Programme announced for business symposium iDay21

Programme announced for business symposium iDay21

Early-bird booking has opened for the popular Independents Day business symposium and the full programme has been announced. Reported erlier this year (see original report)

The one-day event is back following a hiatus of over two years and is returning to the venue and date where it all began in 2005. It will take place at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham on Sunday July 4.

The symposium will be supported by the iShow exhibition, enabling independents to meet up with suppliers face-to-face. The event sponsors are Visioneering Technologies Inc. (VTI), Birmingham Optical, Topcon, Bausch + Lomb, SynergEyes, Essilor and Positive Impact.

The iDay21 event will focus on ‘The Business of Myopia,’ with its keynote speakers, US optometrist and entrepreneur Dr Gary Gerber OD and his co-founder at Treehouse Eyes, Matt Oerding. Treehouse Eyes is probably the first dedicated myopia management clinic anywhere in the world. Dr Gerber will highlight the challenges and opportunities in establishing the business which currently boasts nearly 50 locations in the US. Mr Oerding will focus on marketing myopia management.

Event organiser Nick Atkins said: “This is the first conference held in the UK dedicated to myopia progression management. In fact, it is possibly the first meeting anywhere in the world focussed on changing our commercial approach from a transactional sales model that simply corrects paediatric myopia, to a therapeutic model of managing a child’s myopic progression.”

Other speakers include myopia control specialist optometrist Nick Dash, renowned speaker and communication guru, Sarah Morgan and Nick Black, CEO of award-winning BBR Optometry, who will look at charging for myopia management.

Mr Atkins added: “Considering myopia as a disease that can be treated and ensuring no child is left behind, is the biggest step change in how we practise since the inception of the NHS, not only from a clinical perspective, but from a business one too.”

Event co-organiser David Goad concluded: “With the devastation the pandemic has caused business, it seems appropriate that one of the first live events of 2021 will be focussed on business success, more than clinical skills. We look forward to seeing practitioners on 4th July and celebrating our independence, in all its forms.”

Individual early-bird booking for the event is £129 by May 23 but practices booking for a group of three or more will pay just £99 per person (excluding VAT).