ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Vision Expo and OptiCon have formed a partnership to bring what is billed as “the industry’s premier opticianry and contact lens fitters education program” to “the largest gathering of eyewear and eyecare professionals in the Americas.” The move, announced today at the 2017 OptiCon Conference in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., represents a significant expansion of both events.

OptiCon will officially join Vision Expo beginning at Vision Expo East, which will take place in New York City from March 15 to 18, 2018.

“As we head into our 10th year, OptiCon is incredibly proud to provide attendees with a program and experience that they continue to value,” said Jim Morris, executive director of the The American Board of Opticianry & National Contact Lens Examiners (ABO&NCLE), which produces OptiCon. “Through OptiCon’s partnership with Vision Expo, attendees will find the personalized program that they have come to expect, along with expanded educational and networking opportunities, all just steps from the industry’s most expansive show floor. The most comprehensive options for learning and sourcing will be available to OptiCon attendees twice a year at Vision Expos East and West.”

The Vision Expo and OptiCon partnership will provide attendees with a dedicated education program curated by opticians for opticians, as well as a series of special events and tailored education packages. Vision Expo will also host a new OptiCon Hub, a show floor destination designed for opticians and contact lens fitters featuring pop-up talks, networking space, social events and access to representatives and resources from the American Board of Opticianry & National Contact Lens Examiners (ABO&NCLE), the National Academy of Opticianry (NAO), Opticians Association of America (OAA), Contact Lens Society of America (CLSA) and National Federation of Opticianry Schools (NFOS).

Educational programming will cover four key areas: spectacle, contact lenses, business and exam review. In addition to more than 75 hours of OptiCon content, developed by the OptiCon Advisory Board, those seeking certification will benefit from the ability to take ABO&NCLE review courses and sit for the exams at both Vision Expos East and West. Attendees will also have the opportunity to join numerous contact lens, clinical, business, allied health and retail sessions offered through the expansive Vision Expo continuing education program.

“Vision Expo is thrilled to partner with ABO&NCLE and its affiliates starting in 2018,” said Melissa Ashley, senior vice president of Reed Exhibitions, which co-owns Vision Expo with The Vision Council. “We have always believed that the quality of our show is only as good as the education that we can bring to the eyecare providers who drive the profession forward, and we continue to raise the bar by expanding our offerings with OptiCon content. The opticianry community is a vital part of the overall eye health industry, and by combining our resources we can ensure that opticians and contact lens fitters receive the highest quality, most diverse and most affordable education programming available,” she said.