Tracking Online Interest in Artificial Intelligence in Ophthalmology Using Google Trends

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Artificial Intelligence
• Health Informatics

Background:

• The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into healthcare is rapidly evolving.
• Ophthalmology, a field reliant on visual data analysis, is poised for significant AI-driven advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze internet search query trends for AI in ophthalmology.
• To correlate public interest in AI with venture capital investment and peer-reviewed publications in the field.

Main Methods:

• Google Trends data for "AI retina", "AI eye", and "AI healthcare" (2016-2022).
• Global venture financing data for AI/ML healthcare companies (2010-2019).
• PubMed citation counts for "artificial intelligence retina" (2012-2021).

Main Results:

• Consistent linear growth in online searches for AI in ophthalmology keywords from 2016-2022.
• Exponential increase in venture capital funding for AI/ML healthcare companies.
• Nearly a 10-fold increase in research publications on AI and the retina since 2015.
• Strong positive correlations (r=0.98-0.99, p<0.05) between search trends, investment, and publications.

Conclusions:

• Growing online interest, investment, and research indicate AI's increasing importance in ophthalmology.
• AI and ML applications are being actively investigated and financed.
• AI-derived tools are expected to play a significant role in future ophthalmology clinical practice.