LAS VEGAS—Although Vision Expo West attendees and exhibitors arrive here with different agendas, many share the same attitudes about the show. Comments collected by Vision Expo Show Daily reporters over the past two days reveal both attendees and exhibitors thrive on the dynamic interactions between buyers and sellers and the energy it creates.

“Vision Expo West provides a great opportunity to meet with my clients,” remarked attendee Bill Pratt of Pop Logic, a New York City-based company. “I have clients from all over the place so it has been great having them all in one place. I’m in marketing and my company develops products and equipment so there has been a lot of people to meet with.”

Another attendee, Art Salas of Costco Optical, said he and his team come primarily to further build relationships with vendors, rather than make purchases. “We look at the show as enhancing teamwork to grow our business, which has been doing well this year.”

Exhibitor Margaret Furman of Magic Design echoed similar sentiments. “It’s great to reacquaint ourselves with our customers and form relationships with new clients,” said Furman, whose company is back at Expo after a two-year absences. “That’s what the show is really about for us, building relationships and dealing with people one on one.”

For attendees such as Richard Kjome, OD, Antigo Vision Clinic, Antigo, Wis., the opportunity to get a first-hand look at the latest technology was most important reason for being here.

“This is such a large conference that everyone is here, which makes it perfect for checking out everything,” said Richard Kjome, OD, Antigo Vision Clinic, Antigo, Wis., who was impressed by the new diagnostic instruments for retina and glaucoma. “I will probably purchase Optovue’s RTVue-100, which maps the inside of the eye for various eye diseases,” he added. “This one instrument will take the place of several other instruments.”