HOUSTON—With a special program in the works to mark the 30th anniversary of its founding, Vision Source opened The Exchange meeting here on Wednesday with a full line-up of events, learning labs, and in-booth workshops with supplier partners. The four-day in-person event, being held here at the George R. Brown Convention Center, runs through Saturday. The organization plans to use the venue of The Exchange to celebrate its milestone anniversary, as well as the fast-paced recovery members experienced during the pandemic, which Vision Source attributed to its collaborative efforts and focus on providing the best patient care. The Exchange is expecting more than 2,650 attendees.

"It is an honor to be back in person with our members for our premier annual event, The Exchange," general manager Jeff Duncan said. "This year, we celebrate our milestone 30th anniversary and attending members can look forward to free continuing education, special access to over 100 vendors offering Exchange-exclusive specials, inspirational keynote speakers, networking experiences and exhilarating special events with marquee performers such as Grammy winning country music artist Brad Paisley."
 
Amir Khoshnevis, OD, chief medical officer, added, "The Exchange gives us an opportunity to gather as a community, share best practices and learnings, engage with industry leaders and look at what is in store for our incredible network. This year, we are pulling out all the stops to celebrate the incredible success of our members who have harnessed the collaborative power of our community to outpace the industry in recovering from the business impacts of COVID-19 while laying the foundation for the future of private optometry through the power of our shared vision to provide our patients with the best care possible." 
 
At the concluding event Saturday night, country music recording star Brad Paisley is scheduled to perform for attendees. In addition, American rock band 38 Special will perform at the Saturday night celebration party.
 
The Exchange meeting in 2020 was changed to a virtual event in response to the coronavirus pandemic.