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This March, Vision Expo celebrated both its 40th anniversary and its first unified trade show. From now on, Vision Expo will be held every spring, rotating between Orlando, Las Vegas, and New York. MAFO has spoken with Ashley Mills, CEO of The Vision Council, about her impressions of this first unified trade show, key trends, and the future of the show.

Progressive lenses completely reimagined: Finnish start-up IXI is working on electronically controlled glasses that dynamically switch between near, intermediate and far ranges. Together with a large French optician group, preparations are now underway for market entry.

VR glasses are not only an exciting gadget for gaming but also serve as a new tool for collecting measurement data and for visualizing complex relationships. This can also be used profitably in ophthalmic optics.

The Mido trade fair reports stable visitor numbers once again for the show at the beginning of 2026. The fair attracted around 42,000 participants and 1,200 exhibitors. The participants came from 160 countries.

Effectively correcting presbyopia requires a dynamic solution capable of restoring sharp vision at any viewing distance. However, most existing corrective solutions are static. For several years, Laclarée has been developing an adaptive eyeglass solution based on variable-focus lenses controlled by distance sensors.

130 spectacle lens experts gathered at the 24th MAFO – The Conference in Milan. Here, participants could learn everything about the latest technologies for lens manufacturing and other trends in the field of spectacle lenses and smart technologies.

The company IOT is currently piloting the first printer for spectacle lenses. Light-form is the name of the manufacturing process that produces lenses additively in just three minutes.

Many thanks to all participants and speakers at the 24th MAFO – The Conference. Here you will find all photos from the event. Our special thanks go to our colleague Silke Sage, who captured the day in pictures.

Autofocus glasses are a hot topic right now, but at the same time, it is no surprise if you have never heard of the products. Hardly any of the current technologies are ready for market – but that could change soon!

Smart glasses as a niche product for tech nerds? Data from a recent US study contradicts this preconception. This overview on smart AI glasses focuses specifically on European manufacturers. Some of these products are already on the market, while others are still in the development phase.