2024 Eye Data & AI Summit Overview
The 2024 Eye Data & AI Summit, hosted by the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science and the Waterloo Eye Institute, took place on June 8, 2024 at the University of Waterloo main campus in Waterloo, Ontario. The conference brought together experts in optometry, data science, health systems, and policy to talk about the future of using AI to improve vision care in Canada.
Through talks and collaborative discussions, the summit helped align the vision for CAN-VIEW, a national eye data repository initiative to build a shared eye health data system that support the goals of Canada’s National Eye Care Strategy (Bill C-284).
Topics and Speakers
Current Challenges and Strategic Direction
- Dr. Stan Woo – School of Optometry & Vision Science
Interdisciplinary Strengths, Optometry and Strategic Direction
- Dr. Clark Dickerson – Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology
- Summit’s goals and future direction, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration to address Canada’s vision crisis.
Math as the New Microscope
- Prof. Anita Layton – Mathematical Biology and Medicine
- Mathematical modeling as a tool to understand kidney physiology, diabetes, and chronic disease.
ChatGPT & the LLMs: Challenges and Opportunities
- Prof. Jimmy Lin – Waterloo.AI, Primal
- Tools and frameworks for making sense of large-scale data, with a focus on semantic computing and distributed systems.
Public Policy & Privacy
- Prof. Anindya Sen – Cybersecurity & Privacy Institute
- Machine learning applications in analyzing government interventions, data markets, and misinformation.
CAN-VIEW: Establishing A National Eye Data Repository
- Prof. Helen Chen – Health Informatics
- Vision for a national repository to support AI-driven policy, improve interoperability, and generate real-world evidence.
Call to Action
Help Shape the Future of Vision Care
The Eye Data & AI Summit has brought together diverse voices across UW to address Canada’s growing vision crisis with bold and data-driven solutions. From highlighting the urgent need for equitable eye care access to showcasing the transformative potential of AI and mathematical models, this summit has laid the foundation for a future where innovation and inclusion go hand in hand.
The path forward calls for continued momentum—through innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialization—to translate research into real-world impact.
Anchored by Bill C-284, the summit has laid the groundwork for a National Eye Data Repository, fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, and aligned our efforts with global health futures. We invite all stakeholders to join us in shaping a smarter, more equitable future for eye care in Canada.
Let’s build it together. We can ensure that every Canadian—regardless of age, geography, or background—has access to timely, personalized, and effective eye care.
We‘d love to hear from you – contact us to express your interest and we‘ll start to build a community:
Steering committee, Working groups, Advisors, Researchers