Welcome to New York, the City That Never Sleeps.

International Vision Expo East comes to this sophisticated, pulsating town March 21-24 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. This year’s show debuts new exhibit hall destinations, a fresh venue for the Vision Expo Opening Night Party, a plethora of networking opportunities, and so much more. There’s a lot to experience, which is why our guide breaks down some of the key events for you to add to your calendar—plus a few fun, of-the-moment après-show spots—so you can make the most of your time in NYC.

Wishing you a great show!

The EB Team

Education Highlights

Vision Expo East has immersive education opportunities on tap at this year’s show, highlighted by new sessions on innovations, leadership, and patient care, plus in-depth demonstrations and creative competitions.

Here, we highlight key programs to keep on your radar. For more, visit: east.visionexpo.com/education.

MYOPIA TRACK

This new track helps ECPs learn how to set themselves apart in managing myopia, the condition that experts say is becoming a global crisis. Courses range from Myopia Control in Private Practice to The Business of Myopia Control: Everyone Wins.

THE LEADERSHIP FORUM

Developed by co-founder of InfluenceOlogy Roberto Monaco, these business-focused courses explore one of the most in-demand skills in the workforce today.

INNOVATION SERIES

This 10-course series focuses on the industry’s most up-and-coming developments, from 3D printing to spectacle lens tech. Plus, the (free!) Innovation Stage will feature exhibitor-sponsored info on things like ocular nutrition, marketing must-haves, and more.

MARCH MADNESS: CASE CHALLENGES IN OPTOMETRY

Get in the month’s competitive spirit as eight panelists face off by presenting interesting cases highlighting ocular imaging technology. The audience will vote and decide who wins each match—and have free access to the included imaging workshop.

OPTICON @ VISION EXPO

This celebrated program, tailored for opticians, contact lens technicians, and ophthalmic allied professionals, returns to NYC—fusing eye care, eyewear, education, fashion, and innovation in one complete package. Plus, the highly anticipated OptiCon College Bowl serves up some friendly competition as 12 students representing National Federation of Opticianry Schools flex their optical knowledge in a fast-paced quiz game, held March 23 from 6-7 p.m.

Parties & Presentations

Join the party with Vision Expo East’s juicy lineup of enticing events, some of which we highlight here. For the full roster, visit east.visionexpo.com/experiences/events.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

7:30-9 a.m.
OWA Champagne Breakfast
Kick off Vision Expo East by celebrating this year’s Optical Women’s Association award honorees. Register by March 8 at opticalwomen.com. $75/individual.
Location: Edison Ballroom, 240 W. 47th St.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

9:30 a.m.
Voting Opens for the Vision Choice Awards
Go cast your vote on the latest and greatest eyewear products, as all votes will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $500 exhibit hall shopping spree! Voting ends at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, with winners announced at 4 p.m.
Location: Product Gallery

9:30 a.m.
Voting Opens for the Best Exhibitor Booth Awards
Stroll the show floor to spot your favorite exhibitor booths in two categories: Most Creative Booth Design + Best Brand Activation. One lucky voter will win a prize. Winners will be announced on Sunday, March 24.
Location: Javits Center

5-6:30 p.m.
OWA Star Birthday Celebration
The Optical Women’s Association celebrates 22 years on the 22nd! Ring in this “Star Birthday” with networking, cocktails, and cupcakes. RSVP: opticalwomen.com .
Location: Javits Center, South Concourse Hall E Atrium

6:30-8:30 p.m.
OptiCon @ Vision Expo Welcome Event
Are you taking part in the celebrated OptiCon education package? You’ll score one free ticket to this special event at a totally Instagram-worthy hot spot. Stop by the OptiCon Hub to get a wristband or additional passes.
Location: Marquee, 289 10th Ave.

8-9 p.m.
O.D.s on Facebook Party
Take the thought-provoking conversation offline and make an in-person connection at one of NYC’s premier music venues.
Location: Sony Hall, 235 W. 46th St.

9-11:55 p.m.
Vision Expo Opening Night Party
Sing along with Bad Habits, the industry’s Eye Docs of Rock, as they kick off Vision Expo East with music + entertainment. Your show badge gets you free entry and free drinks (from 9-10 p.m.) to the annual get-together.
Location: Sony Hall, 235 W. 46th St.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23

4-5:30 p.m.
Corporate Optometry Panel & Reception
Explore the pathways to leadership in corporate optometry with this engaging panel, moderated by Erinn Morgan, editor-in-chief of Eyecare Business magazine and Corporate Optometry Today! Stick around after the panel to enjoy networking and complimentary beverages.
Location: NewGradOptometry + CovalentCareers Booth #C4067

SS19 FASHION + EYEWEAR TRENDS

Eyecare Business Editor-in-Chief + Editorial Director Erinn Morgan and Senior Associate Editor Kerri Ann Raimo are again teaming up with top luxe eyewear opticians to lead interactive trend talks at Vision Expo East! Stop by the new BRIDGE location on Friday, March 22 at 2:30 p.m. + Saturday, March 23, at 1:30 p.m. for key trends + informal modeling of Spring/Summer 2019’s most on-point eyewear styles.

NYC APRÈS SHOW GUIDE
An Insider’s Guide to the Best of New York

BY JESSICA COLLEY CLARKE

New Yorkers plan their day, week, and month around where to eat, drink, and catch the latest in the arts. Take a cue from the locals and plan a pizza night, wander through the Whitney, or head to a rooftop for a cocktail. Here’s where to go when hunger strikes after a day at the Javits Center.

TOP TABLES

7 Restaurants to Remember

No trip to New York would be complete without indulging in some of the city’s famous pizza. For brick oven pizza near the Javits Center, head beneath the High Line to Ovest ($$, 513 W. 27th St.) in West Chelsea. Follow the lead of neighboring tables and elongate the meal with antipasti such as fried artichokes tossed in lemon and herbs before whole pizza pies hit the table. Choices for toppings are plentiful, but this special dough needs little more than buffalo mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil.

Seafood enthusiasts—especially those who care about the sustainability and sourcing of fish—gather at Seamore’s ($$, 161 Eighth Ave.) in Chelsea to feast on crispy fish tacos, fisherman’s stew, and the daily catch served with miso brown butter. The menu is a perfect match for those craving something light like salmon poke or a heartier meal of lobster mac and cheese.

Slide into a banquette at Motel Morris ($$$, 132 Seventh Ave.) for familiar but satisfying American fare from a burger served with barbecue sauce and onion rings to oven-roasted chicken. Start with deviled eggs or curry mussels to share.

Experience New York as a window to world cuisine with a meal at Farida ($$, 498 Ninth Ave.). Taste the flavors of Central Asia, including Uzbek and Kazakh dishes from manti (steamed beef dumplings with sour cream on the side) to Uzbek plov (a rice pilaf with lamb, carrots, and cumin). Carnivores will also be drawn to the excellent meat skewers.

Topping the list of food New Yorkers debate about—along with bagels and pizza—is ramen, or Japanese noodle soup. Snack on pork buns and chicken wings before slurping your spicy miso soup at Jun-Men Ramen Bar ($$, 249 Ninth Ave.), a bright and inviting space in Chelsea. —J.C.C.

PULL UP A STOOL
7 Crafty Cocktail Spots

For a finely mixed cocktail within a stone’s throw of the Javits Center, walk south on 11th Avenue to Porchlight ($$$, 271 11th Ave.), a bar from Danny Meyer of Shake Shack, Gramercy Tavern, and Union Square Cafe fame. Snack on fried oysters and smoked cheddar biscuits while choosing between house cocktails with fun names like Good Vibrations (rum, Fernet-Branca, coconut, and lime) and Curious Daisy (Hendrick’s Gin, dried cherry, and lemon).

One of the most-talked-about cocktail bar openings of 2018 was The Polynesian ($$$, 400 W. 42nd St.), a rooftop tiki bar at the Pod Hotel. Colorful and a touch kitschy, this spacious bar may have playful decor, but the drinks are carefully conceived. Try the Mistaken Identity with gin, cognac, Chinese five-spice, and yuzu.

While the cold months are traditionally not prime season for rooftop bars, some spaces adapt from warm-weather destinations to cozy winter retreats. This is certainly the case at The Lodge at Gallow Green ($$, 542 W. 27th St.) on top of the McKittrick Hotel, home to Sleep No More, an immersive theater experience. What is a blooming garden in summer transforms into a winter cabin with a fire pit and hot drinks like the Smoking Bishop with wine, port, cognac, and spices.

Back on ground level, The Rum House ($$, 228 W. 47th St.) is a civilized escape from the bustle of Midtown streets. Listen to live music while sipping on classic cocktails like an Old-Fashioned, Manhattan, or French 75.

On the Rocks ($$, 696 10th Ave.) is an unfussy, low-lit bar specializing in whiskey in Hell’s Kitchen. If you like your watering holes unassuming and stocked to the ceiling with amber bottles, stroll up 10th Avenue to this mellow bar. —J.C.C.

RIGHT NOW IN THE ARTS
4 Must-See Shows

Some museum exhibitions make a splash from opening day, and the first retrospective of Andy Warhol’s work in almost two decades falls firmly under that category. “Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again” at the Whitney Museum of American Art ($, 99 Gansevoort St.) brings together a wide range of the artist’s work, including pop art, screen printing, portraits, and more.

On Broadway, Jeff Daniels steps into the famous role of Atticus Finch in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird ($$, 225 W. 44th St.), adapted for the stage by Aaron Sorkin.

A classic story from the silver screen makes its way to Broadway in Pretty Woman ($$, 208 W. 41st St.). This musical tells the story of the unlikely romance of Vivian and Edward, played in the original film so memorably by Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art ($, 1000 Fifth Ave.), rare drawings by Leonardo da Vinci have been taken out of storage and are on display through April 2019 (the drawings are sensitive to light and can be displayed only for limited periods). —J.C.C.