ATLANTA--Optometrists, paraoptometrics and other eyecare professionals headed here late last month for the 82nd SECO International conference. This year's SECO featured more than 400 hours of continuing education courses, plus a sold-out exhibit hall in which 220 companies showed off their latest products and programs.

Preliminary attendance figures for the event were said to be about even with last year, including just under 2,000 ODs.

At Bausch & Lomb's booth showing off Renuu with MoistureLoc solution are (l to r) Keir Mesner, Jeff Distasio and Jeff Nardoci.	Roger Valine (r), president/CEO of Vision Service Plan, chats at the reception with VSP board member Robert Bass, OD, of Manassas, Va.
Outgoing SECO President Richard Phillips, OD (second from r) and his wife Lucy (r) welcome Melvin Shipp, OD, dean of the Ohio State University College of Optometry, and his wife, Michele Shipp, MD, to the President's Reception.	Looking over the SECO schedule are (l to r) outgoing president Richard Phillips, OD; Thomas Griffith, OD, chair of SECO's AOP section; and Paul Ajamian, OD, general chairman of SECO's CE program.
The president of the World Council of Optometry, DDD Sheni (c), iswelcomed to the Opening Reception by James Vrac, executive director (l), and SamGalloway, director of the conference.	American Optometric Assn. President Wesley Pittman, OD, (r) and his wife Kathy (second from r) chat at the President's Reception with Florida optometrists Mary Loshin (l) of Plantation and Linda Roose of Ft. Lauderdale.