ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The Vision Council and RX, co-organizers of Vision Expo, have announced that EYEnovate, a brand-new series highlighting groundbreaking technological innovations in the optical field, will debut at Vision Expo West next month. Vision Expo West 2023 will take place at The Venetian Convention Center & Expo in Las Vegas from Sept. 27-30, 2023. To register for Vision Expo West 2023, click here. Vision Expo’s Innovation Stage, the main stage destination for attendees on the Show floor, will host the EYEnovate sessions.

“Year over year, the Innovation Stage at Vision Expo West boasts an energizing and thought-provoking schedule of programming that engages attendees from all facets of the industry,” said Fran Pennella, vice president, Vision Expo, RX, co-owner of Vision Expo. “EYEnovate will continue to build upon this, offering Show attendees a unique opportunity to peek behind the curtain and learn about our industry’s most anticipated technologies and innovations.”

EYEnovate is a new series dedicated to exploring the bleeding edge of advancements in eyecare technology and will feature 15-minute talks by leaders in their respective fields, showcasing the latest breakthroughs in areas such as automation, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, VR/AR and other emerging technologies.

The EYEnovate series kicks off with the first session on Thursday, September 28 at 9:45 a.m., and a second session will take place on Friday, September 29 beginning at 9:45 a.m. A panel of industry leaders including Ashley Mills, chief executive officer of The Vision Council, James Rosin, co-president of Rosin Optical Co., and Susy Yu, OD, MBA, FAAO, director of Business Strategy and Operations Support for Vision Essentials by Kaiser Permanente Southern California Permanente Medical Group, will judge all EYEnovate presentations.

The three judges will be present on both Thursday and Friday and will listen to all seven presentations in front of an audience at the Innovation Stage. The judges will select one participant to receive the first-ever EYEnovate at Vision Expo Ocular Horizons Award, which will be announced on Friday, September 29 at the Innovation Stage.

The winner will receive a physical award/trophy and recognition as the first EYEnovate at Vision Expo Ocular Horizon Award winner including promotion on Vision Expo social media channels and press releases.

Due to continuing programming at the Innovation Stage, there is no formal award ceremony scheduled at this time. The winner of the EYEnovate at Vision Expo Ocular Horizon Award will be announced on Friday afternoon via Vision Expo social media channels. The winner will receive a physical award and be recognized in post-show communications.

The 2023 EYEnovate participants include:

EYE-GO – EYE-GO is a Danish based MedTech start-up developing disruptive eye treatment technologies that improve the quality of life of people around the world suffering from severe and chronic eye conditions. Henrik Nagel, CEO of EYE-GO, will present MistGo a micro-dosing drug-delivery system mitigating eye-drop bottle barriers, making it simple and comfortable to self-administer drugs correctly, helping patients better adhere to treatment without overdosing risk.

InflammX Therapeutics – InflammX Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company treating autoinflammation due to dysregulation of a newly discovered innate immune pathway called NLRP3 inflammasome which can impact diabetic eye disease, diabetic kidney disease and macular degeneration. Brian Levy, OD, MSc, and CEO of InflammX Therapeutics will discuss their novel platform technology targeting the pathological inflammasome in retinal/kidney disease.

Myoptechs – Myoptechs is an ophthalmic medical device company developing a soft contact lens specifically designed to slow the progression of myopia while providing exceptionally clear vision. Paul Grimm, CEO of Myoptechs, will give a presentation on the patent-pending Faceted Optical System, designed to slow myopia progression more effectively than traditional multifocal optical designs.

SILKTEARS, Inc. – SILKTEARS is an innovative dry eye drop formulation that uses silk-derived protein to naturally lubricate and coat the eye, while providing anti-inflammatory activity for long term symptom relief. Brian D. Lawrence, Ph.D., and chief scientific officer of SILKTEARS will discuss the product, which will be sold exclusively through eyecare providers to offer dry eye patients one premium over-the-counter treatment for dry eye relief.

Topology – Topology’s Touchless Optical Platform is a suite of innovative solutions that enables opticians to dispense measurements with the highest level of accuracy, both in-store and online. Eric Varady, founder and CEO of Topology will present “21st Century Opticianry” and share how Topology’s omnichannel experience expands the scope of any practice beyond its four walls into an efficient physical and digital operation that increases capture rate, multi-pair sales and customer lifetime value.

UptimeHealth – UptimeHealth aims to simplify and predict medical equipment service, purchase, and compliance events for outpatient health care providers, and provide exceptional service to customers by utilizing cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions. Geoff Rogers, vice president of sales at Uptime Health will demonstrate how effective asset management strategies can play a pivotal role in the growth of optometry practices and explore how optimizing equipment maintenance and management can drive expansion, streamline operations, and enhance patient care.

Yolia Health – Yolia Health is a bio-medical device company committed to helping people restore and enhance vision through non-invasion forms of treatment. David Castillejos, MD, chief scientific officer of Yolia Health will discuss how their treatments can restore vision non-invasively with True Vision Treatment, a treatment that can be used for eight hours a day for seven continuous days and have effects for up to 12 months.

According to show organizers, members of Vision Expo’s marketing and show management team researched dozens of companies innovating in the ophthalmic space and some ancillary sectors, with an emphasis on start-ups, and performed outreach to learn about their offerings and gauge interest and availability in being part of the pilot EYEnovate program. Vision Expo also asked conference attendees to provide recommendations for companies they know to be doing exciting and innovative work in the ophthalmic space to be considered as EYEnovate participants.

Following the research and outreach process, Vision Expo invited interested companies to submit up-to-date information about their products and products, then made the final selections based on a number of criteria including potential positive impact on the industry, use of new or transformative technology or process, and that the company is a start-up or in the early stages of go-to-market.

As a pilot program, Vision Expo is debuting EYEnovate over the course of two days, with one-hour slots of 15-minute presentations and a maximum of eight presenters. As of Aug. 18, 2023, there will be seven EYEnovate presenters, but any updates will be reflected on the Vision Expo website and mobile app.

The 2023 EYEnovate participants are not current exhibitors, but represent the next generation of eyecare and eyewear leaders and potential future exhibitors, organizers told VMAIL. EYEnovate at Vision Expo offers a platform for companies who are not yet ready to exhibit, and an opportunity to network with other industry professionals and leaders in their field, show organizers said.

For the full schedule of Innovation Stage events, reference the Special Events page on Vision Expo’s website, filterable by date and location, here. The schedule is subject to change. On-site, attendees are encouraged to reference the Vision Expo mobile app for the most up-to-date schedule.

Vision Expo West 2023 will take place at The Venetian Convention Center & Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada from Sept. 27-30, 2023. The Show’s educational program, together with OptiCon @ Vision Expo, will open Wednesday, September 27 and exhibits will open Thursday, September 28. To register for Vision Expo West 2023, click here.