Vision Expo West provides a great opportunity for our industry to connect. VuePoint caught Canadians in action on the floor of the Sands Convention Centre. Check out our video fresh from Vision Expo.
Vision Expo West Invaded by Canadians
Early Numbers Show Increased Attendance, Traffic at Vision Expo West 2016
Las Vegas, NV – As the preliminary numbers roll in, International Vision Expo West 2016 has officially been labeled a success with increased attendance and reports of strong sales from exhibitors. This year’s event was held September 14-17 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“ECPs reported that they found a huge amount of value in the Vision Expo West education sessions, which was reflected in the Global Contact Lens Forum and Ocular Surface Disease and Wellness Symposium—both of which sold out in less than three weeks,” said Tom Loughran, Reed Exhibitions industry vice president. “We almost broke the record for attendance at Vision Expo education sessions, and are proud to be able to provide attendees with sessions that they’re finding so valuable.”
In addition to over 320 hours of education, this year’s Vision Expo West offered 180,000 square feet of exhibit space with more than 100 new fashion brands debuting fall lines, accessories and new eyewear trends throughout the high-end fashion pavilions, once again displaying why more eyecare professionals choose International Vision Expo for their buying needs than any other conference.
“Exhibitors have reported strong buying activity in the exhibit hall, with high levels of traffic and a sense of vibrancy,” said Ashley Mills, The Vision Council vice president of trade shows and meetings. “With the new pop-up talks, Visionaries toasts, and the addition of the lounges, the show floor has become a hub for learning, buying and networking.”
This year’s show played host to over 65 events and parties including a full slate of events for young professionals and over 370 show specials including exhibitor and entertainment discounts. The popular ODs on Facebook party was moved to a new venue within TAO Nightclub this year in order to accommodate the increasing numbers, reaching over 750 attendees. Additionally, the 13 pop-up talks held throughout the show floor—a new series this year—received high levels of attendance and overwhelmingly positive reviews from attendees.
With voting beginning on the show’s opening day and the winners recognized on Friday, International Vision Expo honored the recipients of the 2016 Vision Expo West Vision Choice Awards, sponsored by Eyecare Business and Breton Communications: emoji sunglasses took home first place honors, followed by Davette’s Lunettes in second place and Specs of Wood receiving third place honors. The Vision Choice Awards distinguish the best of the best in new eyewear products and technology, as voted upon by Vision Expo attendees.
Interaction with the show via social media reached record levels, with a 700 percent increase in Facebook engagement over 2015 and more than 30 percent increase in twitter impressions. The official show hashtag, #VisionExpo, was used more than 4,500 times during the show, and more than 20k people viewed the official Vision Expo Snapchat filter.
POPOVIC is All about Surprises
Simplicity, über-feminine, elegance, the new Vinyl Factory model POPOVIC will surely catch the attention of many… Moreover, the available colours are full of surprises, sometimes offering subtle marriages of materials, sometimes with a superb 3D front work recreating a snake skin texture.
Distributed by www.optimaninc.com
More Canadians Wear Eyeglasses as Primary Form of Vision Correction
LAS VEGAS — More Canadians wear eyeglasses as their primary means of vision correction now than five years ago according to the “Light and Eyewear” 2016 survey[1] conducted by Wakefield Research for Transitions Optical, Inc.
According to the research, 55 percent of Canadians wear eyeglasses as their primary means of vision correction today, and only 51 percent reported doing so in 2011. Two changes in the market have contributed to this shift. First, there are simply more people needing vision correction. Today, 74 percent of Canadians require vision correction, whereas only 72 percent did five years ago. Secondly, there has been a decrease in the percentage of Canadians wearing other forms of vision correction.
The stylish side of eyeglasses is one of the reasons for this switch. When Canadians who switched to eyeglasses were asked why, 24 percent believed eyeglasses are more stylish now. Younger Canadians were more likely to value the stylish quality of glasses. In the survey, 37 percent of people in Generation X and 32 percent in the Millennial generation pointed to the stylish quality of glasses as a reason for switching, versus only 11 percent of Boomers.1
The fashion aspect of the glasses, according to the survey, is not just the frames. The vast majority of Canadians (85 percent) identified certain lens options as becoming trendier – with anti-reflective lenses and photochromic lenses (like Transitions® lenses) topping the list. According to a separate 2015 Transitions Optical survey, the percent of consumers under 36 who perceive Transitions lenses as stylish nearly doubled between March 2015 and October 2015, moving from 43 percent to 63 percent.
According to the “Light and Eyewear” survey, Canadians are relatively consistent across generations with an average of 63 percent feeling positively about wearing eyeglasses. Young Millennials (aged 18-24) have the highest percentage of feeling positive, signaling that the love of eyewear will likely be a continuing trend.1
To read full press release, click HERE.
[1] Online survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Transitions Optical, Inc., among 1,002 Canadian adults, ages 18-69, between February 29th and March 10th, 2016.
Milano: Chic and Colourful
With Milano, it was completely natural for the designer of Nomad to highlight fashion and Italian chic, playing on contrasting colours and materials in a particularly successful adaptation for this range of women’s eyewear frames.
The delicate shades and graphic effects achieved when cloudy acetates meet touches of bright colour produces a combination of sober, refined lines.
The coloured insert on the end-piece subtly attracts the eye: sea green, coral red, frosted chestnut, yellow… in wonderful harmony with the deep sobriety of the materials used for the front, with the temples contributing the chic, trendy detail seen at the end of the temple.
Milano is available in 7 models, with 3 acetate and 4 metal fronts. Multi-focal lenses may be easily be fitted into all of the frames.
