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CooperVision and the AOA Expand The Myopia Collective, Launch Student Change Agents Program

Vision Monday7h ago1 min read

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—CooperVision and the American Optometric Association (AOA) announced they have opened applications for 17 new change agent positions across 15 states as part of the continued expansion of The Myopia Collective, the organizations’ national initiative to deliver the standard of care for children with myopia. For the first time, the program will welcome student change agents from across the nation’s optometry schools, selecting one rising fourth-year leader from each of the 25 institutions to take action early and strengthen the movement’s long term impact, the announcement noted.

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AI Summary

Quick Take

CooperVision and the American Optometric Association (AOA) are expanding The Myopia Collective by opening 17 new change agent positions across 15 states and launching a first-of-its-kind student leadership program. The initiative will now recruit one rising fourth-year student from each of the 25 U.S. optometry schools to advocate for myopia management as the standard of care.

Why It Matters

This expansion represents a strategic move to institutionalize myopia management at the foundational level of optometric education. By engaging 'change agents' before they even graduate, the AOA and CooperVision are attempting to shift the clinical paradigm from simple refractive correction to active disease management for the next generation of providers. This effort addresses the critical need for a unified professional voice to combat the rising prevalence of pediatric myopia and its long-term sight-threatening complications.

Key Details

The Myopia Collective is a joint national initiative between CooperVision and the AOA focused on pediatric myopia standard of care.
Applications are open for 17 new professional change agent positions distributed across 15 states.
The new Student Change Agents program will select 25 leaders, ensuring representation from every optometry school in the country.
The program targets rising fourth-year students to foster early leadership and long-term advocacy within the profession.
The initiative aims to accelerate the adoption of myopia control strategies across both current practices and academic institutions.

Practice Implications

Practitioners should anticipate a more standardized approach to myopia management as these advocates work to align clinical protocols nationwide. For practice owners, the influx of new graduates trained as 'change agents' may provide a catalyst for expanding myopia control services and adopting the latest evidence-based interventions.

Who's Affected

Optometry StudentsPediatric OptometristsClinical EducatorsPractice Owners

What's Next

Applications for both the professional and student change agent positions are currently being accepted. Following the selection process, these individuals will begin their roles in advocating for myopia management within their respective states and educational institutions.

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