All photos provided by Barti
Accompanying candid video discussion examines AI’s impact on independent eyecare
May 7, 2026
Barti Software, the first AI-powered operating system built exclusively for independent eyecare, today announced that Masoud Nafey, OD, MBA, FAAO, has joined its board of directors. An optometrist by training and a longtime healthcare executive and technology strategist, Dr. Nafey has held senior executive roles at VSP Global and EssilorLuxottica, building widely adopted platforms from the ground up in eyecare, including Eyefinity and Uprise EHR.
“Dr. Nafey has seen the optometry software space from every angle—as a doctor, an executive and a trusted advisor to hundreds of practices,” said Colton Calandrella, CEO of Barti. “He knows what it takes to bring great technology into independent eyecare at scale, and he’s spent his career thinking about where this industry needs to go next. That’s exactly the perspective we want guiding Barti as we grow.”
“Too often, technology asks doctors to adapt to the software instead of the software adapting to how doctors actually practice,” said Dr. Nafey. “Barti is fundamentally different. It’s built to reduce friction, not create it—and it leverages automation and AI in a way that feels practical and thoughtful. I see platforms like Barti becoming foundational to the next generation of eyecare, and I’d love to help make that future possible.”
As a board member, Dr. Nafey will help guide Barti’s strategic growth and product evolution. He joins a leadership team that already includes a Chief Operating Officer who is also an optometrist, reflecting Barti’s commitment to integrating clinical expertise at every level of the company.
Watch: “Eye Care’s Next Big Shift. Are You Ready?”
Coinciding with the appointment, Barti released a new video conversation between Calandrella and Dr. Nafey that takes the titles question seriously: What does AI actually change for an independent practice today? Their answers run from AI scribes and voice-first workflows to why the cost of better software is finally within reach for independents—and where doctors should begin if they haven’t yet.
“AI isn’t coming to eyecare—it’s already here,”said Calandrella. “The question for independent practices isn’t whether to adopt it, but how to adopt it in a way that genuinely serves doctors and patients. That’s the conversation Dr. Nafey and I wanted to have out loud.”
Watch the full conversation here.
