VISION EXPO WEST 2018 BREAKS ATTENDANCE RECORDS IN LAS VEGAS

Vision Expo West celebrated its 30^thanniversary by achieving a nearly double-digit increase in attendance compared to the year before.

Held Sept. 26-29 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, the annual eyecare and eyewear conference and exhibition attracted 12,579 ophthalmic professionals from across the globe, a sizable increase compared to 2017, when 11,790 attended the event.

The show’s attendance increased in nearly every category, particularly in Opticians and Optometrists, as well as in Independent OD and MD practices, multidisciplinary practices, chains/superstores and laboratories, according to show officials.

The conference portion of Vision Expo West was also robustly attended, with more than 4,500 participants taking advantage of 233 leading-edge educational sessions covering key industry topics including contact lens, business solutions, optical technology, retail strategies and clinical concepts.

Starting at registration and extending throughout the exhibit hall, 422 exhibitors created unique experiences and memorable environments for attendees seeking to discover trends, interact with new technologies and access innovative products and services.

According to show officials, heavy foot traffic was evident throughout showfloor, including at BLOCK and NEXT, new exhibit hall neighborhoods that featured new exhibiting companies and standing-room-only fashion shows and panel discussions.