Independents Day business symposium returns with myopia-focused programme

The Independents Day business symposium returns in July after a two-year hiatus, with early bird booking now open.

The iDay 21 event is due to take place at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham on Sunday 4 July.

The programme for the one-day event has been released, with a focus on ‘The Business of Myopia.’ A variety of speakers will address the different considerations of incorporating myopia management into practice.

Event organiser, Nick Atkins, suggested: “This is the first conference held in the UK dedicated to myopia progression management. In fact, it is possibly the first meeting anywhere in the world focussed on changing our commercial approach from a transactional sales model that simply corrects paediatric myopia, to a therapeutic model of managing a child's myopic progression.”

Keynote speakers will include the founders of Treehouse Eyes, a family of practices across the US specialising in treating myopic children, described as potentially the first dedicated myopia management clinic in the world.

US optometrist and entrepreneur, Dr Gary Gerber, will discuss the challenges and opportunities involved in establishing the Treehouse Eyes business, which currently has nearly 50 locations in the US. Co-founder at Treehouse Eyes, Matt Oerding, will focus on the topic of marketing myopia management.

Other speakers in the event line-up include myopia control specialist optometrist, Nick Dash, optometrist and speaker Sarah Morgan, and Nick Black, CEO of BBR Optometry, who will look at charging for myopia management.

Atkins continued: “Considering myopia as a disease that can be treated and ensuring no child is left behind, is the biggest step change in how we practise since the inception of the NHS, not only from a clinical perspective, but from a business one too.”

The symposium will be supported by the iShow exhibition, to enable practitioners to network with suppliers. Event sponsors include Visioneering Technologies Inc, Birmingham Optical, Topcon, Bausch + Lomb, SynergEyes, Essilor and Positive Impact.

Co-organiser of the event, David Goad, commented: “With the devastation the pandemic has caused business, it seems appropriate that one of the first live events of 2021 will be focussed on business success."

He added: “We look forward to seeing practitioners on 4 July and celebrating our independence, in all its forms.”

Early bird booking for the event has opened, with information available online.