At opti 2026, the industry’s future is shaped not just by what you see, but by what you experience.
This year, two immersive formats redefine how optical retailers can grow: the world-premiere opti SPHEARE hearing care platform, and the evolved energy of TOMORROW VISION, where contact lens innovations meet movement, sport and modern lifestyle.
Together, they illuminate the most influential vision and hearing trends in optometry today.
opti SPHEARE hearing care platform
Making Sound Visible
In Hall C3, the opti SPHEARE hearing care platform launches as a fully immersive world dedicated to helping optical retailers expand into hearing care with clarity and confidence. Spanning over 250 square metres, it connects knowledge transfer, technological progress and commercial opportunity into one cohesive visitor experience.
Leading providers including Actric, Bellman & Symfon, Meditrend, Netzwerk Hörgesundheit & terzo-Institut, Nuance Audio, Oton & Friends Hörakustiknetzwerk, Sinfona, Smart Optics Sensortechnik and Sound & Silence present practical, accessible pathways into this fast-growing field.
The programme is built around four essential pillars, each relevant to any retailer curious about diversification: Market & Future, Practice & Implementation, Customers & Sales, and Technology & Innovation. Through keynotes, best-practice insights from hybrid practitioners and compact specialist panels, opti SPHEARE helps visitors understand not only why to enter hearing care, but how to make it work in a real store.
Guiding the experience is host Michael Luikenga, master hearing aid acoustician, optician, trainer and coach. His planned topics, including “My Journey from Optician to Two-Sense Provider” and “Innovations Opticians Need to Know”, make the opti SPHEARE format a central hub for retailers ready to expand their skillset and revenue.
TOMORROW VISION contact lens innovations:
Just next door in Hall C4, TOMORROW VISION returns as a high-energy platform centered on contact lens innovations and their growing commercial relevance. Under the theme “Play smart. Move free.”, companies such as ALCON, Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision, HECHT Contactlinsen, Mark’ennovy, Menicon GmbH, MPG&E and the SEED Group bring forward new concepts that elevate the contact lens from a commodity to a lifestyle-driven vision solution.
In 2026, TOMORROW VISION transforms into an action-oriented stage, hosted by business psychologist Claudia Bechstein. Live demonstrations by opticians and athletes showcase how contact lenses enhance freedom of movement in real-world scenarios. With choreographed basketball dunk shows on Friday and performances by the FC Bayern Basketball Munich Cheerleader Allstars across the weekend, the format blends expertise with emotion in a way that resonates with a new generation of wearers.
Interactive challenges, hands-on sessions and spontaneous activations keep visitors engaged, turning TOMORROW VISION into a living demonstration of how contact lenses can drive growth in both lifestyle and clinical segments.
A Unified Look at Vision and Hearing Trends in Optometry
Across both platforms, opti highlights the vision and hearing trends in optometry that will define how independent practices evolve over the coming decade.
“With TOMORROW VISION and opti SPHEARE, opti 2026 highlights two key future fields that will sustainably shape specialist retail. While TOMORROW VISION repositions the economic potential of contact lenses, opti SPHEARE opens up concrete perspectives for optical businesses in the field of hearing care – two formats that powerfully combine innovation, growth and consulting excellence.”
Together, these initiatives demonstrate that the future of the optical industry lies in hybrid expertise, experience-based learning and the willingness to evolve into multi-sense providers.
About Opti 2026
opti Munich 2027
29-31 January, 2027
Fairground Munich, Germany
opti is the international trade show for optics & design which takes place annually as the industry kick-off in January in Munich, Germany.
OPTI Munich: International trade show for optics & design
The show offers trade visitors the complete spectrum of ophthalmic products, from spectacle frames and lenses, contact lenses, refraction, diagnosis and low vision to shopfitting and technical equipment. opti is the order platform and the location for product premières by international market leaders and start-ups alike. The event was first held in 1998, and since 2008 has been organised by GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH.
OPTI Munich statistics:
Halls
Exhibitors
Visitors
"opti thrives on exchange and togetherness. In 2026, we once again felt how strong our community is and how important personal encounters, inspiration and practical, hands-on content are for the industry.
The atmosphere was noticeably positive, optimistic and relaxed, and that is exactly what we are looking forward to as we turn our attention to opti 2027. Particularly evident was the eagerness for the future – also driven by the massive participation, commitment and identification of the next generation with 'their' opti."
As the annual kick-off for the optical industry, opti stands for knowledge exchange and innovation. But above all, it is the atmosphere at opti, the personal encounters and exchanges that make the trade fair something special - for international trade visitors and exhibitors alike. With the further development of the WE ARE opti campaign 2024/2025, we want to express the unique atmosphere and further strengthen the sense of community within the optical industry - also outside the exhibition halls.
OPTI 2027 – Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | OPTI Munich: International trade show for optics & design |
| Dates | January 29–31, 2027 |
| Location | Munich, Germany |
| Venue | Fairground Messe München |
| Organizer | GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen |
| Event Type | Optical Trade Fair |
| Access | Trade Only |
| Focus | Eyewear, sunglasses, optical equipment, instruments, accessories |
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