Main Stage Destination to Feature Interactive Panels, Keynote Speakers and Educational Presentations
Alexandria, VA – March 10, 2022 – The Vision Council and RX, co-organizers of Vision Expo, today share the line-up of events scheduled to take place at The Bridge during Vision Expo East 2022.
“The Bridge will once again be one of the focal points of the Show – a destination to be inspired, learn and connect with your peers,” said Fran Pennella, Vice President, Vision Expo, at RX.
“We’ve curated an exciting line-up of speakers and panelists, speaking on the industry’s most relevant topics, ranging from eyewear fashion trends to the vision industry’s place in the metaverse and how to improve access to eyecare in underserved communities,” said Mitch Barkley, Vice President of Trade Shows and Events at The Vision Council, co-organizer of Vision Expo.
As Vision Expo East’s main stage destination, The Bridge will host a series of panels and presentations, including the EYE2EYE Series, an educational series of panels and discussions designed to inform, empower and challenge attendees.
The EYE2EYE Series kicks off on Friday, April 1 at 9:45 am with a fashion trends presented by Eyecare Business. The trends presentation will be followed by an EYE2EYE Series panel exploring the metaverse, Web 3.0 and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and how eyecare, eyewear and optical are well-positioned to be a part of these trends. Later that evening at 5:00 pm, James Spina, Editor-in-Chief of 20/20 Magazine will moderate “Onward to Independence,” a panel spotlighting independent designers.
Following the Onward to Independence panel, the winner of the OPTImum Retail Award, which celebrates independent boutique retailers, will be announced and celebrated during a champagne reception at The Bridge. The 2022 award finalists include: Black Optical (Dallas, TX; Oklahoma City, OK; Tulsa, OK; St. Louis, MO); Eyes on Sheppard (North York, Ontario); Ocean Optometry (Halifax, Nova Scotia); and OPTYX New York (New York, NY).
Also on Friday, April 1, the National Optometric Association (NOA) will host a panel about improving social determinants and access to eyecare in underserved minority communities.
On Saturday, April 2, Vision Expo East’s EYE2EYE Series continues at 10:00 am with another panel on cryptocurrency and the metaverse.
Also on Saturday, the National Federation of Opticianry Schools (NFOS) College Bowl, powered by EssilorLuxottica, takes place from 12:30-1:30 pm. The fast-paced quiz competition will feature students representing NFOS member opticianry schools competing to test their optical knowledge.
At 2:00 on Saturday, April 2, the EYE2EYE Series continues with “The Next Generation of Eyewear Panel,” featuring up-and-coming ‘opti-entreprenuers.’ At 4:00 pm, fashion innovator and author Dapper Dan will share his story with moderator Lilliana Vazquez, host of “E! News” and “Pop of the Morning” with a Q&A to follow.
The Bridge will also house the Innovation Stage, the Show Floor destination dedicated to groundbreaking content and state-of-the-art products and services revolutionizing the industry. The Innovation Stage Series will feature presentations from RVL, EssilorLuxottica, Bausch + Lomb and Perfect Corp.
To view the complete schedule of events taking place at The Bridge, filterable by date, browse the event directory here.
Event highlights are included below. Event schedule is subject to change. Check Vision Expo’s website or mobile app for the most up-to-date schedule.
Friday, April 1
9:45-10:15am
EYE2EYE Series: Eyecare Business Trends Presentation
10:30-11:00am
EYE2EYE Series: Why the Metaverse Was Made for The Vision Industry
11:15-11:45am
Innovation Stage: My Clinical Experience with Upneeq: Diagnosis Ptosis, Presented by RVL Pharmaceuticals
12:00-12:30pm
Innovation Stage: EssilorLuxottica Crizal(R) No-Glare Lenses - Mastering Innovation
12:45-1:45pm
Innovation Stage: EssilorLuxottica Keynote Lunch: Welcoming Patients to Presbyopia (ABO Course)
2:00-2:30pm
Innovation Stage: Bausch + Lomb: The Latest AREDS2 10 Year Follow-on Study Results
3:00-3:45pm
Innovation Stage: EssilorLuxottica Leonardo: Science for a New Vision
4:00-4:30pm
NOA Presents: The Importance of Eye Health and Improving the Social determinants and Access in Underserved Minority Communities
5:00-5:45pm
EYE2EYE Series: Onward to Independence Panel
5:45-6:00pm
OPTImum Retail Award Champagne Reception
Saturday, April 2
10:00-10:30am
EYE2EYE Series: Cryptocurrency and The Metaverse and How It Is Changing The Future
10:45-11:15am
Innovation Stage: Coming Into Focus: AI + AR Revolution for Eyewear, presented by Perfect Corp.
12:30–1:30pm
NFOS College Bowl, powered by EssilorLuxottica
2:00-3:00pm
EYE2EYE Series: The Next Generation of Eyewear Panel
4:00-5:00pm
EYE2EYE Series: A Conversation with Dapper Dan, Fashion Innovator and Author
Vision Expo East 2022 will take place at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City from March 31–April 3, 2022. The Show’s educational program, together with OptiCon®@Vision Expo, will open Thursday, March 31 and the Exhibit Hall will open Friday, April 1. To register, click here.
For more information on Vision Expo, visit visionexpo.com and follow Vision Expo’s social media channels, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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About Vision Expo
Vision Expo East and West are trade-only conferences and exhibitions for eyecare and eyewear presented by co-owners RX 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 providers 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. For more information, visit VisionExpo.com and follow Vision Expo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About The Vision Council
As the vision care leader in enabling 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.
About RX
RX is in the business of building businesses for individuals, communities and organisations. We elevate the power of face-to-face events by combining data and digital products to help customers learn about markets, source products and complete transactions at over 400 events in 22 countries across 43 industry sectors. RX is passionate about making a positive impact on society and is fully committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.rxglobal.com