A Connected Future Starts Here: SWITCH Vision Innovation Summit

Mark your calendar for March 9-11, 2026, because EssilorLuxottica has announced the launch of SWITCH: Vision Innovation Summit, a new industry-wide event that will explore the driving forces behind the industry’s rapid transformation. This captivating three-day experience is designed to spark meaningful conversation—from AI wearables to medtech to myopia innovation—capturing the true potential beyond frames and lenses to shape the future of vision care.

Immediately preceding Vision Expo, SWITCH will unite eye care professionals (ECPs), innovators and industry leaders from the Americas for an immersive experience to explore the connected future of health care. A second event for attendees in EMEA and Asia is slated for April 13-15 in Monte Carlo.

“The world we play and practice in tomorrow will be more predictive, more personalized, more powerful through AI, data and other developments, and it’s essential that eyecare professionals are in the driver’s seat,” said Chairman and CEO Francesco Milleri and Deputy CEO Paul du Saillant of EssilorLuxottica. “In creating SWITCH, we will provide an ideal environment for the kind of elevated conversation, discovery and relationships needed to succeed in a much more connected world. We look forward to delivering an experience that truly reflects the inspiring times we’re living in.”

MORE THAN AN EVENT

The vision industry is evolving toward interoperable, connected solutions that extend care outside the clinic. Technologies like AI-enabled diagnostics and smart eyewear offer earlier detection, more personalized treatment and new ways to engage patients remotely. SWITCH is where these and other innovations will be showcased, debated and translated into actionable strategies for better patient outcomes.

This program is more than an event—it is a platform for bold ideas and breakthrough discoveries. Organizers say the program will bring together experts from clinical practice, research and industry to demonstrate how technology can enhance diagnostics, streamline patient monitoring and support long-term eye health. For ECPs, SWITCH is a powerful opportunity to engage in forward-thinking dialogue and discover innovations that will redefine patient care in a connected world.

At SWITCH, attendees will have exclusive access to EssilorLuxottica’s most powerful innovations, including:

EXCLUSIVE ACCESS

• Lens technologies such as Transitions®, Varilux® and Crizal® and the first and only FDA-market authorized spectacle lens to slow the progression of myopia in children^1,2
• Smart eyewear and medtech including Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta and Nuance Audio Glasses​
• Cutting-edge diagnostic technologies from Heidelberg, Espansione and Cellview

REGISTRATION AND NEXT STEPS

SWITCH is designed for optometrists, dispensing opticians, lab professionals, researchers and practice leaders looking to stay ahead of technological shifts shaping clinical care and business models. The Americas event will bring together attendees from the United States, Canada, Latin America and Brazil in Orlando in March. A global program will follow in Monte Carlo in April.

Registration for the Americas edition is now open. With a limited capacity, high-value program planned, registration will close Jan. 30, 2026. Practitioners and industry partners can register here. More event details are to be released in the coming weeks and months.

Created to spark dialogue and drive transformation, SWITCH aims to move attendees from inspiration to action. This is where the industry’s future is not only unveiled—it’s shaped.​

Learn more and register for SWITCH here.

Read other recent news on Independent Strong here.

References

1. Compared to single vision lenses. Results from a prospective, randomized, double-masked, multicenter U.S. clinical trial in myopic children aged 6–12 years at initiation of treatment.​
2. Essilor International, data on file (2025).​