Flinders Street Station, Melbourne, VIC. Photo: Visit Victoria.

The Optical Distributors & Manufacturers of Australia (ODMA) and Optometry Victoria are delighted to welcome you to O=Mega19, heralding a new era of unity in the industry with every facet of optics united under the one roof. This is our industry’s event, and a chance to celebrate the best in optics.

Melbourne has been chosen to host O=Mega19 for its position as the fashion capital of Australia, as well as providing an ideal location for visitors to combine their show attendance with a personal holiday. The dates, 19-21 July 2019, were selected as they coincide with school holidays for many across Australia and New Zealand, representing an ideal winter getaway.

There is a wealth of exciting news, education and happenings on offer at O=Mega19. We are pleased to introduce a new modern schedule, including dedicated exhibition-only time to suit both delegates and exhibitors alike; a new format, including lectures, sponsored sessions, team-based learning and small group workshops. All exhibitors, delegates and fair attendees are invited to join us for a sundowner cocktail party starting at 5pm on Saturday 21 July.

The fair

Hosted at the Melbourne Convention Centre, with 120+ exhibitors signed up already, brands include Maui Jim, Optique Line, Mondottica, Hoya, OptiMed, Mimo, De Rigo Vision, Frames Etcetera and more. We are also delighted to welcome 39 new exhibitors from this region alone.

As well as all the exhibitor displays and demonstrations, we will have window dressing displays three times daily with Kerry Van Beuge from Through the Looking Glass and we encourage practices to publish a photo of their best window display on Instagram with hashtag #OMEGA19 by 10 July for Kerry to judge. Images of the entries will be displayed at the show.

In addition to the paid seminars and masterclasses, O=Mega19 offers short, free seminars within the Bausch & Lomb Knowledge Centre Stage on the show floor. The Knowledge programme promises valuable insights from leading educators. Speakers include Social Ties founder Vivienne Forbes, Eyes4Everest vice president Joe Wang, chartered accountant Kathy Allen, and Planet VA’s Ludwig Heymbeeck.

Masterclasses

Optical dispensing will be the focus of a dedicated Masterclass programme designed specifically for optical dispensers and practice managers.

The series of non-clinical masterclasses at O=Mega19 will cover a mix of practical dispensing, from basic lens dispensing for practice staff through to advanced dispensing for experienced, qualified practitioners, and tackle other business-focused areas such as how you compete with millennial-focused outlets and the true cost of remakes.

And finally…

I would also like to extend a warm thank you to our sponsors. We are absolutely delighted to welcome Bausch & Lomb on board as our platinum sponsor, in a first ever sponsorship, and Alcon and VTI as diamond sponsors who join all our loyal exhibitors of many years.

Lastly, in the new global landscape of optics, we cannot wait for change, we need to deliver change. O=Mega19 will be considered the cornerstone resource for the optical industry, a not to be missed gathering of the industry as a whole, where those who attend will gain a significant business advantage.

We look forward to seeing you there.