Vision Expo West, the premier U.S. trade show for eyewear professionals, organized by the Vision Council and RX, returns to the Sands Expo Convention Center and the Venetian Resort from Wednesday through Saturday.
“We are gearing up for a fabulous Vision Expo West and are thrilled by the customer support and excitement that has been building,” said Fran Pennella, vice president, Vision Expo at RX. “We’re looking forward to hosting the eye care and eyewear community for a few action-packed days, offering refreshed floor experiences, educational sessions and celebrations for all attendees.”
New for the 2023 exhibit hall, three show floor avenues will provide the primary navigational pathways, meant to ensure a smooth and efficient experience for all attendees. The avenues — Park Avenue, Union Avenue and Focus Avenue — will guide attendees through the event. In addition to the avenues, Vision Expo West will feature DJs at The Atelier neighborhood, there will be an Innovation Stage, and the Look East neighborhood will showcase a curated collection from Asia’s leading suppliers.
VisionEd, Vision Expo’s education program, includes 300 hours and more than 150 brand new courses of Optometric and Opticianry continuing education. New clinical courses covering topics such as orbital and ocular trauma and diagnosing and treating glaucoma are aimed to enhance clinical skills and knowledge in optometry. A range of new business courses highlighting topics like company culture and avoiding legal pitfalls will also be offered to optometrists to aid them effectively manage their practices.
“Our Vision Expo West attendees span the entire eye care and eyewear industry and possess a wide range of specialties and unique business needs,” Pennella said. “However, what most have in common is the desire to spend their time at Vision Expo attending education sessions and discovering new products. As the leading trade show and conference for our industry, it is our duty to keep the pulse on hot industry topics and trends and provide these educational opportunities for our attendees to stay ahead of the curve.”
New for 2023 is a pilot series EYEnovate, on the Innovation Stage. The “highly disruptive series will explore the bleeding edge of advancements in eye care technology and will feature 15-minute talks by leaders in their respective fields, showcasing the latest breakthroughs in areas such as automation, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, VR/AR and other emerging technologies” Pennella explained of the new series.
The EYEnovate series kicks off with the first session on Thursday at 9:45 a.m., with a second session Friday, also beginning at 9:45 a.m. A panel of industry leaders, including Ashley Mills, chief executive officer of The Vision Council, James Rosin, copresident of Rosin Optical Co., and Susy Yu, OD, MBA, FAAO, director of business strategy and operations support for Vision Essentials by Kaiser Permanente Southern California Permanente Medical Group, will judge all EYEnovate presentations and select one participant to receive the inaugural Ocular Horizons Award, which will be announced on Friday at the Innovation Stage.
Professional development opportunities include Marketing4ECPs Social Media Bootcamp, taking place on Wednesday, and an expanded career zone for young professionals across the eye care industry, offering valuable resources, networking opportunities and complimentary professional headshots courtesy of the Young ODs of America for anyone seeking to enhance their career prospects in the eye care industry.
“The Marketing4ECPs Social Media Bootcamp will offer eye care professionals the education and tools they need to implement strategic social media strategies into their marketing and communications efforts,” Pennella said. “These fabulously attended comprehensive workshops are led by marketing experts who guide attendees through engaging sessions, providing easy-to-implement insights and strategies. It’s a must for ECPs looking to grow their social media presence, as all attendees leave with actionable next steps to take back to their practices.”
As always, the show has a wide range of special events planned throughout the week, including Swing Fore Sight Golf Tournament, Optical Women’s Association Connection Series: The Rally Mentality, Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Optical Luncheon and the opening night party on Thursday, where Bad Habits “The EyeDocs of Rock,” the longtime rock band comprised of several practicing optometrists, will perform from 9 p.m. until midnight at the Brooklyn Bowl, located at 3545 South Las Vegas Boulevard.
“Vision Expo West 2023 is poised to be another great show and we look forward to bringing people together from across the industry to learn, connect and have fun. With the Las Vegas strip as our vibrant backdrop, Show attendees are invited to a number of exclusive parties and special events that are made possible by our generous hosts and sponsors,” Pennella said.