Latest News Unaudited Numbers Indicate 15,156 Attendees at Vision Expo East 2015, Show Organizers Say By Staff Wednesday, March 25, 2015 12:21 AM NORWALK, Conn.—Focused on a fresh new theme—Visionaries in Education, Fashion, and Technology—International Vision Expo East closed on Sunday, March 22 after four days of education and exhibits with preliminary reports of 15,156 attendees, according to unaudited attendance figures show organizers told VMail. “From the education hall to the Exhibit Hall, the entire Vision Expo East experience is developed based on what we know matters to the profession now, and where it needs to go,” said Deborah Castor, vice president of shows, The Vision Council. “The exclusive education is informing collaborative care practices, product innovation, and buying activity while the Exhibit Hall is showcasing and previewing what’s on the horizon.”Following two years of research and planning, the popular Galleria and Underground Pavilions were relocated to Level 3, creating a high-fashion hub for buying activity. Buyers asked for a more convenient solution to visit these pavilions, as well as the Eyewear & Accessories Pavilion and International Vision Expo responded, show organizers said.The new show layout also made it convenient for eyecare professionals to easily source and purchase from the hundreds of vendors inside the Medical & Scientific and Lenses & Processing Technology Pavilions located on Level 1.With the relocation of The Galleria and The Underground, Vision Expo hosted the eyewear designers of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (edCFDA) for a standing room only panel discussion on “Speaking of Design,” an opportunity which Christian Roth of Christian Roth Eyewear said helped to “link eyewear and fashion even closer.” “Vision Expo continuously differentiates itself by bringing in experts to challenge ECPs to understand how their environments and customer engagement skills influence their business at every level,” said Tom Loughran, group vice president, Reed Exhibitions. International Vision Expo & Conference announced the winners of the Vision Choice Awards chosen from exhibitors in the New Product Showcase Gallery, located in the Crystal Palace of the Javits Center, where attendees got a first-hand look at the frames, accessories and medical and lens technologies being introduced at the show.This year's Vision Choice Award winners: Christopher and Andrew Shalhoub with Parkman Sunglasses from Mountainside, N.J. (1st place); Ian Rubinstein with Specs of Wood from Woodmere, N.Y. (2nd place); and Helene Goldschmidt and Brianna Hulburd with Lunette USA from Buffalo, NY (3rd place) represented the top new products at Vision Expo East 2015.International Vision Expo & Conference will conduct a detailed, third-party audit of attendance at International Vision Expo East. Verified figures will be available in May. Vision Expo East returns to the Javits Center in April 2016 (Education: April 14 to 17, Exhibition: April 15 to 17).