United Opticians Association

06/17/2026

Less than two weeks until National Sunglasses Day 😎☀️

June 27 will be here soon, and now’s the time to start planning your promotions, patient education, and social content. The Vision Council Foundation FREE Sunglasses Toolkit makes it easy with ready-to-use resources designed for eye care professionals.

Inside the toolkit:
✅ Social media graphics and captions
✅ Professional digital branding assets
✅ UV safety fact sheets
✅ 25 free educational pamphlets for patients

Download your toolkit today at https://bit.ly/4d17FJ5

How is your practice celebrating National Sunglasses Day this year? Share your ideas in the comments 👇

Sunglasses Day is coming. Are you ready? 😎

June 27th is National Sunglasses Day, and we’re making it easier than ever for you to celebrate! The Vision Council Foundation just dropped a FREE Sunglasses Toolkit packed with:

✅ Ready-to-use social media posts
✅ Professional digital branding
✅ UV safety fact sheets

Bonus: 25 free educational pamphlets for your patients!

Boost your sales and protect your patients’ eyes without spending a dime.

Grab your toolkit and freebies today: https://bit.ly/4d17FJ5

06/16/2026

Some of the most important conversations in opticianry happen when leaders, educators, and professionals come together in one place.

But the conversations that shape our profession don’t end when the conference does.

That’s why we’re grateful for our media partners: .mag , , and .group

Through their reporting, coverage, and commitment to the optical industry, they help ensure that valuable ideas, emerging trends, and meaningful discussions reach professionals far beyond the conference floor.

Join us in recognizing these organizations for the role they play in advancing opticianry and strengthening our profession.

06/15/2026

Who will help guide the future of UOA?

Meet the nominees seeking election to the FY27 UOA Board of Directors. Each candidate brings a unique perspective and a record of experience from across the opticianry profession.

Swipe through to learn more about the individuals running to represent the Education, ABO, NCLE, and Membership pillars.

Voting will take place during the Delegate Assembly at the One Vision | One Voice | One UOA Leadership Conference in Chicago, June 25–27.

06/11/2026

Please join us in congratulating the 2026 recipients of the Transitions Optical Advancement Grants!

Programs like these help empower future opticians and optometrists while strengthening the entire vision care community. We look forward to seeing the impact these students will make in the years ahead.

Thank you to Transitions Optical for supporting education and professional development across the optical industry.

🌟 Celebrating the future of vision care!
We’re proud to support the next generation of optometrists and opticians through the Transitions® Optical Advancement Grants awarded to outstanding students across the U.S.

These grants help ease education costs and empower tomorrow’s patient-focused leaders. Join us in celebrating the 2026 recipients.

👉 https://trade.transitions.com/AllResources/Details/10785

06/10/2026

Innovation in opticianry happens through collaboration across laboratories, technology, manufacturing, education, and independent optical businesses.

We’re proud to recognize several of the industry partners supporting the 2026 One Vision | One Voice | One UOA Leadership Conference and helping move the profession forward through innovation, craftsmanship, technology, and patient-centered solutions.

Thank you to ABB Optical Group, Abo Ncle, AccuLab Optical, IO Tech Institute of Opticianry & Technology, David Spencer Eyewear, Dynamic Labs, Horizons Optical, IOT Lenses, Modern Optical International, TruForm Optics, Warby Parker, Optical X, Twelve84, Labofta and Kering Eyewear for supporting the future of opticianry and investing in the leaders shaping our industry.

Which area of innovation in optical are you most excited about right now? Comment below.

06/09/2026

We had an absolute blast in Atlanta for SkillsUSA last week! It was inspiring to see the incredible talent of the brightest students in the country, and we loved getting to connect with everyone who stopped by to see us.

We still have three MAJOR stops left to ensure the voice of opticianry is heard at every table:

1️⃣ ASCA 2026 in New Orleans – Highlighting opticianry as a premier career path to education leaders.
👉 Register at: ASCAconferences.org

2️⃣ AOA | Optometry’s Meeting in Phoenix – Collaborating with American Optometric Association partners to strengthen professional bonds and advocate for the patient experience.
👉 Register at: AOA.org

3️⃣ UOA One Vision | One Voice | One UOA Leadership Conference in Chicago (June 25–27) – This is the big one! Our premier event to set the priorities for our profession. 🗺️
👉 Register at: UOALeadership.org

Will we see you at any of these next events? Drop your stop in the comments! 👇

06/06/2026

Missed our latest episode? We’ve got you covered. We sat down with Brandon Butler, CEO and president of Artisan Lab Network to discuss the evolving role of independent labs and what the future of lens manufacturing means for your practice.

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

🤝 Want to meet Brandon Butler in person? Catch him live at the One Vision | One Voice | One UOA Leadership Conference in Chicago, June 25–27! Connect with industry leaders like Brandon by securing your ticket today.

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

06/05/2026

Wow... what a week! We are officially wrapping up an incredible time at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta, GA!

Executive Director Gwen Cooper and Director of Member Education Bob Alexander teamed up with our partners at Warby Parker to introduce thousands of talented students to the amazing career path of opticianry.

The energy, the conversations, and the passion we saw this week were unforgettable. Thank you to everyone who made this week such a massive success. The future of eye care is in great hands!

06/05/2026

In just under three weeks, we’ll be kicking off the One Vision | One Voice | One UOA Leadership Conference at the MEI Systems Welcome Reception… will you be there?

The Welcome Reception is where the weekend kicks off. It’s the place to reconnect with longtime colleagues, meet new faces from across the country, and step into a weekend dedicated to leadership, innovation, and the future of opticianry.

✔️ Connect with industry peers
✔️ Reconnect with friends and colleagues
✔️ Capture the moment at the Allegiant Eyewear photo booth (complete with UOA logo wear)
✔️ And... Don’t miss the big reveal of our McCray Optical Supply Inc Lens Cloth design winner!

Celebrate the future of opticianry together.

Thank you to MEI Systems for helping us kick off the conference experience in Chicago.

We’ll see you June 25.

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