Ahead of next month’s final Vision Expo East (VEE) in New York City, co-organizers The Vision Council and RX have announced the educational program rundown for what to expect during the four-day annual trade conference.
Give me a little background.
VEE and Vision Expo West (VEW)—held in Las Vegas, Nevada—are trade conferences and exhibitions combined with medical education (COPE CE and ABO/NCLE) hosted each year by The Vision Council and RX, a global events company, for ophthalmic professionals.
Each conference intertwines eyecare with education, fashion, and technological innovations, featuring an Exhibit Hall show floor to showcase industry leaders and encourage growth—all with the ultimate goal of enhancing overall patient care.
Now what’s this I hear of VEE moving?
You heard right.
Back in October 2023, news broke that, after 38 years, the long-held NYC-based conference would be heading south to Orlando, Florida, beginning in 2025. Click here to learn why.
Gotcha. So what’s on tap for this year’s programming?
Kicking off on Thursday, March 14, and running through Sunday, March 17, the VisionEd optometry (OD) and opticianry program will feature an estimated 200 educational sessions with 300 hours of content presented by 100 expert speakers.
Let’s talk specifics.
New to the OD education program are custom-designed clinical courses such as “Ask The Experts” and “Two Truths & A Lie,” which involve expert reviewing of patient cases.
Also on Thursday, March 14, is the Global Contact Lens Forum, presented by Melissa Barnett, OD, from 8:30 am to 3:15 pm EST.
Anything on the OptiCon front?
OptiCon will feature 100+ education courses covering six key areas:
- Optical technology
- Allied health
- Contact lens
- Practice management
- Business solutions
- American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and National Contact Lens Examiners Board (NCLE) basic and advanced exam review courses
The EssilorLuxottica-sponsored OptiCon General Session—scheduled for Friday, March 14, at 12:30 pm EST on The Bridge (Vision Expo’s main stage)—will also feature guest speaker Rebecca Alexander, LCSW-R, MPH, an award-winning author, psychotherapist, and athlete.
Alexander will discuss her experience living with Usher Syndrome Type 3.
What else will OptiCon offer?
Per Vision Expo, attendees with access to the OptiCon education package will have access o:
- Unlimited continuing education (CE) courses, including ABO and NCLE
- OptiCon General Session access
- Free Exhibit Hall access (includes the OptiCon @ Vision Expo Hub)
- Tailored special events (welcome event and peer networking)
- Access to ABO and NCLE exam review courses and exams
- Access to discounted rates at a dedicated OptiCon @ Vision Expo hotel
Where can I find the schedule for education courses?
A list of all sessions can be found here.
For the comprehensive OD brochure a day-by-day breakdown of courses, click here.
For opticians and allied health education schedules, click here.
Anything new at the Expo Hall?
This year’s Expo Hall opens on Friday, March 15, and runs through Sunday, March 17. Click here for a list of exhibitors and here for a product list rundown.
As far as new attractions: The Focus is part of the expo’s lens and medical technology neighborhood, featuring advances in lens and coating technology, lens processing techniques, disease management solutions, and contact lens innovations, to name a few.
Lastly, are there any events geared towards students and new grads?
Yes! Vision Expo’s Career Zone is designed exclusively for students (including a student lounge) and young ODs interested in connecting with optometry and optical companies, networking, and exploring career resources available to them.
Included in this experience is the “Passport Program,” where students can meet with vendors listed on their “passport” and become eligible to win prizes and cash.
Nice! So how do I register for VEE?
Click here for information and rates.