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We are so excited to have Vision Expo East back for 2021, running from June 2-5 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Darryl Glover and Dr. Kate Hamm are joined by Ashley Mills, CEO of the Vision Council to discuss the exciting plans for this year’s conference on this livestream podcast. “I think there is a lot of pent up demand, and there is a lot of enthusiasm,” says Mills. Earlier in January, event organizers were tasked with the difficult decision to either cancel the event altogether or move the event to Orlando because New York City would not be ready in time to host a big conference. “The reason we chose to move to Orlando is because with all of the safety protocols that we needed to be aware of, we knew we could put on a show in Orlando that was a great experience but also at the absolute highest levels of COVID 19 prevention, safety, and sanitation,” Mills explains. “Orlando has run over 50 shows in the last year; they can do it safely and they have plenty of space to do it.” Safety is a high priority during the conference, with plans in place for masking and social distancing to provide maximum protection to event participants. “We have put a lot of thought into what your experience will be as you walk through the halls and visit different exhibitors,” explains Mills. The layout of the show floor is divided into Neighborhoods, where vendors are grouped together for a cohesive and organized experience. “It was built around the personalities of the brand and products that you’ll find there. Delivering something experiential is the inspiration behind how we designed the show.”
- The Park: The show’s anchor pavilion will include industry icons, ubiquitous brands, and eyewear’s most prominent players.
- The Springs: Get to know eyewear designs’ emerging new talents.
- The Union: Featuring independent designers and the hub for conversations around fashion trends and new eyewear launches.
- The River: This is the realm of the daring, where high fashion collections push boundaries and drive future trends.
- The Seen: The heartbeat of the show is where speakers and entertainment will be held during the show to bring that energy that we all know and love about Vision Expo in a safe environment.
Other highlight events happening during the show include:
- Prevent Blindness Swing Fore Sight Golf Tournament
- Private Equity Event This educational event will provide an explanation of Private Equity (PE) and how it works, PE’s interest in acquiring optometric practices, the documentation a PE company requires, and an overview of how PE deals are structured.
- Career Zone events all day on Saturday, June 5th for student and new graduate doctors to network, find job opportunities, and plan their futures.
For eye care providers that cannot attend Vision Expo this year, the show has expanded to be a hybrid live and virtual event. For example, international exhibitors will be able to livestream their new product launches live on the show floor. Continuing education will also be available both in person and through virtual attendance.
You can register to attend Vision Expo East by heading here.
