Life begins at 40 for BCLA

The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) is preparing to mark its 40^th anniversary and pledges to look to the future, as well as celebrate the past.

The association will officially celebrate its 40^th anniversary at its 2017 Clinical Conference and Exhibition, which will be held at the ACC Liverpool (9–11 June). It event is designed to offer delegates the chance to keep up to date with the latest research, trends and best practice in the contact lens and anterior eye sector.

Hundreds of eye care professionals are expected to attend the conference, which will feature world-renowned speakers, workshops and a 40^th anniversary dinner.

BCLA president, Brian Tompkins, highlighted: "The world was a very different place in 1977 and the BCLA has changed as well."

He added: "Reaching 40 gives us the chance to celebrate the huge strides the industry has made, particularly in regards to embracing the new technology we have at our disposal, but it also allows us to look back with pride at our achievements."

"We want to make this an occasion to remember and bring the industry together as one. The next 40 years promises to be just as exciting, perhaps even more so, and we want the BCLA family to be able to enjoy it together," he concluded.

Keynote speakers at the conference will include Professor Lyndon Jones, Associate Professor Jennifer Craig, Dr Eef van der Worp and Dr Michel Guillon.

Eye care professionals have been given the chance to help shape the content of the programme of workshops and education sessions, focusing on the key trends within modern contact lens practice. A host of papers are expected to be submitted on topics related to contact lenses and the anterior eye.

BCLA chief executive, Cheryl Donnelly, said: “By contributing to an action-packed programme, eye care professionals can play their part in helping to shape the future of our industry, passing on their experience to others and bringing best practice to the wider public, benefitting eye care professionals and patients alike.”

Early-bird tickets for the Clinical Conference and Exhibition will be available to book from December. For more information, visit the BCLA website.