Held in New York City March 16-18, the 32nd annual Vision Expo East revealed a host of fresh additions to its already successful format. This included a new look, new lounges with complimentary refreshments, 192 new exhibitors (out of a total of 715), and new exciting education formats.
The show was a successful event, with an impressive 3,100 O.D.s and 1,200 new opticians and contact lens technicians registered to attend, attracted largely by the show's new partnership with OptiCon. The new OptiCon @ Vision Expo programming included a full lineup of celebrity appearances, social events, and Pop-Up Talks. OptiCon @ Vision Expo also featured a slate of new educational sessions designed specifically for this audience.
Also new this year was the OPTImum Retail Award, a program celebrating independent boutique retailers by showcasing their products, storefronts, visions and their stories. The winning retailer, Todd Rogers Eyewear, was selected by an esteemed panel of industry judges.
In addition, the thousands of eyecare professionals who came for Vision Expo's educational programs were treated to many new course offerings, such as the Ocular Aesthetics track, Attract and Retain Customers series, and Supporting the Practice Experience sessions.
New events also joined the lineup, including a partnership with Women's Wear Daily for the "Eye on Design: An Exclusive Talk with Influential Eyewear Designers" panel featuring leading creative visionaries in the eyewear industry. The panel was streamed live by WWD on Facebook, with the session performing 85% better than the average WWD live stream. And nearly 400 people attended "Private Equity Takes Root," a new session that explored the decision of selling a private practice to a private equity investment group or management platform.
While there was much that was new this year at Vision Expo East, the atmosphere of excitement and camaraderie was present as always. The OWA again hosted two popular events, the Champagne Breakfast and the Star Award cocktail party (read about them HERE and HERE).
We look forward to seeing what Vision Expo West has in store for us in September!
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