Adam Sampson: “What a diverse and friendly community we are privileged to be part of”

While 100% Optical, like all major trade shows, is undeniably commercially driven, its strong sense of community remains intact – with old friends reconnecting and new relationships formed over the three days.

For optometrists and dispensing opticians attending, a key practical reason will be to source and secure their CPD points, while immersing themselves in key professional developments. This may be one reason why at times the aisles on the show floor are not congested with attendees, as at any given time a significant proportion of visitors will be in one of more than 100 education sessions, most curated by the AOP.

While in the longer term, the General Optical Council’s proposed reforms to CPD may raise questions about education’s role in the engine room for 100% Optical’s footfall, there is no question that the fact that so many CPD points are on offer at the event is a key part of its success.

100% Optical is also about the social, family element, which is at the heart of what makes the show special for so many people. For me, the sight of people rocking up at the AOP stand to greet old friends and colleagues unfolds to the mental accompaniment of the Beach Boys’ God Only Knows.

Over the weekend, watching students at their first-ever optometry event, observing parents hand-in-hand with their children navigating the exhibition, chatting with a practitioner who has been an AOP member for nearly 50 years, and seeing Muslim members breaking their Ramadan fast with AOP-supplied dates and Hindu members celebrating Holi with our OT popcorn, brought home to me what a diverse and friendly community we are privileged to be part of.

What goes without saying, though, is the amount of hard work and preparation which goes into staging an event like 100% Optical – from both the show’s organsiers, CloserStill Media, and the AOP, which has been the key strategic partner with the show since the start.

The AOP’s events and education teams are key to 100% Optical’s success, with Dr Ian Beasley, our head of education, in particular overseeing the education provided across almost the entire floor. Given our relationships with many exhibitors, and the fact that nearly 80% of registered optometrists are our members, we also act as an essential intermediary between CloserStill and the world of eye care.

While I am writing this article, our events and education teams are catching their breath. But not for long: the debrief with organisers will be scheduled and the planning for 2027 is already underway. For our members, 100% Optical is three days of business, education and fun. For organisers, it is 365 days of hard graft.