CooperVision and the American Optometric Association (AOA) have opened applications for 17 new Change Agent positions across 15 states as part of the continued expansion of The Myopia Collective, a national initiative aimed at advancing the standard of care for children with myopia. Now entering its third year, both organizations noted in a press release, the program will also introduce a new component: Student Change Agents. One rising fourth-year optometry student from each of the 25 optometry schools in the United States will be selected to participate.
Change Agents function as state-level ambassadors—they receive specialized training in myopia management and promoting pediatric eye health within their practices and communities. For 2026, positions are available in Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Washington. The Student Change Agent program is open nationwide. Applications for both tracks are due April 27, 2026.
Since its launch in 2024, The Myopia Collective has grown to more than 3,500 members and established a network of more than 70 trained Change Agents. Through workshops and collaborative efforts, participants have worked to expand awareness of evidence-based myopia management across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
According to CooperVision in the press release, interest among optometry students has increased as myopia management becomes more prominent in both academic and clinical settings. The addition of Student Change Agents is intended to provide early exposure to leadership opportunities and prepare future practitioners to integrate myopia care into their practices.
The AOA said in the press release that expanding the initiative is part of a broader response to the undertreatment of myopia. The program aims to strengthen clinical expertise, advocacy, and collaboration within the profession to improve access to comprehensive pediatric eye care.
Newly selected Change Agents and Student Change Agents will be announced at Optometry’s Meeting, which is scheduled for June 17 to 20, 2026, in Phoenix. All participants will also attend a training workshop in November in Houston, which will focus on practical strategies to increase adoption of myopia management in clinical practice.
Additional information and application details are available through the AOA’s Myopia Collective program. OM