Contact lens specialists from around the world are heading for the British Contact Lens Association’s 33rd Clinical Conference and Exhibition, has opened in Manchester. The four-day conference at Manchester Central is expected to attract nearly 1,000 registered delegates from the UK and overseas. The accompanying Exhibition moves to a new venue in Central Hall, which offers more space for 45 contact lens, care product, instrument and related companies to showcase their latest products.

This year’s lecture programme offers more than 40 CET points − contact lens, general and therapeutics − and is also approved for CPD points and COPE accreditation. The UK’s first peer review group for optometrists with a Therapeutics Specialty will take place at the conference, and the programme includes the BCLA’s first Training Day for Medics, for ophthalmologists starting out in contact lens fitting.

Keynote speakers for this year are Professor Harminder Dua from the UK, and Drs Ray Applegate and Ian Cox from the US. From Australia, the Association welcomes 2009 BCLA Medallist Professor Deborah Sweeney and Irving Fatt Memorial Lecturer Dr Lisa Keay. As the Conference opened, BCLA President Dr Sarah Janikoun said: 'The next four days are the culmination of more than a year's work for the BCLA and its conference team. Everything is now in place for an educational and enjoyable conference, and I anticipate some new and provocative ideas.

The BCLA is honoured to have close links with its Patrons and Sponsors. Patrons are CIBA Vision and Johnson & Johnson Vision Care. Alcon and Bausch & Lomb are Platinum Sponsors and Gold Sponsors are AMO, CooperVision, Optometry Today and Topcon. Thanks also go to all this year’s exhibiting companies, including Premium Exhibitors Menicon, Mentholatum, Sauflon and UltraVision. Source: http://www.bcla.org.uk/news.asp?newsid=171