BOSTON—The New England College of Optometry (NECO) has announced the 2022 Industry Collaborative, which begins the afternoon of Aug. 29 at the Cambridge Innovation Center, and continues Aug. 30 at NECO’s Beacon Street location. The meeting also will be “live” virtually for those unable to join in person, according to NECO’s recent announcement. NECO hosted the first-of-its-kind industry collaboration meeting in November 2019, and it brought together leaders from every sector of the eyecare industry to share their expertise and to discuss the evolving nature of optometry and the need for optometric education to adapt. Representatives from more than 44 organizations gathered at NECO for panel discussions, open forums, and breakout sessions at that time.

“This event brings together diverse individuals from the industry, optometry practitioners, retail, instruments, treatment solutions, media, educators and students to openly discuss and debate current challenges and to pursue solutions that will enhance education and ultimately, patient care,” Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, president and chief executive officer of NECO, said in the announcement. “We will be hosting this event annually going forward.”

Since the event in 2019, NECO, optometric educators, and the broader optometric industry, have taken steps to assess the impact of technology on optometry and how technology can improve optometric education, continuing education, and the delivery of eyecare in person and via telehealth.

 
 
 
 Shown here are a group photo from the 2019 Industry Collaborative (top), and a smaller breakout session during the meeting.
At the meeting Aug. 29-30, the conversation will focus on how the pandemic has changed the thinking about technology and we will learn by seeing the world through each other’s eyes. A moderated debate will address how we deliver progressive eyecare and optometric education amid on-going pandemics and how best to serve our patients and students.

“NECO and leaders in optometry have taken great strides in adapting to the unexpected challenges the world has thrown at us,” added Gary Chu, OD, MPH, FAAO, NECO’s vice president, professional affairs. “We are proud of what we’ve accomplished since the Industry Collaborative meeting in 2019, and trust that our conversations this year will stimulate growth and collaboration that will usher in additional changes to benefit our patients, our colleagues, and our students.”

The meeting is open to all virtually. The agenda and information about registering for the meeting are posted here: https://form.jotform.com/221725718228155

Live attendance is by invitation only.

The Industry Collaborative is free to attend, but NECO welcomes a charitable contribution of the donor’s choice to NECO to support its mission of changing the way people see the world.