Next week, Vision Expo East (VEE) once again brings the global eyecare community to New York City for four days of education, products, technology and networking.
To help you make the most of your show experience, here's a quick look at some of this year's planned highlights.
Education
VEE 2017 once again promises more than 320 hours of education, featuring clinical courses designed to provide a deep dive into ocular diseases, contact lenses, therapeutics and imaging technology.
This year's show sees the return of past attendee-favorite the Global Contact Lens Forum — a "meeting within a meeting" with a new format offering direct access to thought leaders discussing the future of the contact lens practice, along with the latest advancements and critical business strategies. And the Ocular Surface Disease and Wellness Symposium will teach attendees how an ocular practice can mirror a preventative care model to better diagnose and treat patients, and the expertise needed to recognize dry eye diseases.
Image courtesy International Vision Expo
VEE's education offerings also include specialty programs tackling trending industry topics. For example, the new Scleral Lens Track builds on its success and high demand at Vision Expo West (VEW) to offer attendees a thorough understanding of the scleral lens fitting process and advanced problem solving techniques. New Blue Light sessions present everything from the latest research findings to the basics of blue light, and the newly-created, retail-focused Manager’s "To-Do-List" mini-track features actionable takeaways attendees can immediately implement, and the new Vision Series offers learning experiences while you grab lunch.
Also for 2017, VEE has partnered with Google to bring attendees the latest tools and opportunities available to the eye care industry. Offerings include a day-long program of 20-minute Google Talks at the new Marketing Stadium, where attendees can learn from Google Agency Developer Liz Austin and Premier Partner Marketing4ECPs on how to utilize Google digital products to grow their eye care business.
Networking
As usual, there's lots of great ways to meet and greet others in the eyecare world while at VEE.
The VEE Opening Night festivities on the evening of Friday, March 31st will feature veteran OD rockers, Bad Habits "The Eye Docs of Rock," at B.B. Kings Club & Grill at 9pm. Prior to the main event, there will be a reception for members of Vision Source, ODs on Facebook and Think About Your Eyes from 8pm to 9pm.
And on Saturday, April 1st there are a number of receptions offered, such as Corporate Optometry on Facebook's reception from 4:30 pm to 5:30pm at the Bryant Park Lounge, and the Google VIP Cocktail Party at the OPTImum Lounge from 5:20 pm to 6pm. Then later that evening, National Vision offers up the Optometry Student Party at Sky Room from 7pm to 9pm, followed by EyeRock: Rockin' for New Eyes — a benefit event for New Eyes for the Needy — at Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square at 8:30pm.
Exhibit Hall
Once again, VEE will feature five football fields worth of exhibit hall space, chock full of the latest and greatest in eyewear, devices and technology.
New this year, VEE will offer an Optical Profit Center in the exhibit hall as a destination for eyecare professionals looking to amplify their profits by incorporating new products or services, or upgrading the environment or experience. Encompassing a collaboration of industry leaders including ClearVision, Fashion Optical Displays, Santinelli, Smart Mirror and Super Optical, the center will offer pop-up talks on topics such as office design, lens sales and expanding your edging lab.
Image courtesy International Vision Expo
On Friday, VEE 2017's exhibit hall will also include a series of four "moving" fashion shows featuring models wearing the season's hottest statement glasses and sunglasses with each show focusing on a different theme — Colors, Shapes, Details and Lenses. Additionally, exhibit hall attendees can participate in interactive 30-minute Pop Up Talks in The Galleria Lounge featuring up-to-date information from leaders in the eyewear industry.
Here's just a taste of what exhibiting companies will be showcasing at VEE 2017:
- A&A Optical will offer an in-booth product demonstration of the Jimmy Crystal stoning process on Friday, March 31st from 12:30 to 2:30pm, with a chance to win a free Jimmy Crystal New York™ sun frame.
- Area98 will attend VEE 2017 to present their latest Coco Song, Robert Rüdger, La Matta and KAOS collections.
- The Chlogan Eyewear Group will continue the launch of its children's collection The Limited TOO, featuring handmade zyl frames plus a flexible, ultra-sturdy stainless steel collection, all with the latest European colors.
- ClearVision Optical plans to unveil a variety of new designs and eyewear innovations at VEE, as well as a complimentary Happy Hour on Sunday, April 2st at 1pm and giveaways of their 2017 tote bag.
- This year at VEE, Costa will offer ECPs an opportunity to win a once-in- a-lifetime trip to join the OCEARCH team on their boat in New York this August. Attendees can also meet Founding Chairman and Expedition Leader of OCEARCH during a booth happy hour on both March 31 and April 1 from 4 to 6pm.
- Coburn Technologies will showcase the new HLM-1 Lensmeter with Wavefront Analysis Technology, manufactured by Huvitz Co., Ltd.
- CompuLink will allow attendees the opportunity to see and learn more about its OneTab™ HER product.
- Attendees can stop at the booth of Essilor Instruments USA for an in-depth demonstration of its new Pro-E™ 600 edging system designed to increase productivity essential for high-volume labs.
- Forus Health will present its 3nethra classic Fundus Camera System, which takes rich, non-mydriatic, high-quality images of the anterior or posterior segments.
- As a first-time exhibitor, the Fukui Optical Industrial Association will offer a booth The Galleria featuring a collaboration of Japanese eyeglass manufacturers from Fukui and Sabae City.
- This year, Hoya will feature two booths at VEE — one featuring their lenses and the other featuring frames — with both offering daily raffles.
- ImageWear and Nouveau Eyewear will unveil a new trade show booth and conference area for 2017. Additionally, attendees can meet the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Saturday, April 1 from noon to 4pm.
- Kenmark Eyewear will feature a photo booth at their VEE booth on Friday and Saturday to help promote their #KenmarkGetsReal campaign.
- Luxexcel will feature its 3D printed lens technology at VEE, as well as exciting new opportunities and future applications.
- Marco will highlight its Optical Path Diagnostics and Wavefront Optimized Refraction solutions.
- MEI will offer the latest technologies in optical lens shaping machinery, including the EzFit all-in-one edger, and DCU (Direct Calibration Unit) with computer contactless measuring system.
- Mosaic Eyewear and Wagner + Kühner will use VEE to formally launch the new Emil "K" eyewear collection to the U.S. market.
- At the booth of neubau eyewear, learn about their "See & Do Good" initiative and the use of naturalPX to formulate their latest styles.
- New York Eye will nationally launch the Esquire Eyewear Collection for Men at VEE, designed in collaboration with the editors at Esquire.
- New York Times best-selling author Randy Street will present a keynote and interactive workshop during Opti-Port's semi-annual SPARK Conference on Thursday, March 30th at VEE.
- Philippe V will introduce its first-ever optical collection at VEE featuring a revolutionary design approach and flagship titanium frames which will hit retailers around spring 2017.
- Revolution Eyewear will unleash an all-new collection at VEE featuring superior lightweight, flexible construction with a patented mirrored magnetic clip-on.
- Safilo USA will reintroduce its Elasta and Emozioni collections at VEE with a photo exhibition at the Caelum Gallery in Chelsea during VEE weekend. For those unable to attend, it can also be viewed online at GalleriaSafilo.com.
- Studio Optyx will be in The Underground featuring the latest from its brands including NW77th and Monoqool 3D printed frames.
- Tekā Eyewear will be at VEE with their new spring/summer collection, plus giveaways and raffles.
- Topcon will spotlight its dry eye solutions, including the KR-1W, CA-800 and SL-D701.
- Hollywood top celebrity stylist Kate Young will be at Tura's VEE booth on April 1st from 1-3pm, offering frame styling sessions appointments.
- Vuarnet will showcase its new styles Cable Car Cateye and Edge Round, which also features a new lens introduction.
- WestGroupe will launch a completely redesigned booth for VEE, and will present their new FYSH UK, KLiiK denmark, EVATIK and Superflex SS17 collections, as well as the 2017 FYSH UK Sun collection.
- Wiley X®, Inc. will celebrate its 30 years in business at VEE 2017 with a 30th Anniversary Champagne & Wine Happy Hour on Saturday, April 1st from 4 to 6 pm, plus raffles, giveaways, show specials, and new products.
- Xavier Garcia will present its latest collection at its VEE booth, represented by distributor Prisme Optical Group.
- Attendees can stop by the ZEISS booth to learn more about ZEISS EnergizeMe™ — a brand new eyeglass lens specifically designed for contact lens wearers.
- On Friday, March 31st, Zyloware Eyewear will be raffling off a basketball autographed by Shaquille O'Neal; on Saturday, April 1st they'll be giving away an authentic and signed Randy Jackson guitar; and on Sunday, April 2nd, the company will raffle off an Amazon Echo Dot.
Vision Expo East takes place March 30 - April 2, 2017 at the Javits Center in New York City. For more information, visit east.visionexpo.com.