VEW 2018 Breaks Records

Vision Expo West’s 30th anniversary was a sweeping success, with the overall Show experiencing a nearly double digit increase in attendance compared to 2017. Pre-audited results show close to 13,000 eyecare professionals from across the world attended the event; with attendance increasing in nearly every category and substantial increases in attendance titles of Opticians and Optometrists, as well as in Independent OD and MD practices, multidisciplinary practices, chains/superstores and laboratories.

Of those in attendance, over 4,500 participated in the various education programs learning the latest in contact lens, business solutions, optical technology, retail strategies, clinical concepts and more. The buzz extended beyond the convention center with Vision Expo’s social channels garnering over 3.8 million impressions, an 11% increase from last year.

OptiCon @ Vision Expo, a dedicated program for Opticians and Contact Lens Technicians, had a successful debut at Vision Expo West, with almost 700 packages sold and a record turnout of attendees at the party and OptiCon Hub. Throughout Vision Expo West, a variety of other events and celebrations seamlessly combined networking with education on and off the Show Floor to provide attendees the opportunity to connect and collaborate. Heavy foot traffic was evident throughout the halls, including new Exhibit Hall neighborhoods, BLOCK and NEXT, featuring new exhibitors and standing room only fashion shows and panel discussions.

Exhibitors created unique experiences and memorable environments for attendees, starting at registration and extending throughout the Exhibit Hall. Winner of Best Brand Activation in the Best Booth Awards, Europa Eyewear/STATE Optical Co, created a 3D virtual experience giving attendees an inside-look at their manufacturing process. Costa took home the Best Booth Award for Most Creative Booth Design.

The winners of this year’s Vision Choice Award, in which attendees can view and vote for the best product featured in the Product Gallery, included first place winner, Miraflex; second place winner, Lunette; and third place winner, Mó Eyewear.

Vision Expo East 2019 is around the corner, taking place from March 21–24 at the Javits Center in New York City, and Vision Expo West 2019 dates are set for September 18–21 back at the Sands. Plans to expand successful programs from this year’s Vision Expo West will provide the vision community the opportunity to learn and grow in their careers while guiding the industry forward.

View attendees’ testimonials on this year’s events, activations and education, here. To learn more about Vision Expo, visit VisionExpo.com.

About Vision Expo
Vision Expo East (Education: March 21-24, 2019; Exhibition: March 22-24, 2019) in New York City and West (Education: September 18-21, 2019; Exhibition: September 19-21, 2019) in Las Vegas are trade-only conferences and exhibitions for eyecare and eyewear presented by co-owners Reed Exhibitions and The Vision Council. Vision Expo is the complete event for ophthalmic professionals, where eyecare meets eyewear, and education, fashion and innovation mingle. In the Vision Expo Exhibit Hall, eyecare professionals can discover trends, interact with new technologies and access innovative products and services. The Vision Expo education program is driven by the profession, offering content of the highest quality and relevance to enhance overall patient care.

About The Vision Council
Championing better vision for better lives, The Vision Council positions its members for success by promoting growth in the vision care industry through education, advocacy, research, consumer outreach, strategic relationship building and industry forums. By sharing the latest in eyewear trends, advances in technology and advice from eyewear experts, The Vision Council serves as a resource to the public looking to learn more about options in eyeglasses and sunglasses.

About Reed Exhibitions
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face to face through data and digital tools at over 500 events a year, in 30 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed Exhibitions helps match customers with the right solution. Reed Exhibitions’ events enable customers to learn about a market, source products and complete transactions, generating billions of dollars of revenues for the economic development of local markets and national economies around the world.

Leave a comment

Pin It on Pinterest