The Safilo booth featured a branded Carrera selfie station, complete with a 1965 Ford Mustang.

LAS VEGAS—The headline in the Sept 25 Show Daily from Vision Expo West summed up the mood for attendees and exhibitors: “A Bustling Show Floor.” As Expo got into full swing on Friday, VM’s Gwendolyn Plummer, one of Vision Monday’s onsite reporters of our Expo Show Daily observed, “Vision Expo West has been big, bustling and busy. With a massive show floor and plenty of events to choose from, there’s no question that attendees are here, confident and optimistic. Because Vegas is so familiar to all of us Vision Expo regulars, this year’s show has felt something like a homecoming, and those who are in attendance are here to browse, buy and make up for lost time.”

The four-day event, which took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, from Sept. 22-25 at The Venetian Convention Center & Expo, brought together thousands of members of the industry, including exhibitors and attendees. The Show featured more than 280 exhibiting companies across several distinct neighborhoods and offered cutting-edge continuing education as well as engaging programming. Additionally, The Suites offered attendees access to established luxury fashion houses and the latest exclusive upmarket boutiques in an intimate buying experience across the Venetian and Palazzo Hotels. Official show attendance was not available at presstime.

Presented under the banner of VisionEd, Vision Expo’s education program offered more than 190 hours of education, ranging from the latest business strategies and fashion trends to patient education tactics and cutting-edge innovations. Returning to the Show, OptiCon@Vision Expo offered an unmatched education program and exhibit hall experience for opticians, contact lens practitioners and ophthalmic allied professionals.

If you are just back from Vegas or were unable to attend Vision Expo West, the onsite Show Dailies are a great way to catch up on everything Expo. The full digital editions of the Show Dailies from September 23, 24 and 25 can be accessed here.






Click the image above to download a PDF of Latest News and Show Shots from Vision Expo West Day 1.

Click the image above to download a PDF of Latest News and Show Shots from Vision Expo West Day 2.

Click the image above to download a PDF of Latest News and Show Shots from Vision Expo West Day 3.





New to Vision Expo West, The Seen served as a main stage destination and a hub for collaborative learning as the host venue for the EYE2EYE Series panels, an educational series of interactive panels featuring industry experts in discussion on topics ranging from fashion trend forecasts to tactics for refining patient care, and the Career Zone-Student Lounge, a destination for students to connect with optical companies that are actively recruiting and explore career resources. The Seen also housed the Innovation Stage, the Show Floor destination dedicated to groundbreaking content and state-of-the-art products and services revolutionizing the industry.

The Vision Choice Award, which recognizes the best new product at Vision Expo West, was awarded to Reichert Technologies for their all-new Tono-Vera Tonometer featuring the patent-pending ActiView Positioning System.

Vision Health Alliance, The Vision Council’s new consumer education initiative, in partnership with EyeCare4Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to providing professional eyecare to low-income, visually- impaired children and underserved families, provided valuable resources to local Southern Nevada schools through several on-site and off-site activities.

Together, the two organizations conducted a mobile eyecare clinic at a local, Las Vegas-area elementary school; assembled 500 emergency eyecare kits at Vision Health Alliance’s booth on the Show floor; and hosted a panel discussion at The Seen about the importance of early access to routine, comprehensive eye exams as part of a child’s developmental and educational success.



Additionally, Vision Expo West 2021 brought together key industry groups and supporters. Prevent Blindness, hosted its Person of Vision event Thursday evening at TAO in The Venetian. The 2021 award honored Marc Ferrara of Jobson Medical Information with all proceeds from the event supporting the sight-saving programs of Prevent Blindness.

In an effort to accommodate members of the community from around the globe, Vision Expo+, a free digital extension of the Vision Expo experience that debuted at Vision Expo East 2021, is being offered again from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 and will feature online showrooms from Vision Expo West’s exhibitors and recorded Vision Expo West content. Vision Expo+ is delivered through ShopVISION, a new global sourcing platform. All events taking place at The Seen, the main stage destination for collaborative learning, including EYE2EYE Series discussions, are available to view in an on-demand format on the ShopVISION platform.

To gain access to Vision Expo+ offerings, register for ShopVISION here by clicking the “Sign in/Join” button and then “Register Now.” ShopVISION and Vision Expo+ are being offered on a complimentary basis to all eyecare providers, buyers and all Vision Expo West 2021 exhibitors. Registrants who signed up for Vision Expo+ during Vision Expo East 2021 do not need to register again.

Vision Expo East 2022 will take place at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City from March 31 to April 3, 2022. The Show’s educational program, together with OptiCon@Vision Expo, will open Thursday, March 31 and the Exhibit Hall will open Friday, April 1. Details on registration will be released in the coming months, according to show organizers.

Additional Show Shots






Attendees joined Bad Habits “The Eye Docs of Rock,” the longtime rock band comprised of several practicing optometrists, as they performed at Vision Expo West’s opening night party. Held at the Hard Rock Café on the strip on Thursday, Sept. 23, the party was open to all Expo attendees.







(L to R) Michael Bunch of Carl Zeiss Vision, Jim McGrann of HEA+PECAA, Maureen Cavanagh of Prive Revaux and Jon Goldberg of Carl Zeiss Vision at the HEA+PECAA reception on Friday evening. The networking event also celebrated HEA+PECAA's new strategic partnership with Young ODs of America (YODA).

HEA Board member Derrick Artis, OD (l), with Lance Anderson, OD, of HEA+PECAA enjoy the atmosphere at the reception.

Optometry Giving Sight’s Eric Anderson (l) and Anne Marie Hand at the HEA+PECAA reception at the Palazzo’s Capri Pool Restaurant at Expo.










The ODs on Facebook party, an event that was open to all eyecare professionals, was held at Drai's Nightclub on Friday, Sept. 24. Attendees were able to grab a drink and make that in-person connection with their online friends from ODs on Facebook, all while soaking up the outdoor Vegas Strip atmosphere.








(L to R) Eliseo Parra of IOT with Walter Castro of Ocuco and Eliseo Parra of IOT at the IOT customer appreciation event at La Cave Wine Bar at The Wynn at Vision Expo West.

IOT vice president of sales and marketing Tina Lahti and company founder, president and CEO Daniel Crespo at the company's wine-tasting party at The Wynn at Vision Expo West.

FEA Industries’ Chrystal Colflesh and Andre White take a few moments to relax at the IOT customer appreciation get together at The Wynn.
     






The Career Zone-Student Lounge returned to Vision Expo West on Saturday, Sept. 25. Located in The Seen, the Career Zone-Student Lounge served as a central hub for students and young professionals to network with participating companies, all of which were actively recruiting and seeking new talent. Participating companies included: Aria Care Partners; Bixby Eye Center; Family HealthCare Network; Keplr Vision; Luxottica; MyEyeDr.; National Vision, Inc.; Shopko Optical; Warby Parker; and Young ODs of America. The Lounge also offered programming all day, including panel discussions targeted to young ODs and students.