Optical Middle East 2002 opens today - welcomes numerous international players

The exhibition, which will run until February 17, will be open to trade professionals from 10 am to 6 pm today, Saturday and Sunday and from 4 pm to 9 pm on Friday.

More than 80 exhibitors - with more than one-third from Europe - including France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands and Austria - will participate in Optical Middle East 2002. Other countries to have a presence include Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.

The biennial exhibition will showcase a wide-range of products and services from the optical and ophthalmic industry, which industry sources say is worth an estimated US$2 billion (Dhs 7.35 billion) in the Middle East region. In addition, some participants will use this opportunity to launch new lines in the region. Optimeyes of Dubai will officially launch the DKNY eyewear brand in the region in conjunction with the exhibition.

Al Amin Medical Instruments (AMICO) will showcase the new Tag Heuer Sports Vision line at Optical Middle East. Tag Heuer is a market leader in luxury sport watches and is making its debut in the prescription eyewear and sunglasses scene in the region in conjunction with the exhibition.

Carl Zeiss lenses, represented by Resources Opticals in the GCC and Jordan, will launch the new superlight Clarlet 1.74 AS Carat (high index plastic) aspheric lens at Optical Middle East, which it says will be "the highest Hi-index lenses in plastic available in the region."

According to industry estimates the eyewear and eye-care industry business in the UAE accounts for an annual turnover of US $300 million which is about 15 per cent of the total demand from the GCC region. Saudi Arabia is the biggest market for optical products in the Gulf with annual sales turnover of more than US $800 million. The other GCC countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar each sell in the range of US $120 to 150 million annually.

The product profile for the exhibition is extensive and includes spectacle frames and sunglasses; optical and ophthalmic lenses, accessories, tools and machinery; artificial eyes; optical and ophthalmic equipment and instruments; surgical instruments; spectacle cases and lens cloths; ophthalmic consumables and eye-care products; military optics; diagnostic equipment and instruments; refraction instruments and equipment; lens cutting instruments, equipment and accessories; orthoptic instruments and equipment and sports and safety spectacles.

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