FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
GENERAL QUESTIONS
February 20-24, 2019
We’ve moved to New Orleans for 2019! SECO 2019 will be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center located at 900 Convention Center Boulevard; New Orleans, LA 70130.
Registration for SECO 2019 opens on October 1, 2018. Sign up for updates at attendseco.com/pre-register and we’ll notify you when registration opens.
You can book your hotel in the SECO block today! SECO has contracted discounted rates with our headquarters hotels, the New Orleans Marriott and the Sheraton New Orleans, and at hotels throughout the city to offer you luxury accommodations at the best possible rates. Reservations must be made through our official housing company, Eventsphere, by February 4 in order to reserve rooms at the discounted rates. Hotels sell out quickly, so we recommend booking your room today. If you have any questions or need assistance with your hotel needs, contact Eventsphere at (866) 393-0555 or seco@eventsphere.com.
There are two headquarters hotels for SECO 2019:
New Orleans Marriott
555 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Sheraton New Orleans
500 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Click here for a complete list of hotels and to book your room.
Yes. SECO will provide a free shuttle buses from our hotels to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Shuttle bus schedule coming soon!
For more information about SECO 2019, you can reach us at info@secostaff.com.
Yes. You can check your items for a nominal fee in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Registration Hall J.
Yes. A designated room containing nursing supplies and a refrigerator can be found in Registration Hall J at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
Children ages 18 and younger may attend SECO 2019 at no charge. SECO verifies the age of attendees registered in this category onsite. Children may not attend continuing education courses.
Yes! Childcare will be available during education hours at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Childcare services are available on a first come, first served basis in half and full day increments. Babysitting services in your hotel room will also be available. Advanced registration is required.
Yes! The SECO mobile app is a great resource to use before, during, and after the conference. Download it to pre-plan your experience, stay up to date, and refer back to information.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, we will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate persons with disabilities at the event. Assistance for accommodations for the SECO education sessions, meetings and Optometry’s Marketplace™ can contact ssmith@secostaff.com. Please submit requests no later than February 1, 2019. To make accommodations for hotel stay, please contact our housing partner, EventSphere, at seco@eventsphere.com. Flying to SECO? The TSA Cares program can simplify travel for attendees requiring special accommodations.
REGISTRATION QUESTIONS
You can register online here.
Click on the registration tab. You will need your email address and password. Alternatively, you may contact our Customer Service Center by phone at (844) 353-2916 or via email seco@compusystems.com.
You can reach out to our Customer Service Center at (844) 353-2916 or via email seco@compusystems.com.
The Guest package ($100) gives guests access to SECO sponsored event(s) and the exhibit hall. Guests are not eligible to earn continuing education credits. Children ages 18 and younger may attend SECO 2019 at no charge. SECO verifies the ages of attendees registered in this category on-site. Children may not attend continuing education courses. Childcare services are offered at SECO 2019.
Badges, which are required to access every part of SECO 2019 (including special events, education courses and the exhibit hall), can be picked up onsite in Registration Hall J of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
All cancellation requests must be made in writing by January 25, 2019 by completing the Cancellation Request Form. All cancellation requests will be processed after SECO 2019 in the form of a credit rollover. If approved, you will receive notification of your credit rollover within 60 days of processing. Credit rollovers are valid for SECO 2020 continuing education only. Please note that refunds will not be issued. SECO regrets that refunds will not be given for no shows.
Credit rollovers will not be granted for unused hours. Credit rollovers can be transferred to another person from the same company. Continuing Education credit is not awarded if a credit rollover is issued. Credit rollover will expire if not used by SECO 2020.
Send Cancellation Request Forms via email to info@secostaff.com, via fax to 770-451-3156 or mail to:
SECO International, LLC - Cancellation Request
c/o SECO Registration
4661 North Shallowford Rd
Atlanta, GA 30338
QUESTIONS ABOUT OPTOMETRY’S MARKETPLACE™ AT SECO
Thursday, February 21 12:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday, February 22 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, February 23 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
EDUCATION QUESTIONS
New for 2019, we offer the opportunity to earn more continuing education credits each day--up to 50 continuing education credits over the course of the four-day conference, with 30 continuing education credits available to earn over the weekend sessions. Check back soon for a breakdown of the continuing education credits available by day.
Repeated courses generally offer the same material, but sometimes the courses are led by different lecturers.
Course handouts will be available for download at attendseco.com beginning February 1, 2019.
Attendees are allowed a 10 minute break per hour during each course. If attendees arrive later than 10 minutes after the course begins or take a break longer than 10 minutes, they will not receive credit. 50 minutes of class time constitutes one hour of credit.
Visit attendseco.com during or after the conference and select Verification of Attendance. Please allow at least two hours after the completion of the attended course to verify your attendance. You will need your username (attendee badge ID) and password (full last name) to access VOA records via the website.
Presentation Theater courses are located within the exhibit hall (Optometry’s Marketplace™) and participation is granted on a first come, first served basis. You cannot reserve a spot, but you can receive credit for attending official continuing education courses and your Verification of Attendance will note your participation.
Team-centered courses are designed for an audience of both doctors and allied health professionals.
Five special sessions will be offered at SECO 2019, totaling 10 hours of continuing education credits.
The Symposia Series is a set of free, non-accredited courses presented by industry supporters. Free meals are served at each symposium. Pre-registration is required to attend all symposiums at SECO 2019. Once registration has reached its maximum, registration will close. A limited amount of open seats may become available onsite on a first come first serve basis. Entrance is not guaranteed but we encourage attendees to stand in the queue outside of each symposium to gain access.
Free lunch symposia for Optometrists
We regret that meals cannot be provided to healthcare professionals licensed in the states of Massachusetts, Minnesota or Vermont, or who are affiliated with any state or federal institution that prohibits the acceptance of meals at industry-supported events. The Symposia Series for optometrists takes place on the following dates at the following times:
• Wednesday, February 20: more details to come
• Thursday, February 21: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Symposia Amphitheater, Presentations by Alcon and JJVC
• Friday, February 22: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Symposia Amphitheater, Presentations by Shire and Bausch + Lomb
• Saturday, February 23: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Symposia Amphitheater, Presentations by Alcon
Free lunch symposium for Allied Healthcare Professionals
Participants are registered to win $100 cash!
• Wednesday, February 20: more details to come
• Thursday, February 21: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., location TBD, Presentations by Shire
• Friday, February 22: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., location TBD, Presentations by CooperVision and Allergan
• Saturday, February 23: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., location TBD, Presentations by TBD
Free lunch symposium for Students
Participants are entered to win a $1,000 scholarship, courtesy of SECO International.
• Thursday, February 21: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Symposia Amphitheater, Presentations by Alcon and JJVC
• Friday, February 22: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Symposia Amphitheater, Presentations by Shire and Bausch + Lomb
• Saturday, February 23: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Symposia Amphitheater, Presentations by Alcon
• Saturday, February 23: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., location TBD, Presentations by Alcon, JJVC, CooperVision, Allergan
OTHER QUESTIONS
The optometric industry supports SECO attendees in many ways. By sponsoring, partnering and exhibiting at SECO companies are funding necessary event expenses and lowering every attendee’s fees.
As the owners and producers of SECO 2019, we work diligently to protect our exhibitors’ commitment to and investment in both the trade show and the industry by taking a firm stance against outboarding. Outboarding is when any non-exhibitor hosts an unofficial event anywhere in the city that attracts SECO attendees. SECO is organized so that companies in the optometry industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products and services, meet with industry partners and customers and examine market trends and opportunities, while participation dollars provide SECO with the funds to host this event and invest back into the industry. The integrity of the show is diminished, and the value becomes diluted when companies seek—in an unofficial capacity—to capitalize on SECO attendees.
If you hear of an outboarding event, please contact management at (770) 451-8206 or exhibits@secostaff.com. If you observe this activity during SECO 2019, please inform any of the SECO volunteers or visit the show office in the Engagement & Registration area in Hall J.
SECO 2020: March 4-8, 2020 in Atlanta, GA
SECO 2021: February 24-28, 2021 in Atlanta, GA
SECO 2022: March 9-13, 2022 in New Orleans, LA
SECO is committed to partnering with our member State Associations to provide value to association members and promote the profession of optometry. SECO International has formal relationships with 12 state optometric associations and three schools of optometry. We work together on issues, concerns and opportunities relating to optometric education. Within our 12 member states, SECO provides annual optometrist and paraoptometric grants totaling more than $40,000. Any practicing optometrist that is a member of the state association of any of these 12-member states is considered a member of the Southern Council of Optometrists and receives a $50 discount when attending the annual SECO Congress.
