17 February 2022
This week I ventured into a room where the lights were dimmed and then turned off, and as I took my seat in a comfy high-backed chair, the light on a screen began to shine brightly. The environment was one I had not entered for more than two years. No, it was not an optometrists’ testing room (although I will be going next month), it was the cinema. And as I sat for 90 minutes, eyes on the screen and engrossed in the story being told, I realised how much I had missed this once frequent and common social activity.
As restrictions across the UK have been eased once more, many more people are beginning to return to activities, for pleasure and for business, that they will have not experienced in a while. From a commute to work that is longer than a walk from the kitchen to the study, to lunchtime meetings and dinner dates, as well as trips to entertainment venues, people are navigating the new normal in ways that they are comfortable to do so, and footfall on the High Street is beginning to increase as a result.
As a team, OT is excited to be planning its attendance at its first large scale optical event in over two years, 100% Optical. It provides the opportunity to come together as an optical community for the first time since the pandemic began.
The show, which will take place at ExCeL London between 23–25 April, will welcome around 200 exhibitors showcasing their latest frames, equipment, and lenses. Alongside the three-day show, the AOP will deliver a packed education programme of over 100 hours of CPD.
Taking place across different education areas – the Main stage, the Optical academy, the Future practice hub, the AOP lounge and the Dispensing workshop – practitioners will be able to consume a broad range of CPD. Myopia, contact lenses, optical coherence tomography, artificial intelligence and low vision are all key topics covered in the three-day programme.
A suite of peer reviews suitable for all practitioner types, as well as dispensing workshops, also feature heavily across the programme, offering practitioners an opportunity to come together with their peers, network, and reflect on their practice.
OT has interviewed a range of speakers and exhibitors ahead of the show to find out about the key messages they will be sharing – read more about Professor John Nolan’s talk on the vitreous or increase your understanding of Japanese titanium with Charmant. We will be releasing this content regularly between now and the show. To keep up to date, visit our website.
OT will be present at the show for all three days, reporting on the education delivered and interviewing exhibitors about their new collections and equipment in order to keep our readers informed about the latest developments.
If you see us, notepad or camera in hand, please do stop us and say hello. We look forward to seeing you there.
If you want to share your plans for 100% Optical in advance, please email our newsdesk.
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