Blog

August 7, 2023August 7, 2023

Show Organizers Announce Education Program Planned for Vision Expo West 2023

The Vision Council and RX, organizers of Vision Expo, announced the education program for Vision Expo West 2023, taking place September 27-30 at the Venetian Convention & Expo Center in Las Vegas.

The Show’s VisionEd optometry and opticianry educational programs, including OptiCon®@Vision Expo, will open Wednesday, September 27. Exhibits will open Thursday, September 28.

“With accredited optometric, opticianry, and business education spanning subjects from disease diagnosis and management, to the latest in eyewear and contact lens fitting, patient engagement and marketing, we are proud to offer valuable and sought-after content at this year’s Vision Expo West,” said Fran Pennella, Vice President of Vision Expo at RX and co-organizer of Vision Expo.

This year’s education program will feature more than 320 hours of custom-designed clinical content organized by key subject areas, including common eye diseases, optical technology, allied health, contact lens, practice management and business solutions. Attendees will learn from experts in the industry as they unveil ground-breaking technology and speak to the latest trends in diagnosing and treating common eye diseases.

In addition to the latest clinical offerings, Vision Expo West will offer actionable, business-focused courses highlighting ways to strengthen leadership, culture and profitability with topics ranging from customer experience to human resources. Each course will provide attendees with practical solutions designed for immediate implementation.

OptiCon®@Vision Expo returns with an unparalleled education program and exhibit hall experience for opticians, contact lens practitioners, and ophthalmic allied professionals. The OptiCon Hub will host pop-up talks, networking, social events and access to representatives and resources from ABO & NCLE, OAA, NFOS, CLSA and vendor partners.

On Wednesday, September 27, Vision Expo West will host the Battle at the Sands, a competition during which panelists will compete against each other by presenting interesting cases highlighting imaging technology. The audience decides who wins each match via attendee interactive polling technology. The competition is fierce, and the stakes are high as the loser goes home and the winner advances until the final showdown.

Vision Expo West will also offer the Global Contact Lens Forum, which provides attendees with practical, timely tips in both clinical and business processes to help take their specialty contact lens practice to the next level. A panel of respected, highly successful contact lens practitioners will provide personal insights gleaned from their road map to success, followed by the business of contact lenses. Finally, learn about myopia control, including the good, the bad and the ugly.

To download the Vision Expo West 2023 education brochures, click here.

For more information on Vision Expo, visit visionexpo.com and follow Vision Expo’s social media channels, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Click HERE for the full press release.

More related articles on Vision Expo HERE.

August 4, 2023July 28, 2023

Optometry Students in Haiti Receive Invaluable Hands-on Training, Despite Civil Unrest

By the Optometry Giving Sight Team

Imagine a population of 11 million people—and only 2 optometrists.

This ratio is a reality in Haiti, a country that has faced significant, continuous hardships including political instability, a poor economy, natural disasters, the COVID pandemic, and more. Access to eye care outside of the major cities is nearly nonexistent except for services delivered during medical mission trips.

In 2017, Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) partnered with Université d’État d’Haiti, Université de Montréal, VOSH/International, Charity Vision, and the Brien Holden Foundation to establish the Haiti School of Optometry. The partners set out to increase the number of locally trained optometrists and to establish an Academic Vision Centre to provide hands-on optometric training and care.

Today, there are about 60 students enrolled in the five-year program, which is set to graduate its first class of optometrists if not for a few roadblocks. Due to civil unrest in Haiti, in-person clinical training is difficult to obtain for the fifth-year students. COVID restrictions made it difficult for foreign optometric educators to travel to Haiti, and unreliable internet access is prohibitive for online learning. In addition, there is uncertainty surrounding government legislation to recognize optometry as a licensed medical profession.

Despite these challenges, the Haiti School of Optometry continues to operate, and its students remain committed to receiving their education and ultimately, providing eye care in their communities. But there is still work to be done to ensure this is possible.

Optometry Giving Sight has granted financial assistance and invested resources to continue supporting the school over the last few years and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future. Not only has the support enabled improved internet access for online education, but OGS has also worked with VOSH/International to deliver in-person teaching clinics for the graduating class.

Thus in 2021, VOSH-Pennsylvania led an educational mission, via a project called Je ayisyen (Haitian eyes) through which students enhanced their clinical skills, gained much-needed practice with patients, and built their confidence. This first clinic was held at the New Hope Hospital in Cap-Haïtien, north of Haiti, and the experience underscored the students’ need for more supervised clinical training and access to patients to complete their optometry education.

Deteriorating safety and security in Haiti delayed the delivery of a second teaching clinic, but ultimately, OGS, VOSH/International, VOSH-Pennsylvania and partners were able to make it happen again at the new eye care clinic at the same New Hope Hospital. Eleven fifth-year students from the Haiti School of Optometry spent a week there, where they were able to refresh their knowledge and skills related to clinical procedures, equipment handling, patient forms, and work organization. The students saw a total of 289 patients—an average of 26 patients per student—and completed the necessary patient records for each.

“I arrived at Cap-Haïtien stressed because it had been a long time since I had seen a patient. But by the time we left, I realized that although there are things to improve, I am ready,” said one of the students in a post-clinic survey. “The stress I felt about obtaining my diploma has completely disappeared and I know now that I’m made to be an optometrist.”

The students’ time in the clinic also reinforced the impact optometrists can have on the lives of their patients. From helping a patient with excruciating pain relieve his eye pressure with medication to diagnosing a four-month-old baby with cataracts rather than retinoblastoma, lives were undoubtedly changed. Even the ability to prescribe glasses confirmed for the students the positive difference they can make with eye care.

“In the first clinic, I saw what the job of the optometrist is,” remarked another student. “In the second clinic, I saw what I can do as an optometrist. Thank you to each of you who contributed to the efforts and time availability to make this clinic possible.”

The Haiti School of Optometry is currently backed by an OGS-supported international consortium composed of Université de Montréal, Brien Holden Foundation and Université d’État d’Haiti.

To support current and future optometry students in Haiti and around the world, visit givingsight.org/donate.

Check out the full article on the July-August Optik digital platform.

August 3, 2023May 20, 2026

Visionario Presents New Capsule Collection “Speed to the Future”

Taking trends to the next level is Visionario’s SS23 campaign, in which they pay tribute to touch, to being truly together and connected through an improvised choreography of contact dance. Visionario is someone who is ahead of his time or has a vision of future.

From this concept results the Speed to the Future capsule collection, a tribute to going further at full speed.

Featured model: Marlene

Distributed by Mood Eyewear: www.moodeyewear.com

August 2, 2023July 31, 2023

Nikon Optical Canada Launches New Video

Nikon Optical Canada releases its new video promoting the Nikon Difference bringing forward its Japanese heritage through its technology and expertise through its Canadian network.

For more than 100 years, Nikon has pioneered the optical industry and for over three decades, Nikon Optical Canada has revolutionized prescription lenses in the Canadian market. The Japanese heritage influences the way Nikon works by constantly improving precision, protection and aesthetics benefiting each individual patient. At every stage, throughout all the processes, every detail matters, and so does every patient.

Nikon lenses are based on a series of 12 parameters. The Nikon Optical Design Engine in Japan collects this data and designs a lens, one of 93 trillion, optimized for each patient. Five minutes later the manufacturing process begins in Canada.

Nikon’s local experts consist of specialized technicians, quality managers, opticians and customer experience partners. Its cutting-edge technologies and rigorous controls ensure every detail is impeccable. Its Canadian network ensures quality, availability and reliability for all Nikon ECP partners.

Contact your Nikon Business Development Partner at 1-800-663-8654.

Click HERE for the full press release.

August 1, 2023August 1, 2023

Specsavers x Alex Perry Event at Hotel X

On June 24, Specsavers, an optometrist-owned and led eyecare and eyewear provider hosted an event in partnership with ELLE Canada for local media and influencers, to celebrate its longstanding, exclusive partnership with the Australian designer Alex Perry, and his latest eyewear line, now available in all Specsavers stores in Canada.

The event took place at Toronto’s Hotel X, where guests were treated to breathtaking views of the city, delicious bites and drinks, in addition to a Q&A and styling sessions with Alex Perry himself.

A custom portrait studio with photographer Andréanne Gauthier, which saw the guests modeling the Specsavers x Alex Perry frames for their own ELLE Canada covers had the room buzzing with glamorous energy and excitement.

Photography credit: **ELLE Canada, Brandon Dacosta**

Alex Perry, an Australian fashion designer and TV presenter, whose charming and bold designs have been embraced by the world’s most famous women including Jennifer Lopez, Hailey Bieber, Julia Roberts, and Lady Gaga, is revered for his red-carpet-worthy womenswear collections. Perry was the first Australian fashion designer Specsavers collaborated with, which helped pave the way for more designer collaborations and helping Specsavers to offer stylish yet affordable eyewear.

Specsavers is guided by its purpose of changing lives through better sight. In addition to providing accessible eyecare to Canadians, the brand goes above and beyond to offer a variety of stylish, high-quality affordable eyewear.

Specsavers Canada offers designer eyewear, including exclusive collaborations (such as collections with Vivienne Westwood, adidas, and iconic London retailer Liberty).

The Alex Perry x Specsavers line features a combination of classic shapes and colours with contemporary detailing – all versatile designs that can complement any look including 34 sun and eyeglass styles.

For other recent posts relating to Specsavers: Click Here