Buchanan Optometrists and Audiologists is no ordinary eye-care center. The Association of Optometrists (AOP) estimates 17,500 registered optometrists working across roughly 6,000 practices in the UK.  To even make the top 5 is our equivalent of an Oscar nomination! They are the only practice in the UK to consistently make the top 5 since 2008. Buchanan Optometrists describe themselves as innovators who “continually push boundaries.”

Their list of awards speaks for itself:

• 2012 – National Optician Award for Premium Lens Practice of the Year
• 2013 – Luxury Eyewear Retailer of the Year and Premium Lens Practice of the Year
• 2013 – Winner at the UK Optician Awards
• 2015–2016 – Best UK Independent Practice
• 2017–2018 – Optometrist of the Year, with Alisdair Buchanan named the top optometrist in the UK
• 2023–2024 – Best Independent Optician and Best Technology Practice

And this list is not finished, as Alisdair Buchanan, the Owner and the Director of the center, is investing in their growth continuously.

With a track record like this, it’s no surprise that Buchanan Optometrists was among the first to adopt AI for Decision Support in OCT. AI is rapidly becoming a vital part of modern eye care, and leading centers are already embracing it.

Mark Braddon, Altris AI VP of Clinical Sales, sat down with Alisdair Buchanan, the owner and director of the practice, to talk about his experience with AI and what it means for the future of optometry.

Mark Braddon: You’ve been working with OCT for years. What changed in your practice after bringing in Altris AI Decision Support for OCT?

Alisdair Buchanan, Owner: As someone already confident in interpreting scans, I didn’t need help understanding OCT—but Altris provides something even more valuable: a kind of second opinion. It supports my clinical decisions and offers an added layer of reassurance, particularly in borderline or complex cases. That’s not just helpful—it’s powerful.

I didn’t think our OCT assessments could improve much—until we started using Altris AI. It’s not just an upgrade; it’s become an indispensable part of delivering modern, high-quality eye care. Altris AI has significantly enhanced the way we interpret OCT scans. What used to require prolonged focus and cross-referencing now takes moments, without sacrificing accuracy or depth. The system analyses images with incredible precision, highlighting subtle pathological changes that are often time-consuming to detect, especially during a busy clinic day.

Mark Braddon: What was the first real benefit you noticed after bringing  Altris AI into your day-to-day routine?

Alisdair Buchanan, Owner: One of the most immediate benefits has been in patient communication. The platform generates clear, colour-coded visuals that make explaining findings effortless. Instead of trying to talk patients through grainy greyscale images, we can now show them precisely what we’re seeing. It’s improved understanding, reduced anxiety, and increased trust in the care we’re providing.

Mark Braddon: Was it easy to fit AI Decision Support into your OCT workflow? How easy did you find integrating Altris AI?

Alisdair Buchanan, Owner: Integration was seamless—no faff, no friction. It fits naturally into our existing workflow, with scans uploaded and analysed within seconds. It’s helped us work more efficiently, without compromising the thoroughness our patients expect.

In short, Altris AI has sharpened our clinical edge and strengthened the service we offer. It doesn’t replace experience—it enhances it. And that, for me, is the real value.

Mark Braddon: In your experience, where has AI been the most helpful in clinical work?

Alisdair Buchanan, Owner: The main area where it shines is in picking up early macular changes, particularly dry AMD. Things like drusen or subtle changes in the outer retinal layers, which could easily be missed at a glance, are brought to the surface immediately.

It’s also been handy with diabetic patients. Just having that extra layer of input to flag microstructural changes helps us stay ahead of progression.

We’ve also started using it with glaucoma suspects. While our Heidelberg Spectralis remains our go-to for structural monitoring, having the RNFL analysis from Altris adds a checkpoint. I’d never base a referral purely on it, but it’s nice to have a second opinion—even if it’s an AI one.

Mark Braddon: Has AI Decision Support changed how you handle borderline or difficult-to-call cases?

Alisdair Buchanan, Owner: I’d say it’s given us more confidence, particularly in the grey areas—those borderline cases where you’re not quite sure if it’s time to refer or just monitor a bit more closely. With AMD, for example, it has helped us catch early signs of progression and refer patients before things become urgent.

And for glaucoma, again, it’s not replacing anything we do—it’s just another tool we can lean on. Sometimes it confirms what we already thought, and other times it nudges us to look again more carefully.

Mark Braddon: How has using AI impacted your conversations with patients during consultations?

Alisdair Buchanan, Owner: One of the unexpected benefits has been how much it helps with patient conversations. We show the scans on-screen during the consultation, and the colour overlays make things much easier to explain, especially with older patients. They can see what we’re talking about, which makes the whole thing feel more real and less abstract.

They often say, “Ah, now I understand,” or “So that’s what you’re looking at.” It’s not about dazzling them with tech—it just helps make the discussion more transparent and more reassuring.

Mark Braddon: Some professionals worry that AI might replace human judgment. How do you see its role in clinical decision-making?

Alisdair Buchanan, Owner: I don’t see Altris AI —or any AI—as a threat to what we do. It’s not here to replace us. We still make the decisions, take responsibility, and guide our patients. But it does help.

For me, it’s like having a quiet assistant in the background. It doesn’t get everything right, and I certainly wouldn’t act on it blindly—but it prompts me to pause, double-check, and sometimes spot something I might have missed otherwise. That can only be a good thing.

In short, Altris AI has sharpened our clinical edge and strengthened the service we offer. It doesn’t replace experience—it enhances it. And that, for me, is the real value.