NEW YORK – Vision Expo East 2022 returned to New York City from March 31 to April 3 for the first time since 2019, welcoming more than 360 exhibitors from around the world to the Javits Center.
“We returned to in-person trade shows in 2021 with Vision Expo East in Orlando, Florida, and then continued our momentum with Vision Expo West 2021 in Las Vegas in September,” said Fran Pennella, vice president of Vision Expo at RX, co-owner of Vision Expo. “Vision Expo East 2022 was very special. It was exciting to bring the eye care community back to New York City.”
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According to Mitch Barkley, vice president of trade shows and events for the Vision Council, which also co-owns Vision Expo, education was a major part of the show’s strategy to attract attendees, with 167 courses offered. The program included nine clinical programs with more than 100 hours of clinical education taught by leading experts in the field of optometry.
“It was exciting to be back in New York and to have some normalcy in the ways we gather,” Barkley said. “There was a lot of positive energy and excitement as attendees and exhibitors reconnected with their peers, did business and made new connections.”
The educational program and exhibit hall experience that OptiCon@Vision Expo created for opticians, contact lens practitioners and ophthalmic professionals at the trade show floor played a major role in generating excitement among attendees and exhibitors at the event. “Throughout the weekend, we hosted an incredible lineup of speakers and panels at The Bridge, Vision Expo’s premier destination,” said Barkley. The Bridge also hosted the Innovation Stage, showcasing products and services that are revolutionizing the optometry industry.
The Bridge hosted the EYE2EYE series, a series of educational roundtables featuring topics ranging from fashion trend forecasts to the metaverse and cryptocurrency. “The Vision team is extremely forward-thinking in their content and decided to host two sessions focused on the future of the metaverse. These conversations were based on potential changes and opportunities for the Vision community,” said Kate Youngstrom, VP of Brand and Content Marketing at RX USA.
To meet the needs of the global optometry community, Vision Expo+, a complimentary digital extension of the Vision Expo experience, was available for one week following the show. The virtual event experience included online exhibitor showrooms from Vision Expo East and recorded Vision Expo East content. Vision Expo+ was streamed via ShopVISION, a global sourcing platform. Panel discussions held at The Bridge are also available on-demand on the ShopVISION platform. “ShopVISION expands our sourcing offerings and provides a modern, global way to do business year-round and on-demand,” said Pennella.
NOW by Vision Expo, a new showcase of eyewear trends, debuted at the show, showcasing a curated selection of eyewear from more than 80 exhibiting companies. Barkley said the program aims to expand beyond eyewear at future shows to also showcase products, technologies and gear.
Contact Mitch Barkley at [email protected]
Contact Fran Pennella at [email protected]
Contact Kate Youngstrom at [email protected]