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United Opticians Association

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Lexington, KY
United Opticians Association

UOA is the only national voice for opticians, advancing the profession through advocacy, education, and a united community.

06/04/2026

Day 3 of the One Vision | One Voice | One UOA Leadership Conference brings together leaders from across the profession to explore emerging trends, specialty practice areas, industry collaboration, and the future of optical care.
Featured sessions include:

• Sightline Industry Panel
• Discovering the Wild and Wonderful Specialties in Opticianry
• Low Vision Specialty
• Sports Vision Specialty
• Mobile Opticianry
• Neuro-Vision Specialty
• The Optical AI Advantage: Navigating the AI Shift Together
• Revisiting the Power of OP

From AI and emerging technology to specialty opticianry and organizational leadership, Day 3 is focused on turning ideas into action and shaping what's next for the profession.

Swipe through to meet the speakers and explore the sessions.

📍 Chicago, Illinois
📅 June 25–27, 2026

Register today at https://www.uoaleadership.org/register

06/03/2026

Day 2 of the One Vision | One Voice | One UOA Leadership Conference brings together state leaders, industry experts, educators, and innovators for a full day of conversations designed to advance the profession of opticianry.

Featured sessions include:

• Welcome & One Voice Kickoff
• Advocacy: From the Outside In
• Federal Advocacy Breakout
• State Advocacy Breakout
• Influencing the Ego
• Vision Beyond Vision
• One Vision in Focus: The Expanding Role of Contact Lenses in Opticianry
• From Fit to Function: The Optician's Role in Contact Lens Fitting
• Specialty Contact Lenses in Practice
• Planning an NCLE Program for Your State Organization
• Smart Technology Intelligent Innovation: Where Vision Meets Technology
• A Strategic Discussion About Simplicity

From advocacy and leadership to contact lenses, technology, and innovation, Day 2 is packed with practical insights, fresh perspectives, and opportunities to connect with leaders from across the optical industry.

Swipe through to meet the speakers and explore the sessions.

📍 Chicago, Illinois
📅 June 25–27, 2026

Register today at https://www.uoaleadership.org/register

06/02/2026

NEW EPISODE: Independent Labs and the Future of Opticianry | Brandon Butler,

What role do independent labs play in today’s optical industry, and why should opticians be paying attention?

In this episode of Mission:Optician, Brandon Butler, president and CEO of Artisan Lab Network, sits down with Gwen Cooper, executive director of United Opticians Association (UOA).

📍 CONNECT IN PERSON: Brandon Butler will be joining us at the One Vision | One Voice | One UOA Leadership Conference in Chicago (June 25–27)!

Register today to catch him live.

Link to Register: https://www.uoaleadership.org

With more than two decades of experience across optics, lens manufacturing, and lab management, Brandon shares how the industry is evolving — from consolidation to the resurgence of independent labs — and what that means for opticians, patients, and the future of eye care.

Plus, Brandon discusses his efforts to expand the optical workforce by training and hiring formerly incarcerated individuals, which creates pathways into opticianry for motivated new talent.

In this episode, you will learn:

💡 The economics behind independent lab operations
💡 How industry consolidation has shaped lab options for independent practices
💡 Why the relationship between opticians and labs is more critical than ever
💡 How the Artisan Lab Network is reclaiming the art of lens manufacturing, and why that matters for patient outcomes

👉 Tune in now: https://www.opticians.org/missionoptician

This episode is brought to you by the Artisan Lab Network.

06/01/2026

Formal Opticianry Educators: The future of our programs is built on shared insights.

On June 25th in Chicago, we are hosting a full-day, in-person Formal Educators Working Session. This collaborative, hands-on workshop is designed by educators for educators.

We are diving into the realistic future of opticianry programs:

SUCCESS: Benchmarking what is working across the country and why.

TROUBLE: Facing real-world program struggles in a judgment-free, collaborative space.

NEW: Exploring where programs are evolving, plus previewing cutting-edge technology like Smart Mirror AI.

If you are a formal opticianry educator, this is your community and your platform to help shape national stewardship for our profession.

👉 Secure your spot: https://www.uoaleadership.org/

05/31/2026

This is it. Your final chance to save!

Prices for increase at midnight. If you haven't registered for the One Vision | One Voice | One UOA Leadership Conference yet, this is your sign to register right now.

Get full access to:

✅ Innovative Hands-on Labs
✅ Behind-the-scenes Industry Tours
✅ The Delegate Assembly
✅ Eye on Impact Awards Dinner & Keynote
✅ Sightline Industry Panel
✅ Engaging Breakout Sessions
✅ Networking with the industry’s top changemakers

Join the movement today and save.

🔗 Register before midnight: https://www.uoaleadership.org

05/29/2026

Missed our latest episode? We’ve got you covered. We sat down with Alysse Henkel to discuss the data on what consumers actually think about the opticians who serve them.

Swipe through for the top 4 takeaways you can apply in your practice today.

🎧 Listen to the full conversation: https://www.opticians.org/missionoptician

05/28/2026

4 weeks left. Time is flying!

💡 Pro Tip: UOA members save the most on registration. In fact, joining UOA today + registering for the conference still costs less than the standard non-member rate. (But only for a few more days!)

Get the member benefits, join the community, and save your seat all at once.

🔗 Join and Register: https://www.uoaleadership.org

05/26/2026

What do patients think an optician does? Do they assume opticians are licensed and certified? And how does that impact trust, policy, and the future of the profession?

In 2025, the United Opticians Association partnered with The Vision Council to commission a national survey exploring consumer attitudes toward optician licensing and professional qualifications.

In this data-driven episode of Mission:Optician, host Gwen Cooper, executive director of UOA, is joined by Bob Alexander, UOA’s director of education, and special guest Alysse Henkel, former vice president of research and inSights at The Vision Council, to unpack the findings from this consumer attitudes survey.

They discuss the gaps between patient expectations and reality in opticianry and share key findings to inform lawmakers.

Plus, hear what this data means for education pathways and elevating the opticianry profession — while celebrating the high satisfaction rates opticians already achieve.

In this episode, you will learn:
👉 What consumers understand (and misunderstand) about opticians
👉 What patients expect from opticians in terms of certification and qualifications
👉 Why opticians earn high satisfaction ratings and how to keep building on that success
👉 How UOA and The Vision Council transformed “anec-data” into research-backed findings that can drive advocacy

Explore the consumer attitudes survey results at https://www.opticians.org/consumer-attitudes

🎧 Listen to the full conversation: https://www.opticians.org/missionoptician

Link in bio.

05/24/2026

If you’ve been planning to join us in Chicago for the One Vision | One Voice | One UOA Leadership Conference, now is the time to make it official.

Register by May 31 to lock in the current rates before they go up on June 1.

Why pay more later for the same incredible experience? Secure your spot today for the labs, the tours, breakout sessions, panel conversations, awards dinner, and the movement that is shaping the future of opticianry.

🔗 Lock in your savings here: https://www.uoaleadership.org

05/23/2026

Missed our latest episode? We’ve got you covered. We sat down with Steve Alexander, vice president of industry and strategic partnerships at Anagram, to discuss the complexities of vision care benefits and the future of the profession.

Swipe through for the top 4 takeaways you can apply in your office today.

🎧 Listen to the full conversation: https://www.opticians.org/podcast

Address

Lexington, KY

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 6pm
Tuesday	8am - 6pm
Wednesday	8am - 6pm
Thursday	8am - 6pm
Friday	8am - 6pm

Website

https://opticians.org/

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