‘Essilor Experts’ Workshops Highlight New Technologies, Innovation

“The Insider Experience” workshops are full-day events, featuring exclusive content created specifically for the modern eye care practitioner. There are currently 12 additional events running from May 8 through June 6 across the country, giving practitioners the opportunity to learn from experts in the eye care industry. These events are designed to educate ECPs and staff members, spark conversation with peers, and shed light on exciting new technologies. 

The content of the sessions will focus on light management and innovation, while including deep dives into the new Transitions GEN S and Ray-Ban Meta. With dedicated time for goal setting, interactive activities, and brand activations, attendees will leave feeling informed, refreshed, and inspired, taking actionable information and knowledge back to their practices – while also leaving with two ABO credit hours. 

A Look into the Speakers
The speakers scheduled for the upcoming Essilor Experts events are leaders in optometry, including: 

• Dr. Ryan Parker, Senior Director Medical and Professional Affairs, EssilorLuxottica: Dr. Parker owned an optometric practice for 14 years in Oklahoma (Essilor Expert), then came to work for Essilor in 2018. He graduated from Oklahoma State University and received his optometry degree from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. 
• Dr. Lauren Fereday, Director Medical and Professional Affairs, EssilorLuxottica: Dr. Fereday attended Loyola University of New Orleans, and then went on to attend MCPHS University School of Optometry after completing a Master of Science degree in Healthcare Management at The University of New Orleans. Dr. Fereday was also a former Essilor Intern following optometry school, before starting full time in private practice in San Diego. 
• Judy Lew, Professional Development Director, Opticianry: With 40+ years of industry sales and training, Lew has reached the pinnacle of her career as an advocate for opticianry with EssilorLuxottica. Her passion for the optical industry comes from its multidimensional nature, which allows for diversity in opportunities, whether that’s medical, health care, science, tech, fashion, or retail. Lew was awarded Vision Monday’s 2023 Most Influential Women in Optical Award and the 2024 Optician’s Association of America (OAA) President’s Award, and she is a Board Member of the National Academy of Opticianry (NAO). 

ECPs Gain Value from Essilor Experts Events
Attendees have shared their biggest takeaways from recent Essilor Experts events, highlighting the value they’ve gotten from these educational sessions. 

Lindsey Curtain, an optician from Shannon Vision Care (Allen, TX), has been in vision care for more than 10 years, an Essilor Expert for over five years, and is a member of EssilorLuxottica 360. She recently attended an Essilor Expert event in Texas and said that the events have been valuable in providing better care to her patients. 

“[Essilor Experts] gives us different insights and helpful tools and gets us information that will help us benefit the patient,” said Curtain. “Being an Essilor Expert helps keep us and patients in the know, which I love. This workshop dove deep into different scenarios and questions and answers that we can give to patients. Whether you are an ECP, optician, or hiring a new tech, the information was really helpful.” 

Similarly, Joseph Valero, an office manager at Enhanced Eye Care in Fort Worth, Texas, said that the Essilor Experts event armed him with knowledge and insights that help him in his daily tasks. 

“Continuously expanding my knowledge is definitely one of the main reasons I like being an Essilor Expert,” Valero said. “Being an Essilor Expert has really helped our office in numerous ways, allowing us to engage our patients in a way we really haven’t been able to before.

“Education is the most potent thing we can give our patients in order for them to make the best decisions for their optical needs, and the Essilor Experts program allows us to needle in on those great details to help them. Essilor Experts helps us compete in the market, giving us information that helps us provide a personalized experience for each of our patients.” 

Register for an Upcoming Essilor Experts Event
Essilor Experts events run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time, providing a full day of networking and education.

The upcoming 12 events include: 

For more information on the Essilor Experts events, and to register, click here.