Patients With Floaters: Answers From Virtual Assistants and Large Language Models

OBJECTIVES: Floaters, a common complaint among patients of all ages, was used as a query term because it affects 30% of all people searching for eye care. The American Academy of Ophthalmology website\u27s floaters section was used as a source for questions and answers (www.aao.org). Floaters is a visual obstruction that moves with the movement of the eye. They can be associated with retinal detachment, which can lead to vision loss. With the advent of large language model (LLM) chatbots ChatGPT, Bard versus virtual assistants (VA), Google Assistant, and Alexa, we analyzed their responses to floaters. METHODS: Using AAO.org, Public & Patients, and its related subsection, EyeHealth A-Z : Floaters and Flashes link, we asked four questions: (1) What are floaters? (2) What are flashes? (3) Flashes and Migraines? (4) Floaters and Flashes Treatment? to ChatGPT, Bard, Google Assistant, and Alexa. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) keywords were identified if they were highlighted. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formula approved by the U.S. Department of Education, was used to evaluate the reading comprehension level for the responses. RESULTS: Of the chatbots and virtual assistants, Google Assistant is the only one that uses the term ophthalmologist. There is no mention of the urgency or emergency nature of floaters. AAO.org shows a lower reading level vs the LLMs and VA ( CONCLUSION: Currently, ChatGPT, Bard, Google Assistant, and Alexa are similar. Factual information is present but all miss the urgency of the diagnosis of a retinal detachment. Translational relevance: Both the LLM and virtual assistants are free and our patients will use them to obtain floaters information. There may be errors of omission with ChatGPT and a lack of urgency to seek a physician\u27s care