AUSTIN, Texas—OpenRoom Events, a U.K.-based events company, will be launching its first North America Eyecare Forum later this week on Nov. 17 and 18 here at the Hyatt Regency. A new event concept here, Eyecare Forum USA connects optometrists and optical retailers with vendors through a unique blend of pre-arranged, pre-matched “speed” meetings. The first edition of this focused program is designed to allow for dynamic information exchanges between buyers and sellers, combined with interesting speakers and informative presentations, according to the event’s organizers.

The keynote address on the first day will be delivered by Richard Edlow OD, The Eyeconomist, and will inform eyecare professionals on how to manage the flattening labor supply and rising demand for eye exams, as well as navigating PE consolidation.

The chief medical officers of both MyEyeDr. and AEG Vision, Artis Beatty, OD, and Ben Chudner, OD, respectively, will be joining Howard Fried, OD, from DigitalOptometrics on a panel discussing telehealth in optometry. Moderated by Jim Muniz, the panel will surely make for a lively discussion surrounding what is one of the hottest topics in eyecare and guarantees to lead to some productive outcomes for the audience.

Ali Oromchian, the CEO of headline partner HR for Health, will cover the different HR challenges that come with expansion in an eyecare group. HR for Health is a solution provider offering software which helps practices stay compliant year-round.

The audience will also hear from a range of vendors during the Next Generation Technologies sessions as they present the different technology being brought to the market in 2023.

On Friday, Nov. 18, Essence Johnson, OD, and Jacobi Cleaver, OD, will be discussing diversity in optometry, within the context of their initiative Black EyeCare Perspective, aiming to foster better relationships between Black eyecare professionals and the industry as a whole.

Robin Rhodes from Dr. Contact Lens will be showcasing the company’s offering, a marketing and ordering software for eyecare practices to market and sell contact lenses to their patients. The second day of the conference will also see gold sponsor Modo take to the stage and dive into the history of their eyewear business.

The conference sessions run alongside the 1-on-1 meetings between eyecare groups and vendors, a hyper-efficient format allowing the attendees to get to know each other in a relaxed, but focused, environment, organizers said. Eyecare professionals attend for free, including a 2-night stay at the Hyatt Regency, all hospitality and networking. Registration info is posted here. Questions about the meeting can be directed to christopher@openroomevents.com.