February 15, 2009 
Theme of the 15th OPTA International Fair: sport and vision
The largest fair of eye optics, optometry and ophthalmology in Central Europe will be held from Friday February 27th to Sunday March 1.
We can look forward to those giant deals as in recent years, many new presentations and current information on trends related to these industries, not only in the Czech Republic.
Larger exhibition stands, plus new features
Last OPTA Fair was a record event, but this year’s one won’t lag behind at least as far as its size. New companies are coming, and some regular exhibitors who believe OPTA is the most important meeting with business partners will have more stalls. For example, the stand of the company SAGITTA Brno will be 25% higher. “In this way, we offer all customers who visit our booth during the fair adequate working space, which will be used to the last square inch,” promises the company secretary Jaroslav Majerčík. SAGITTA prepared design treats such as unusual models of sunglasses Lacoste JOOP or a new assortment of luxury men’s frame Davidoff PRESTIGE made of pure titanium, gold-plated 24-carat gold. The novelty will be the brand frames LEVIS.
Neither the leading representatives of Czech and Central European markets-eye optics will not fail so the Hall 5 will have the best optics of the eye present at the event. Visitors will also meet with some new and attractive brands in the styles of glasses. CZ EXTEL company will present the NBA brand designed for children, teenagers and men who appreciate a marked logo NBA (National Basketball Association). MARE company wants to attract visitors to a new collection of frames NIKO3 providing maximum comfort to users and further anti-allergic boxes. On the stand of company OPTISSIMO will be presented frames of the French brand KIPLING – originally intended for young girls and women. Opticians will be also introduced with a new offer of the company ALTA who, at the first time in the Czech Republic, repair metal frames using laser technology.
In the category of sunglasses, company DANAE CZ offers a new collection of brnd SUNZONE polarized with acetate and stainless steel frames, quality polarization lenses and simple combination of prescription lenses. Brand sunglasses Rip Curt will have its premiere on the Czech market, will be presented at the firm stand of K + L Trading. Metzler International Company will present a collection of sunglasses Bruno Banani with characteristic shapes and models. New technologies to create HD provides an unusual variety of colors.
Also, exhibitors of lens correction and instrumental technologies will have news on the event. Company Essilor-OPTICS will celebrate, at the fair, 50 anniversary of the establishment and continuous improvement of their multifocal lenses VARILUX. It will also introduce its new, completely individualized model VARILUX IPSA, technology VARILUX Physio short designed for low frames and a new smoothed surface CRIZAL Forte. BRNO GEODIS company will have a completely new automatic machine TRK 1P on the event with which they want to enter the TOP OPTA Competition. The machine contains a unique combination of four-pahimetra, sonometer, refractometer and keratometer, representing the most modern technology in contactless measurements.
Main theme: SPORTS AND VISION
Last OPTA fair has attracted increased attention on children, and this year’s goal is focused on no less important target group of customers – athletes. In cooperation with professional partners, the main theme was selected Sport & vision representing all helps in the quality aspect of sports and entertainment activities. The fair is also an opportunity to popularize innovations in this fast-growing but still somewhat less-favored region. “Designing lenses for glasses has been a revolutionary development as were lenses of high-diopter glasses. Today’s materials are safe, and some of them almost unbrakable, which is an advantage for athletes. The frames are specially adapted to different kinds of sports. Another option is the correction contact lenses that are, however, suitable only for certain disorders of vision … „There are many aids and glasses for good vision during sports activities, but knowledge of their existence and use has so far been very poor”, says Vilém Rudolf, the famous explorer of the North pole and a member of the Executive Committee of the Association of Czech Opticians and optometrists (SČOO). And what he expectes from the fair? “I’ve been working with vision while sports activities for many years and I appreciate that this issue has become a key program for OPTA 2009th. I think that many colleagues will gain new information on the correction of vision in sport as an integral part of our lives.”
At the fair OPTA 2009, eyeglasses and visual aids for athletes will be highlighted directly on the stands of individual exhibitors with special label or a separate location on the exhibition table. Prominent theme will also engage in competition for the best exhibits at the fair TOP OPTA 2009, which runs two new independent categories: sports glasses and sunglasses “. The other four categories of TOP OPTA 2009 competition are lenses for eyeglasses, frames, contact lenses and appliances and technologies for eye optics and ophthalmology. Competition results will be published on the official opening of the fair, i.e Friday, the 27th February at 10:00 am and the most successful exhibits will be present at the stand of the Association of Czech opticians and optometrists during the entire duration of the fair.
OPTA will be of improved international character than ever before in the past
The interest of foreign experts in the OPTA fair is constantly growing. Last year, one in five of the 6548 registered buyers were from abroad, foreign visitors came from 40 countries. They were interested not only for the news that were submitted by more than 200 companies in the same place, but also for a unique opportunity to discuss current problems in this area, including the future of education in this branch.
Successful tradition of the international meeting of professionals held at the OPTA thanks to SČOO is continuing this year. Last year was held first all-european congress in the history – TUPO (project of bringing closer Optometry Universities) with the aim of cooperation faculty who teach optometry. This exclusive meeting was attended by 128 experts from 28 countries and its results are estimated by the European Council of optics and optometry ECOO on the spring session. The Council is also committed to SČOO in organizing the second conference which will deal with preparation for the creation of the first European optometry universities. Second all-european three-day congress will be held in Exhibiting center during the fair in Brno OPTA 2009 and will accommodate about 150 professionals from 30 countries.
Congress Program will also attend the presidents of professional associations of eye optics and optometry from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. On this occasion will also take place a business meeting that will deal with the problems of their closer cooperation in order to share information, experiences and mutual support in establishing an international professional trade fair for the ocular optics of Central Europe. The presidents of associations of eye optics from Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Ukraine, Slovakia and the Czech Republic are invited to attend.
Like last year, OPTA will be “Czechoslovak” character. Thanks to close cooperation with the Slovak optical company – a partner in the OPTA fair – Slovak Opticians can take advantage of the opportunity for bus trips to Exhibition center in Brno. Invitations for the fair were sent to 8000 addresses of potential trade visitors in 39 countries, moreover, in Poland and Hungary happened that even more visitors arrived.
Information for visitors
Working hours of the fair were extended from last time. Fridays and Saturdays 9:00-19:00. All-day ticket costs 200 CZK, for students and pupils only 100 CZK. Registered visitors will pay 150 CZK for all-day ticket and 300 CZK for the whole duration of the event. Increasing benefits and pre-registration on the internet (www.opta.cz) thanks to which you can buy a cheaper one-day ticket for 100 CZK. Ticket registered visitors can also uses the ticket in the city’s public transport.
Related to the main topic SPORTS & VISION, fair organizers have prepared an interesting novelty. In the zone of relaxation in Hall 5, visitors will be able to play table tennis, basketball, golf or hockey.