As the dust settles from the combined O=MEGA23 and 4th World Congress of Optometry, organisers are hailing the success of the three-day event featuring more than 3,500 attendees, various product launches and a thought-provoking clinical program with some of the latest insights on myopia and other conditions.
The collaboration with the World Council of Optometry (WCO) meant this year’s event had a distinct international flavour – and the industry responded with around 200 international delegates, and WCO president Professor Peter Hendicott – an Australian – delivering an important update on global efforts to lift eyecare quality and accessibility.
Several high-ranking figures flew into Melbourne from 8-10 September, signifying the importance of the Australian market to their global ophthalmic businesses. Tokai Optical, who welcomed president Mr Hirokazu Furuzawa from Okazaki city in Japan, Eyetelligence with new US-based CEO Mr Jeff Dunkel, and two key figures from Rodenstock HQ in Germany were just some examples.
Myopia generated some of the liveliest discussions in the clinical conference program and masterclass sessions.
Most notably, a presentation from Mr Jim Papas on the new TGA-approved repeated low-level red light (RLRL) therapy from Australian firm Eyerising International received numerous questions from myopia authorities such as Drs Kate and Paul Gifford, while details of a new “breakthrough” soft contact lens for myopia control by Johnson & Johnson Vision, presented by Dr Noel Brennan, almost filled the Goldfields Theatre. In addition, Specsavers ANZ head of professional services Dr Joe Paul delivered the latest update on myopia prevalence in Australia and New Zealand.
“This is exactly what these sessions are about. It’s a forum to hear directly from researchers and industry, and drill down into topics with back-and-forth discussions,” Optical Distributors and Manufacturers Association (ODMA) CEO Ms Amanda Trotman said.
“And for anyone who is launching a product, it’s an opportunity for them to hear feedback or what the concerns may be, so they can work to address them on the spot and through their marketing.”
On the Friday there were around 2,500 people on site, comprising 900 delegates, 1,200 trade fair attendees and around 400 industry figures. Saturday saw around 800 visitors, and on Sunday approximately 600 were expected.
“When you add that up, that’s well over 3,500 over the three days,” Trotman said.
“The numbers have been great. We have had around 200 international visitors, with around 70 from our friends in New Zealand, and the conference had around 1,100 attendees, which is what we targeted, especially given the amount of CPD that is available online and through other channels today.”
On the trade fair, Trotman said the quality of the exhibits “blew her away”. After looking at the trade hall as an A4 sheet of paper for the last two years, she was amazed to see the 9,000sqm space come to life, with noticeable investments from industry suppliers to spark those important conversations with key purchasing decision makers within optical practices.
“There has been a buzz in the hall throughout … and there has been nothing but positive feedback. I’ve even received a text to say, ‘great show Amanda, actually the best one ever’, so I’m thrilled,” she said.
“Every exhibitor is here for a different reason; some to sell, some for band awareness and others to catch up with existing clients. Everyone is saying they’ve had very good days, and interestingly some days were busier for equipment companies vs frames companies – and we think that’s to do with purchase decisions. The first day delegates were so busy, seeking out certain equipment companies, but coming back a day or two later for a follow up, while the frames companies were really busy Saturday, with people bringing back their bosses for those final decisions.”
Companies like EssilorLuxottica, OptiMed, HOYA and Wymond-owned Eyes Right Optical, Modstyle and Sunglass Collective were dominant forces on the trade floor, but some of the smaller stands, like The Elusive Miss Lou, were innovative in their approach.
“I haven’t seen a time when there isn’t eight people at The Elusive Miss Lou booth,” Trotman said.
The combined Eyetelligence and Eyerising International stand was also a hive of activity, with attendees interested in some of the most cutting edge technology to hit the ophthalmic scene. The Australian-based companies have a common link through Professor Mingguang He and have developed, respectively, an artificial intelligence system that screens for referable eye diseases, and the new RLRL therapy that has just been approved for myopia management in Australia.
“This is my first optometry meeting in this format – and I didn’t know what to expect,” Dunkel, Eyetelligence’s CEO who flew in from the US, said.
“But I’ve come down and our booth has been packed with visitors from small practices, giant practices, peers and societies. There is a genuine curiosity which I interpret to be really important and means we are in a good place to move towards our long-term goal of adoption to benefit patients and clinicians.”
Mr Mark Wymond, CEO and managing director of Eyes Right Optical, Modstyle and Sunglass Collective, was a major exhibitor and happy with the conversations he had with visitors. Eyewear supplied by his companies picked up three categories in the ODMA Awards for Excellence program, capping off a successful event.
“It’s been a great chance to connect with so many businesses that would usually take me a month to get around and see, so it’s been very valuable from our perspective,” he said.
“We have spoken to a lot of key decision makers and buying groups, and when you’re releasing so much new product, it is great to get it out to so many people this quickly. All in all, it’s been a great show and we are happy to support it in a large way – it’s always been good to us.”
O=MEGA23 marked the launch of Cylite’s Australian-made HP-OCT, and the company’s CEO Ms Kylee Hall was encouraged by the level of interest in the device. This includes a strong delegation of optometrists operating in the specialty contact lens space, but also larger practice owners, as well as new practice owners, seeking a multi-functional instrument offering OCT, topography, axial length measurement, and more, to save on space.
“For us, this is the official launch. People have been following us for a long time and it’s now nice to say the device is ready for orders and delivery at end of the year. It’s also been an opportunity for us to talk about the uniqueness of our technology, and when people sit down and look at images, they start to realise why it’s so different,” she said.
Mr John Larkin, from ophthalmic equipment supplier OptiMed, said after the absence of an event of this size for some four years, optometrists were keen to have hands on experience with the latest tech that has been released during that time.
“People have been visiting the booth with a genuine interest. With the pandemic largely behind us, we can see they are in a position to invest, especially those from well-established practices,” he said.
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