Optician news in brief

Vision Expo East has so far attracted 18,700 registrants. Eye care professionals and buyers will gather for the New York exhibition from March 23-25. Organisers said the pre-registration numbers indicated an increase over figures this time last year, and included 3,000 registrants for the continuing education programme. International guests represented 14 per cent of attendees, while 40 per cent were new attendees to the event.

Optician has launched a research project on trends within the lens sector. It will gauge opinion from within the optical profession on the subject of online lens purchasing, including whether practitioners feel prescription spectacles can be properly dispensed online and the use of internet retailer partnerships. Participants who complete the survey are entered into a prize draw to win a cash prize of £1,000. The online survey can be found within the Editor's Choice section of Optician Online.