Vision Expo 2026 Introduces a Redesigned Education Experience in Orlando

[Gretchyn Bailey]

Vision Expo is in about 9 weeks, and we're starting to hear what the first event without "East" or "West" attached will look like. Norwalk, CT (January 6, 2026)—Vision Expo 2026 is celebrating its 40th year with a significantly enhanced educational conference designed to deliver greater access, flexibility and real-world learning for vision care professionals. Produced by RX and The Vision Council, Vision Expo is the industry’s leading event for education and discovery, uniting the full optical ecosystem under one roof.

The first unified annual Vision Expo will take place March 11–14, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Florida. All conference sessions, workshops and show floor education will take place on the same floor and hall of the OCCC, allowing attendees to move seamlessly between the conference areas and the exhibition floor. The conference will feature more than 220 hours of accredited continuing education beginning March 11, with the exhibit hall opening March 12. Education will span optometry, opticianry, allied health and business topics, including disease treatment, practice management, lens innovation, optical technology, digital health and retail solutions.

2026 Education Enhancements Education at Vision Expo 2026 introduces several major updates designed to simplify participation and enhance learning outcomes for doctors, opticians and allied professionals. Highlights include: Streamlined Registration and Flexible Learning New for 2026 is a streamlined registration process. Attendees simply choose an education package—Unlimited or Single Day—and can attend courses on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early for high-demand sessions. Workshops have limited capacity, and Optometry Workshops require a separate purchase. Conference attendees must be registered for Education to access courses, and Education badges will be scanned upon entry. Exclusive Hands-On Courses Vision Expo will also debut exclusive hands-on courses that are not available at any other optical event. These 10 new courses offer instructor-led, practical training with very limited capacity, providing attendees with skills they can immediately apply in practice. Simplified Continuing Education Reporting To streamline continuing education reporting, ABO–NCLE attendees can now provide their certification number during registration, and credits will be reported automatically after the event. COPE–ARBO attendees provide their OE Tracker number at registration and scan a QR code at the end of each COPE-approved course, allowing credits to sync directly to their OE Tracker account. Official CE Attendance Verification Letters for state board license renewal will be emailed a few weeks after the conference.

“With Vision Expo 2026, we are redefining how education is delivered at an industry event,” said April Stackhouse, Event Vice President of Vision Expo. “Guided by the Vision Expo Educational Planning Committee, OptiCon leadership and our advisory committees, this year’s programming was thoughtfully developed to deliver the most relevant optometry, opticianry and business education across a broad range of subjects. Vision Expo helps set every member of the eyecare team up for success.”

Highlighted optometric sessions include: Top 5 Practice Problems & How to Avoid Them (Thursday, March 12, 9:45–10:45 a.m.), presented by Jessilin Quint, OD, FAAO, and Dave Kading, OD Dry Eyes & Myopia Management – When Kids Win and Lose (Thursday, March 12, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.), presented by Sheila Morrison, OD, and Shalu Pal, OD Putting the OD in AI (Friday, March 13, 2:45–4:45 p.m.), moderated by Scot Morris, OD, with panelists Selina McGee, OD, and Brianna Rhue, OD OptiCon course highlights include: Creating and Presenting Effective Continuing Education for Opticians (Thursday, March 12, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and encore Friday, March 13, 8:30–9:30 a.m.), presented by Pete Hanlin, ABOM Explore the Floor: Technology Edition (Thursday, March 12, 2:30–3:30 p.m.; encore Friday, March 13, 9:45–10:45 a.m.), Cira Collins, MPH, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO The Ins and Outs of Advanced Scleral Fitting (Friday, March 13, 3:45–4:45 p.m. and encore Saturday, March 14, 8:30–9:30 a.m.), presented by Nicole Edwards, NCLE-AC

Expanded Programs and Specialized Learning Additional educational programming includes the Myopia Control Program, Low Vision education, the New Technology Showcase, Hands-On Workshops, Vision Series sessions held over breakfast and lunch, and all-new one-hour Summits designed to address the most pressing issues in eye care. To learn more about the educational courses and packages offered at Vision Expo in 2026, visit here.