EDITOR’S COMMENT
Show signs of a full recover y
For many working in the optical industry, the annual pilgrimage to Munich in early-to-mid January for the Opti tradeshow is a marker that a new year has truly begun in earnest. The deep winter timing and snowy Bavarian location lend
a compelling backdrop to the show, and I was happy to see that visitor numbers have increased (see News, page 5) after a somewhat depressed outing in 2023.
Of course, tradeshows have been one of the areas of optics most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Prior to 2020, Opti had been building momentum and international recognition steadily for over a decade. Unable to be held for a year or two, since the pandemic these large meetings have been subject to some scepticism from both potential exhibitors and attendees alike.
It seems likely that this year’s recovery in attendee numbers was driven at least partially by the organisers persuading more companies to exhibit. Exhibitor numbers were up by around 25% and several major players, most notably in the ophthalmic
lens sector, returned to the fold. This appears to have helped to incentivise wavering eye care professionals to visit.
Overall, it was a positive start to the slew of tradeshows in the first quarter of the year. Eyes now turn to Milan-based Mido and London’s own 100% Optical. It will be interesting to see if trends observed in Munich continue at those shows.
As a sidenote, Opti’s organisers are moving the show a couple of weeks later in the calendar next year. This places it just one week before Milan-based Mido’s 2025 dates meaning the optics industry will be in overdrive at the start of February next year.
Optician will be running a comprehensive report on this most recent edition of Opti in our February 16 issue.
CONTENTS
Deputy editor
6 In Focus
12 Fashions in eyewear
NEWS 4 7 Days News from the past week 6 In Focus Foundations for future of eye health
OPINION 8 Diar y of a Spectacle Designer
Breakages and returns
PRACTICE 10 Informed
The latest from inside the industr y
FRAMES AND LENSES 12 Following the trends
Fashion forward for 2024
CLINICAL 16 CPD: Gut health – more than
meets the eye? Exploring the gut-ocular axis 22 The Diamond Light Source
Extending our knowledge of the ocular tissue structure
CLASSIFIED 26 Ser vices 29 Recruitment
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Optician is the weekly, paid-for information source for optometrists, dispensing opticians and the optical industr y. For 132 years Optician has been the independent voice for eye care professionals, students and business owners offering breaking news, analysis and education. In print and online, Optician provides an array of clinical, business and technology ar ticles, comprehensive CPD coverage along
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19 Januar y 2024 OPTICIAN 3
