As always, there was lots to see and do at Vision Expo East (VEE). This year's event was held March 30 through April 2, 2017, and has been labeled a success with exhibitors reporting strong sales activity and lots of positive feedback from both attendees and exhibitors.
This year's show featured more than 320 hours of education for optometrists and their staff, including a Global Contact Lens Forum, Ocular Surface Disease and Wellness Symposium, a Scleral Lens Track, and other specialty programs tackling some of the industry's biggest topics.
And the two-level exhibit hall featured a mind-blowing array of products, including eyewear, lenses, devices and services, plus four Fashion Shows and interactive Pop Up Talks.
Here’s a quick recap of just a few of VEE's highlights.
Fabulous Frames
At VEE 2017, Robert Marc launched its spring/summer 2017 collection inspired by Saint-Tropez, featuring a women's collection with flirtatious shapes and refined color combinations, and a men's collection that introduces a new "St. Tropez" temple design that helps highlight the hand craftsmanship of the eyewear.
A&A Optical gave VEE attendees a look into what it takes to create each Jimmy Crystal New York™ frame through an in-booth demonstration of the Swarovski® crystalizing process (pictured left). Additionally, visitors to the booth had the chance to meet and greet with Jimmy Crystal New York frame designer Walter Roth.
Vuarnet featured new styles for its Cable Car Collection, all featuring the brand's mineral glass lenses. Standouts included the Cable Car Medium Rectangle with three-layer gradient of different colored acetates on the front, and the retro-inspired Edge Round featuring a white and translucent frame with polarized blue flash lenses.
Bollé showcased new styles for the second generation of its Sport Protection line for the younger set. The new styles are made from a polycarbonate material and feature fun, mattified colors. Additionally, all styles are fully Rxable, with a photochromic option as well.
ProDesign Denmark featured a variety of new spring/summer 2017 styles at VEE. Examples include an emphasis on thin profiles in both metal and acetate for its Essential Collection, while Danish Heritage Collection focused on a more trendy, urban look with a retro edge. The women's Iris Collection focused on rich colors and intricate detailing, and new styles for the men's Axiom Collection feature a masculine urban look.
For the first time, attendees could view the full Steve Madden Eyewear collection at the booth of ClearVision Optical, featuring both optical and sun styles for women, men and children. ClearVision also debuted its newest initiative at VEE — the Dilli Dalli Presents: Red’s Adventure mobile game for young children and their parents — and brought back its popular Aspire Custom Eyewear Design Lab.
Silhouette featured styles from its Sun 2017 Collection, featuring vivacious colors and sleek shapes, as well as its Titan Minimal Art collection with rimless styles in a variety of lens shapes from classic to more fashion-forward. The booth also showcased three new styles — Dani, Valerie and Bob — from neubau eyewear made with sustainable material naturalPX.
Marcolin Eyewear showcased a variety of new styles for its brands. Standouts included Balenciaga spring/summer 2017 frames featuring both full acetate and acetate/metal mix styles with more angular shapes for a futuristic and modern feel, and new sunwear for Guess featuring sophisticated acetate styles with glam colors for women and stainless steel models for men.
Area 98 featured new styles for a number of its brands, including the La Matta collection featuring acetate frames inspired by animals with lots of color and jewelry-effect metallic detailing on the temples. And Area98 also showcased its new CCS by Coco Song line, targeting a young female audience with a fresh and bright style.
During VEE, Safilo revealed the final prototypes of the Safilo x Parson's Design Thesis Competition. Additionally, the company organized a photography exhibit, "American Eyes," as an homage to American opticians, which was on view during VEE at the Caelum Gallery in Chelsea, and can also be viewed online at GalleriaSafilo.com.
VEE-newcomer Philippe V launched its eyewear collection (pictured right) featuring retro-inspired styles with a rock edge and lots of details for both men and women. The frames are made from metal or Italian acetate, and feature German hinges and custom organic lenses.
And ic berlin! showcased the three styles in its new Rubber Collection, which offers a balance between high performance sport eyewear and high fashion sheet metal eyewear. And the company also highlighted its uber luxury line, onono: the very few, featuring frames forged from several layers of buffalo horn in an intricate lamination process.
Innovative Technologies
PogoTec used VEE to introduce its Smart Case device that accompanies PogoCam — a small and light camera attachable to eyewear. The Smart Case automatically recharges the PogoCam battery, backs up images and video, and transfers content wirelessly to the user's smartphone via Bluetooth. Additionally, PogoTec introduced its new proprietary adapter called the PogoLoop, which allows a PogoCam to be attached to eyeglass frames not equipped with PogoTrack.
Another VEE introduction came from ActiveLink Optical, which launched its new marketing technology aimed at helping ECPs increase their eyewear sales. Through the use of facial recognition software, ActiveLink emails patients personalized frame suggestions based on their facial shape and characteristics. And ECPs receive lead reports and analytics from ActiveLink to identify patients who are interested in new frames.
EyeCarePro was on-hand to talk to attendees about their new scheduling app that is embedded into a doctor's website and allows patients to make appointments at their convenience. Compatible with both iPhone and Android, the app is part of the company's initiative to capture appointments through mobile devices.
In the contact lens arena, Bausch + Lomb launched its new ULTRA ® for Astigmatism contact lenses. These new monthly silicone hydrogel lenses combine the company's MoistureSeal ® technology and OpticAlign ™ design to help astigmatic patients have comfortable vision throughout the day.
ZEISS was at VEE showcasing its new EnergizeMe™ lenses designed specifically to meet the vision needs of contact lens wearers. The lenses feature a combination of a new lens design with Digital Inside Technology and DuraVision BlueProtect coating for optimum comfort and protection from digital eyestrain and blue light, helping tired eyes relax and prevent eyestrain.
Also in the lens arena, Signet Armorlite was on hand to talk to attendees about Kodak Total Blue Lenses. The lenses feature a combination of a proprietary material and double-sided coating that offers 100 percent UV protection and blocks up to 80 percent of High Energy Visible (HEV) blue light.
Essilor used VEE as an opportunity to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Crizal® no-glare lenses.
And definitely making a splash at VEE was Luxexcel, who showcased its 3D printed lens technology. The 3D printed lenses are compliant with industry standards, are compatible with existing coatings, tinting and edging, and offer lots of customizable possibilities.
New exhibitor Plusoptix highlighted its binocular pediatric autorefractor (pictured left) that can be used with children as young as 6 months. The device takes about a second to take binocular readings in both eyes from 3.3 feet away. Noises, lights and a smiley face on the device helps keep the child's attention, while a touchscreen interface makes it easy to use for practitioners.
Canon USA showcased its eye care devices at VEE, as well as its imageSPECTRUM Image Management System software that features a selectable opacity suppression filter tool that helps practitioners reduce the effects of ocular opacities, correct blur, and enhance blood vessel clarity for clearer retinal images.
And over at Optelec’s booth, the company highlighted the new ERGO-Lux MP mobil ergonomic illuminated hand magnifier from Schweizer. The magnifier uses LEDs for long-lasting, bright light in two levels of brightness, is rechargeable, and features 14 different lenses with 11 powers.
Vision Expo East 2018 will take place March 15-18, 2018 at the Javits Center in New York City. For more information, visit east.visionexpo.com.
Like what you read? Follow OptometryWeb to keep up with our latest articles, news and events. Plus, get special offers and more delivered to your inbox.