“It’s all about the planning”

As 2022 ends and 2023 begins, the countdown for 100% Optical on 25–27 February begins in earnest.

Details from the programme of lectures, discussion workshops and peer review sessions due to be held across the different days of the trade show have been released throughout the autumn as the date for booking approaches.

For AOP members, this will be 3 January, as members receive an exclusive priority access to book onto the continuing professional development (CPD) lectures, discussion workshops and peer reviews.

A second window of priority access will then open on 10 January for delegates who have pre-registered for the event, before bookings are opened completely on 11 January.

Dr Ian Beasley, AOP head of education and OT clinical editor, recommended: “It is worth registering now, if you haven’t already, in order to book onto your preferred sessions early.”

However, one third of spaces in each session will be reserved for walk-in delegates during the event.

Beasley explained that this had been done to ensure as many delegates as possible could attend the sessions of interest to them: “Book in advance onto the sessions you know you want to attend, but have reassurance that if other sessions at the event appeal to you, you can drop in. It will be first-come, first-served and subject to capacity, but we expect there will be plenty of seats.”

"The breadth of content and sessions available will ensure that attendees will have a multitude of opportunities to fulfil the requirements of the CPD scheme, which moves into its second year of the three-year cycle,” Beasley shared. “The CPD available covers all domains for each registrant group, with all points being interactive."

Common themes arising from the CPD programme this year include advances in clinical imaging and optical coherence tomography, and the role of artificial intelligence, Beasley noted.

Delegates of sessions in the AOP Lounge will hear a wealth of expertise from the AOP’s own legal, clinical and regulatory teams, including peer review sessions and presentations on record keeping. Johnson & Johnson Vision and CooperVision will also host education within the lounge.

Show delegates can attend the Future Practice Hub for clinical sessions across the three days of the show, while the Dispensing Workshop will cover a broad range of topics from dealing with complaints, to the role of the dispensing optician, and the Optical Academy will see activity ranging from a session on independent prescribing to a scleral contact lens workshop.


Nathan Garnett, show director, told OT: “I think it is true to say that there is going to be a wider range of topics and speakers than we’ve ever had which is great. We’re welcoming in new exhibitors who will be delivering CPD on-stand as well.”

With plans for the exhibition in development, delegates can expect to see a greater discussion, and presence of, suppliers from ophthalmology, with this area growing at the 2023 show.

In a survey following the 2022 show, 56% of respondents said they would be ‘interested’ or ‘very interested’ in ophthalmology content at 100% Optical. With this in mind, Garnett said: “We’re working on making sure there will be more suppliers in that arena, but also education, which the AOP is delivering.”

In addition, audiology will be represented across the show, with a number of suppliers presenting hearing aid products and solutions.

Meanwhile, sustainability is expected to continue to “grow and continue to be a theme,” in the exhibition, Garnett suggested, adding: “I don’t see that going anywhere.”

Across eyewear and equipment companies, Garnett said: “Everyone is keen to make sure that they are truly meeting their credentials and not greenwashing. That is very encouraging.”

This important topic will be reflected in the RCA Competition, which will be themed around the concept: Sunglasses that do not cost the earth.

100% Optical are working alongside RCA to deliver the competition at the show, with students required to reflect on materials, and how to make their frame sustainable – “without hurting the planet or hurting people’s pockets.”

The effects of the challenging economic period experienced across the UK in recent months is also expected to be part of conversations across the show.

Garnett commented: “The cost of living is undoubtedly affecting opticians in terms of what people are spending and that will be something we talk about in discussing the trends ahead, whether that is retail or fashion trends.”

Exciting developments are underway across the exhibition map, which is set to see an area dedicated to the brands and manufacturers of craft eyewear.

“We are going to invite them to the show to allow people to get a hands-on experience” Garnett explained.

The catwalk will also see a new element added, Garnett hinted: “Everyone is familiar with the dance-routine catwalk show that we host, which has always been fantastic and we are not going to change that.

“What we do want to do is add another, more traditional catwalk,” Garnett said, with The Eyewear Stylist, Daniel Scott, delivering a session all about styling and how to talk to customers about what type of frame they should have based on their face shape, hair colour or style.

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“I’m looking for… OCT and imaging technology”

OT reached out to equipment manufacturers and suppliers to hear what technology delegates can expect to see.

BIB Ophthalmic Instruments: The instrument provider will be back at 100% Optical to highlight the innovative technologies available for practices, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) will be in the spotlight.

Tim Baker, group CEO of BIB Ophthalmic Instruments, told OT: “Our main focus at the show will be the launch of the world’s fastest OCT, the REVO FC130 from Optopol, plus the introduction of a new range of refraction and diagnostic equipment from Visionix.”

Asked what the group has planned for the show, Baker shared: “Delegates can expect to see the latest technology and how this can benefit their clinical offering and provide a return on investment.”


Heidelberg Engineering: Delegates at 100% Optical will be able to see the Spectralis platform in-action on the Heidelberg Engineering stand.

Emily Malbon, head of UK marketing and Academy, Heidelberg Engineering, explained: “It is a multimodal imaging platform for comprehensive anterior and posterior diagnostics. The module design allows the optometrist to configure the device specifically to their needs, and it is upgradeable so additional functionality can be added in the future when the need or budget permits.”

The device also features patented Active Eye Tracking during live image acquisition.

Sales representatives and members of the Heidelberg’s educational department, Academy, are set to be present at 100% Optical to answer questions.

“We will also be running a lecture and peer review session on the future of OCT and OCT interpretation during the show,” Malbon told OT. “These sessions usually get super busy so it is worth booking online in advance.”

Cylite: The Australian company, founded in 2013, will make its first appearance at 100% Optical in February, debuting its OCT system to the UK market.

Speaking to OT, CEO of Cylite, Kylee Hall, explained that the company has developed the Hyperparallel OCT (HP-OCT) system, “to give industry-leading A-scan speeds (>300,000 A-scans per second) capturing volume data and overcoming the eye-motion artefact limitations of previous generations of OCT.”

Sharing what delegates can expect, Hall said: “If you are a scleral lens practitioner looking for a seamless, no mess, no stitching, single image AS-OCT scan to capture all the data points you need, or if you are interested in capturing all the biometry measurements needed for thorough myopia management, then we would love to talk with you and show you through this next-generation OCT technology.”

100% Optical will be held at ExCeL London from 25-27 February 2023.