Evidence has been sifted, the judges have deliberated and the shortlists for the 2012 Optician Awards created.
A marathon judging day involving nearly 50 arbiters took place last week, resulting in 54 finalists left battling it out for the 16 trophies on offer.
FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THE OPTICIAN AWARDS 2012 SHORTLIST.
Competition for Optician Awards was particularly fierce this year with the Independent Practice of the Year Award, sponsored by Hoya, and the Optometrist of the Year Award, sponsored by BBGR, proving to be particularly popular with entrants. All of the categories drew a high standard of entries, making a place on the shortlist harder to come by than ever.
The winners' identities will be revealed at the Optician Award presentation ceremony in the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London on the evening of Saturday April 14.
This year the Awards have a smart new Art Deco look and matching hand-made trophies. Around 550 guests will be greeted by photographers at the black tie event which starts with a drinks reception in sumptuous surroundings with views of Hyde Park. Guests will then be invited to take their places at dinner before being treated to a stunning audio visual show and entertained by our celebrity host.
Once the awards have been handed out there will be music and dancing plus a charity casino, sponsored by GfK.
The Optician Awards are the biggest night of the optical calendar and you can book your place there by logging on to www.opticianawards.com.
