Titled Vision for Growth: Consumer Perspectives on Opticianry & Contact Lens Success, the panel will be exclusive to OptiCon ’26 @ Vision Expo, with sessions scheduled for Thursday, March 12, and Friday, March 13, 2026.
Stan Rogaski
As part of the partnership, CLI will center its Spring 2026 See Tomorrow initiative on the opticianry profession. The initiative will include newly commissioned research involving U.S. and Canadian contact lens wearers, along with bespoke research conducted among opticians. Findings will explore patient perceptions, professional roles, and opportunities for growth within contact lens care.
According to CLI Executive Director Stan Rogaski, prior research has highlighted the importance of opticians in shaping the contact lens patient experience as part of the broader eye care ecosystem. The new data, he said, is intended to provide insights that could help inform both market growth and practice success.
UOA Executive Director Gwen Cooper noted that the collaboration builds on the organization’s recent work examining consumer perceptions of opticians. She added that the upcoming panel is expected to deliver both strategic insights and practical takeaways for professionals attending OptiCon ’26.
Both sessions will be moderated by Andrew Bruce, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FCLSA of ASB Opticianry Education Services. Additional panel participants will be announced in the coming days.
MIDO has announced that the exhibitor list for MIDO 2026, the 54th edition of the international eyewear exhibition, is now online.
The event will take place from January 31 to February 2, 2026, at Fieramilano Rho.
Organizers are forecasting approximately 1,200 exhibitors from 50 countries, including 140 new entries, with visitors expected from more than 160 countries.
The numbers are in line with the previous edition and underscore the continued momentum and global reach of the eyewear industry.
Exhibition Areas: Continuity, Growth, and Innovation
Several exhibition spaces will feature updates and new installations for 2026. The Fashion Square, located in Hall 1, will be completely renovated. In Hall 4, the square will host an installation dedicated to DaTE (Naples, September 12–14, 2026), while Hall 6 will feature a new edition of The Lens of Time exhibition.
The Design area returns to Halls 2 and 4, continuing its role as a hub for creativity and experimentation, with both returning exhibitors and new brands, including several transitioning from the Academy area. The Academy, confirmed in Hall 6, will host more than 90 companies and continue its mission as an incubator for emerging eyewear brands. The Start Up section is expected to feature around 20 young companies presenting innovative projects and solutions.
“The Lens of Time” Exhibition
Following its presentation in Venice, The Lens of Time, an exhibition dedicated to the history of eyewear and conceived by ANFAO, will make its debut at MIDO with a new setup designed for the show’s international audience. The exhibition traces the evolution of eyewear from its origins to the present, highlighting its cultural, artisanal, and stylistic significance. After MIDO, the exhibition is scheduled to continue in autumn 2026 in Rome at Palazzo Piacentini, headquarters of Italy’s Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, with plans for future international showings.
Vision Stage and Industry Programming
MIDO’s Vision Stage will once again host a robust program of talks, workshops, and panel discussions, with approximately 20 scheduled sessions. Speakers will include journalists, athletes, sustainability experts, market analysts, and representatives from the medical and optical sectors. Topics will range from social responsibility and market trends to purchasing behavior and the outlook for the U.S. market. The full calendar will be released in January.
MIDO Awards
Applications remain open for the MIDO Awards, which recognize excellence across the eyewear industry. These include the Best Store Award, open to opticians and retailers worldwide in the Design and Innovation categories (applications open until December 31), and the CSE Award – Certified Sustainable Eyewear, aimed at manufacturers committed to sustainable practices. A new CSE Corporate Award will also recognize exhibitors demonstrating outstanding ESG performance. Applications for the CSE awards close on December 14, 2025, with winners to be announced during MIDO 2026.
Visiting Milano During MIDO 2026
MIDO 2026 will take place shortly before the opening of the Milano–Cortina Winter Olympic Games, in a city preparing for a major international moment. To support attendees, MIDO has introduced a range of hospitality and travel tools, including an online booking platform developed with MiCodmc, the official hospitality agency. Additional services include dedicated travel options for Italian opticians, city maps highlighting culture, food, and shopping, and access to the YesMilano City Pass at a discounted rate for MIDO badge holders.
The official press conference for MIDO 2026 will be held on Wednesday, January 28, at 11:30 a.m., at the Feltrinelli Foundation in Milan.
The World Council of Optometry (WCO) has announced the official theme for World Optometry Week 2026, which will be observed from March 22 to 28, 2026. The theme, “A Shared Vision: Collaboration in Global Eye Care,” highlights the importance of cross-sector cooperation in addressing growing global vision and eye health needs.
World Optometry Day, held annually on March 23, recognizes the essential role optometry plays in global health and emphasizes efforts to expand access to eye care as a fundamental human right. In 2026, the week-long celebration will focus on collaboration as a critical driver of sustainable and equitable eye care worldwide.
According to WCO, challenges identified in the 2019 World Report on Vision, including population growth, aging demographics, and increasing urbanization, continue to place pressure on health systems globally. As demand for vision and eye health services rises, the organization notes that no single profession can meet these needs alone.
“Collaboration is fundamental to the future of eye care,” said Cindy Tromans, President of the World Council of Optometry. “Optometrists are important primary vision and eye health providers, and our greatest impact comes when we work with others across the health system. This theme reflects both the reality of modern eye care and our shared responsibility to ensure no one is left behind.”
The 2026 theme aligns with broader global health priorities, including the World Health Organization’s call for integrated, people-centred eye care and collaborative approaches to improving access, quality, and sustainability of services. WCO emphasized that placing people at the centre of eye care also requires collaboration to be central to how eye care professionals work together.
WCO is encouraging optometrists and organizations worldwide to make use of its multilingual World Optometry Week social media resources to support advocacy and awareness efforts. Additional materials will be released in the coming weeks. Organizations are also invited to share details of their World Optometry Day and World Optometry Week 2026 activities by contacting WCO directly.
What Online Search Trends Reveal About Today’s Contact Lens Patients
Patients are searching online for answers long before they see their eye doctor, changing how trust, education, and care begin.
The Contact Lens Institute’s 2025 Digital Discovery report dives into thousands of real-world searches from across North America including Google queries, TikTok reels, voice-assistant prompts, and AI-generated answers to uncover what contact-lens wearers (and would-be wearers) really want to know.
The results offer valuable lessons for eye-care professionals: how to anticipate patient questions, fill the information gaps that online sources leave behind, and strengthen in-office trust in an AI-powered world.
Price First, Value Second
The study found that 65% of all contact-lens-related Google searches focus on buying—price comparisons, retailers, rebates, and “cheap contact lenses.” That means many patients come to their exam with a pre-set idea of what lenses should cost based on what they’ve seen online.
Clinics can turn that to their advantage. Discuss rebates, insurance coverage, direct shipping, easy exchanges, and personalized service early in the visit and not as an afterthought at checkout. Showing the full value proposition helps move the conversation from “How cheap can I get them?” to “Why should I get them from you?”
Automated reorder reminders and in-office or online purchasing portals also keep patients from drifting toward online retailers when it’s time to restock.
A Removal Problem, Not an Insertion One
One of the most surprising findings: searches for how to remove contact lenses outnumber how to insert by more than 2-to-1. It’s a reminder that removal anxiety, not insertion, could be driving frustration and dropout among new wearers.
Make removal part of every fitting conversation. Printed guides, short explainer videos, and structured follow-ups can dramatically reduce anxiety. Even better, send patients your own trusted video link so they don’t have to scroll through questionable TikToks for help.
Patients Want Contact Lens Removal Guidance
Shifting the “Either-Or” Mindset
Search behavior also shows a major misconception: only 6% of comparative searches used the word “and” (as in contacts and glasses), while 94% used “or.” Many consumers still believe they have to choose one or the other.
That’s a missed opportunity. Ask every patient about “life moments” that could benefit from both: vacations, sports, weddings, or even long workdays. Offering in-office trial experiences, where the optometrist inserts and removes the lenses, can help hesitant patients imagine contact lenses as part of their everyday routine, not a replacement for spectacles.
Voice Search and AI: The New Front Door
Up to 20% of all contact-lens searches now happen through voice assistants such as Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant. Phrases like “eye doctor near me” dominate.
For clinics, that means visibility depends on digital housekeeping: complete your Google Business profile, use location-specific keywords, and include “eye doctor” or “optometrist” on your site pages.
Practices that publish credible local content, blogs, service pages, and videos, are more likely to be cited or surfaced by these AI summaries.
Google’s new AI-driven summaries (via Gemini) often answer a query without users ever scrolling down. Practices that publish credible local content, blogs, service pages, and videos, are more likely to be cited or surfaced by these AI summaries. In other words, digital authority begins with your own website.
Countering Misinformation—Gently
Patients trust AI assistants, but that trust is misplaced more often than not. When the Contact Lens Institute asked major AI platforms where consumers should go for lens information, results ranged from the American Optometric Association to, surprisingly… Forbes.com.
Rather than dismissing what patients read online, invite the discussion: “That’s interesting, where did you find that information?”
This simple question opens the door to clarify misconceptions and reinforces your role as the most reliable source for personalized guidance.
Meeting Patients Where They Search
The CLI Digital Discovery report offers a clear takeaway: the online behavior of today’s patients can help shape better real-world care. When optometrists view digital channels as extensions of their exam lanes, they can anticipate concerns before they’re voiced, provide trustworthy education, and make every interaction, online or in-office, count.
By embracing proactive education, promoting dual wear, and optimizing for digital discoverability, eye-care professionals can ensure that Dr. Google leads patients right back to where they belong, in your exam chair.
About the Author:
Dr. Harbir Sian, OD
Dr. Harbir Sian, OD, is an optometrist, entrepreneur, and award-winning advocate. Co-owner of multiple clinics in British Columbia, he specializes in myopia management and dry eye care. A TEDx speaker and host of Canada’s most downloaded optometry podcast, he is a trusted Key Opinion Leader and sought-after educator.
Want to see more articles like this? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazine and newsletters!
Centennial Optical has announced a new collaboration with Ió:ken Designs to develop and distribute a culturally inspired designer eyewear collection created in partnership with Indigenous artists and community leaders in Akwesasne, Canada.
Ió:ken Designs Inc.™ is a newly established eyewear brand featuring original artwork by Mohawk artist Bruce Boots. The collection draws on cultural symbols and visual storytelling rooted in the history, values, and resilience of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people and other Indigenous Nations.
The name Ió:ken, pronounced Yo:kenh or Yo:gah, translates to “It’s Clear” in the Kanien’keha (Mohawk) language. The brand was developed through a collaboration between artist Bruce Boots, optometrist Danielle Dubuc, and project manager Gail Mc Donald, with the shared goal of creating eyewear that honours Indigenous identity through authentic design.
Centennial Optical was selected as the frame development, manufacturing, and distribution partner for the collection. According to Centennial Optical President Allen Nightingale, the collaboration represents more than a conventional product launch. He noted that the collection brings together craftsmanship and storytelling, resulting in frames designed to stand out through both aesthetic appeal and cultural significance.
Dr. Dubuc, who has worked in the Akwesasne community for more than three decades, said the project reflects a long-standing desire to see eyewear that meaningfully represents the people she serves. Mc Donald added that Centennial Optical was chosen for its alignment with the project’s values, including respect for community, history, and cultural integrity.
Each frame in the Ió:ken Designs collection features illustrated temple artwork by Bruce Boots, incorporating symbolic elements such as the Hiawatha Belt, Eagle Feather, Clan imagery, Berries and Beads, Seven Generations, and Celestial Sky Domes. These designs are paired with contemporary frame shapes available in a range of colours and sizes.
The first Ió:ken Designs collection is scheduled to launch across Canada in February 2026.
Source: Centennial Optical
Want to see more like this article? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazines and e-newsletters!
Vision Expo 2026 celebrated its 40th anniversary in Orlando with more than 8,000 attendees, over 220 hours of education, and a show floor packed with innovation and industry activity.
Myopia management has become an essential part of modern pediatric eye care. For many practices, the challenge is no longer why it matters, but how to integrate it into everyday clinical workflows.
CUSTOMEYES, the luxury eyewear customization platform by MIO Group, will open its first global Atelier at Eyes On Sheppard in Toronto on April 10, 2026.
EssilorLuxottica and Dolce&Gabbana have announced a long-term extension of their licensing agreement through 2050 for prescription frames and sunglasses worldwide.
SightGlass Vision has made two leadership appointments to strengthen its medical and professional affairs teams supporting DOT myopia control spectacle lenses.
Vision Expo 2026 celebrated its 40th anniversary in Orlando with more than 8,000 attendees, over 220 hours of education, and a show floor packed with innovation and industry activity.
Myopia management has become an essential part of modern pediatric eye care. For many practices, the challenge is no longer why it matters, but how to integrate it into everyday clinical workflows.
CUSTOMEYES, the luxury eyewear customization platform by MIO Group, will open its first global Atelier at Eyes On Sheppard in Toronto on April 10, 2026.
EssilorLuxottica and Dolce&Gabbana have announced a long-term extension of their licensing agreement through 2050 for prescription frames and sunglasses worldwide.
SightGlass Vision has made two leadership appointments to strengthen its medical and professional affairs teams supporting DOT myopia control spectacle lenses.
Vision Expo 2026 celebrated its 40th anniversary in Orlando with more than 8,000 attendees, over 220 hours of education, and a show floor packed with innovation and industry activity.
Myopia management has become an essential part of modern pediatric eye care. For many practices, the challenge is no longer why it matters, but how to integrate it into everyday clinical workflows.
CUSTOMEYES, the luxury eyewear customization platform by MIO Group, will open its first global Atelier at Eyes On Sheppard in Toronto on April 10, 2026.
EssilorLuxottica and Dolce&Gabbana have announced a long-term extension of their licensing agreement through 2050 for prescription frames and sunglasses worldwide.
SightGlass Vision has made two leadership appointments to strengthen its medical and professional affairs teams supporting DOT myopia control spectacle lenses.
Vision Expo 2026 celebrated its 40th anniversary in Orlando with more than 8,000 attendees, over 220 hours of education, and a show floor packed with innovation and industry activity.
Myopia management has become an essential part of modern pediatric eye care. For many practices, the challenge is no longer why it matters, but how to integrate it into everyday clinical workflows.
CUSTOMEYES, the luxury eyewear customization platform by MIO Group, will open its first global Atelier at Eyes On Sheppard in Toronto on April 10, 2026.
EssilorLuxottica and Dolce&Gabbana have announced a long-term extension of their licensing agreement through 2050 for prescription frames and sunglasses worldwide.
SightGlass Vision has made two leadership appointments to strengthen its medical and professional affairs teams supporting DOT myopia control spectacle lenses.
