Eyecare Glasgow: Education, Enlightenment… and Entertainment

What can attendees expect from Glasgow 2024?

In addition to the tried and tested formula, you’ll notice a couple of new things. First of all, there will be more education than we’ve ever had before – and that means more CPD points on offer! Second, we’re launching a new student track in collaboration with The Brain Tumor Charity and Out Of The Box Optics. Students can make a donation to the charity and then do a separate education track, which includes skills workshops in the exhibition hall, hands-on experience with different exhibitors, an OSCE station, and an expert panel to fire questions at.

Is there a targeted effort to bring in more students this year?

Yes. In the past, we have put on a free educational track with Out Of The Box, but it wasn’t as well attended as we would like. By doing this new track in line with a charity, it is more structured than before, and so we’re hoping to draw in more students. The track is open to pre-reg optoms and students; from our perspective, these are the future delegates. It’s beneficial for us to make those connections, as well as for our sponsors like Bondeye and HEINE. Many exhibitors want to meet with people who will be the future of the industry. But it is also an opportunity for the students to see what goes on at a conference, to do a little networking, and hopefully become less anxious about aspects of the profession like CPD.

What will the expanded education tracks focus on?

We found that the clinical track was extremely popular last year, so we have two clinical tracks this year – each with more capacity. We’ve also got a dispensing track – with a couple of  workshops from ABDO – a business track, and a technology track. The technology track (running on both Sunday and Monday) is quite clinical, as it generally concerns using technology in practice. We get a lot of IP optoms at the Glasgow event, so there’s also an opportunity for IP peer review, which again runs on both days. In addition, we have a lens-focused workshop from Tokai, and Net Zero Optics is running a sustainability workshop  in the business track. And I should note that the keynote lecture takes place on Sunday.

What else can attendees look forward to in Glasgow?

In partnership with headline sponsor, XEYEX software for opticians, Glasgow will host the XEYEX Eyecare Awards this year, which brings together up to 200 eye care professionals from the UK and Ireland to celebrate those who’ve demonstrated excellence in eye care. XEYEX is bringing a new level of glitz and glamor to the event this year – there are magicians, a band, a three-course meal, a celebrity guest, and dancing into the small hours. We hope the added entertainment will bring fresh eyes to this important event.

Beyond Glasgow, what are Eyecare Education’s plans for the rest of the year?

Rather than doing seven or eight smaller shows, we are planning to focus on around five big shows. We always need to balance what the exhibitors and delegates want. People appreciate being together in a bigger venue, with a track format for the sessions, a larger exhibition area, and more daytime activities. Moreover, a bigger event allows students to get more involved – and for us to host a drinks reception after the show.

That said, no doubt we will end up adding some extra dates – smaller meetings in the evening with a couple of peer reviews and maybe a lecture – for delegates to get those last extra CPD points in!

To register for Glasgow 2024 and other Eyecare Education events, click here.