologies. For example, new iterations on optical coherence tomography (OCT) include handheld OCT devices and smartphone imaging that can make this standard of care more accessible. Additionally, using adaptive optics (AO) and full-field scanning has built on the success of OCT, allowing providers to study single cells in the retina.

The continued integration of advanced ophthalmic diagnostics, therapeutics and devices is enabling more personalized patient care. For example, a smartphone application has combined patients’ visual habits, biometric data, medical history and side-by-side comparisons of defocus curves to enhance the intraocular lens (IOL) implant selection process.³

Providers can also now use high-resolution retinal imaging technology to rapidly and non-invasively acquire images of the retina that reveal distinct phenotypic features of certain inherited retinal diseases with minimal inconvenience to the patient.⁴

Ophthalmic technologies may enhance clinical outcomes 

Providers may be most excited about the ophthalmic technologies that directly tie to improved clinical outcomes. A 2024 study, for example, found the novel glaucoma tube shunt called the Paul® Glaucoma Implant (PGI) reduced sustained intraocular pressure and the medication burden on glaucoma patients.⁵

Gene therapy is another promising area of emerging ophthalmic technology. Although researchers are still working through cost and safety challenges, early successes using gene therapy to treat inherited retinal disorders are paving the way for use in glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, uveitis and corneal diseases.

AI and Ophthalmology Outcomes

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a transformative advancement for ophthalmology providers and patients. A 2025 study concluded that AI has the potential to achieve high diagnostic accuracy across different ocular domains. In keratoconus, for example, AI models have detected the disease with sensitivity and accuracy exceeding 98% and 99.6%. The same study found AI-driven technologies also reduced refractive errors in cataract surgeries and predicted the progression of age-related macular degeneration and myopia.⁶ 

Beyond clinical outcomes, AI is also changing in-office workflows for ophthalmology providers and patients. For example, an AI-driven ocular evaluation in a university hospital showed promise for shortening patient waiting lists, reducing specialist interventions and optimizing healthcare resources.⁷

Teleophthalmology Technologies to Help Providers Reach Patients

Teleophthalmology technology and practices continue to expand, which has the potential to help eye care providers and patients overcome geographic and workforce access barriers. For example, optometrist-assisted and teleophthalmology-enabled referral pathways (OTRP) for optometry referrals can be effective in reducing unnecessary referrals and waiting times, increasing patients’ health-related quality of life and decreasing the cost of diagnosing ocular posterior segment eye disease.⁸

AI breakthroughs are helping to increase teleophthalmology gains. In India, for example, offline, portable fundus cameras and AI software were used to detect diabetic retinopathy in remote areas.⁹ Studies have found similar promising results using teleophthalmology and AI to diagnose other common eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.¹⁰

Innovations and Patient Engagement

Engaging ophthalmology patients with technology may help improve the provider-patient relationship. Patients who received digital educational tools, for example, often demonstrate a better understanding of their disease and its management.¹¹ Even seemingly small engagements, like a reminder message sent via a patient portal after a missed appointment, have been shown to more than double the likelihood of patient reengagement with care.¹² In addition to these technological touchpoints, offering flexible payment solutions such as healthcare financing can further support patient engagement by helping remove financial barriers, empowering patients to move forward with recommended eye care through easy in-office applications. Providers can give patients a custom link to explore the CareCredit credit card on their own.

Physical technology that enables remote engagement is making its way into everyday practice as well. Researchers have found that mobile health tools in eye care have garnered significant interest and hold great potential to improve communication between providers and patients.¹³ Researchers have also identified wearable devices as promising tools to collect large amounts of objective data about the visual experience that is relevant to retinal disease monitoring while patients engage in day-to-day activities.¹⁴

Sustainability in Ophthalmologic Practices

While reducing waste is a priority for many ophthalmologists, it can be challenging to identify the most effective strategies for minimizing their environmental footprint.¹⁵ A global coalition of sustainability-minded eye societies, organizations and ophthalmologists called EyeSustain is actively working to engage the global ophthalmic community about more sustainable practices, collaborate on best practices and support related research.¹⁶ Reducing surgical waste is a particular focus of the coalition, to help minimize toxic byproducts and waste generated from medical care.¹⁷

Research into future-focused ophthalmic practices points to “high-value care” as an approach to environmental responsibility. High-value care — which balances what is possible with what is practical, accessible and financially achievable — involves adopting new patient care models, leveraging technological advancements and balancing financial efficiency with environmental responsibility.¹⁸

The Future of Ophthalmology and Emerging Trends in 2026

Technological advancements are transforming the ophthalmology field. Providers who care deeply about improving their patients’ vision, eye health and quality of life may find a great deal to look forward to in the coming year, as AI and teleophthalmology help providers deliver more accurate, efficient care to patients.¹⁰ As providers leverage ways to engage their ophthalmology patients, they may find improved provider-patient relationships. Finally, focusing on high-value care may help eye care providers deliver sustainable, accessible care for patients into the future.¹⁸

Frequently Asked Questions

It’s an exciting time for the field of ophthalmology. Here are the answers to some common questions about the trends to look forward to in 2026 and beyond.

What is the new technology in ophthalmology?

AI is an emerging technology that’s impacting many areas of ophthalmology.⁶ AI applications in ophthalmology and optometry include diagnostic performance and clinical integration. AI also enhances existing teleophthalmology technology.⁹ For example, offline, portable fundus cameras and AI software can detect diabetic retinopathy in remote communities.⁹

What is the future of ophthalmology?

Future-focused ophthalmic research emphasizes high-value care as an approach to sustainable ophthalmology. It seeks to balance what’s possible with what’s practical, accessible and financially achievable, which may involve adopting new patient care models, leveraging technological advancements and balancing financial efficiency with environmental responsibility.¹⁸

What are the ophthalmology trends for 2026?

Ophthalmology trends for 2026 include:

• Advanced ophthalmic innovations
• Patient engagement improvements
• Sustainable ophthalmic practices
• Teleophthalmology technology
• The rise of AI in ophthalmology

A Patient Financing Solution for Ophthalmologists

Cost may be a barrier to care for your current and prospective ophthalmology patients. You can help them manage the cost of the care they want or need by offering the CareCredit credit card as a financing solution. CareCredit allows patients to pay for their eye exams, LASIK, surgeries and other treatments over time while helping to enhance the payments process for your practice.

When you accept CareCredit, patients can see if they prequalify with no impact to their credit score, and those who apply, if approved, can take advantage of special financing on qualifying purchases.* Additionally, you will be paid directly within two business days.

Learn more about the CareCredit credit card as a patient financing solution for your ophthalmology practice or start the provider enrollment process by filling out this form.

Expert Reviewer

Dr. Alexandra Chebil

Dr. Alexandra Chebil is a board-certified ophthalmologist with the Lasik Center Medical Group in Newport Beach, California, who has more than 25 years of experience with refractive surgery and non-invasive facial aesthetic procedures. She was one of the first ophthalmologists to perform LASIK and has successfully performed more than 70,000 procedures. 

Author Bio

Natalie Burg is a writer, editor and editorial project manager with 20 years of experience. She uses her expertise from a range of industries, including economic development, business, sustainability and more, to create content that educates and engages readers.

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