ROCHESTER, N.Y.—The Myopia Collective, an initiative founded by CooperVision and the American Optometric Association (AOA) to advance childhood myopia management into the standard of care, announced the addition of 22 new change agents and introduced its first-ever Student Change Agent cohort. Together, these leaders and emerging advocates represent a 49 percent expansion of the network, strengthening efforts to drive education, engagement, and adoption across the eyecare community. Change agents serve as state level ambassadors, receiving specialized training in myopia management while advocating for improved pediatric eye health in their practices and communities. The new change agents and student change agents can be found here.
“We received an overwhelming level of interest from doctors and students eager to participate this year, and we are grateful to all who applied,” said Jacquie M. Bowen, OD, president, American Optometric Association. “As we continue to grow this movement, we encourage everyone to become a member of The Myopia Collective. Members receive updates and gain access to free educational opportunities, information, and resources to help the fight against childhood myopia.”
Change agents will participate in a dedicated training workshop this November in Houston, Texas, where they will gain new, practical insights to strengthen myopia management adoption in their practices while collaborating with peers to advance children’s eye health, according to the announcement.
As part of its continued expansion, The Myopia Collective will also host its first-ever Day of Advocacy on June 18, 2026. This global, social media–driven initiative is designed to elevate awareness of childhood myopia and the importance of early intervention. Bringing together change agents, student change agents, partners, and advocates, the Day of Advocacy will encourage participants to share personal stories, clinical insights, and educational perspectives using the hashtag #MyopiaAdvocacy2026, creating a unified, worldwide conversation focused on protecting children’s long-term vision.
“The Day of Advocacy is a powerful opportunity to elevate and unite voices across the optometric community and beyond,” said Jennifer Palombi, OD, FAAO, director, Professional Affairs, Americas, CooperVision. “By sharing personal experiences, clinical insights, and their passion for patient care, our community will ignite meaningful dialogue around myopia and inspire a greater understanding of its long-term impact. Together, we will reinforce the importance of early intervention and help build a future where protecting children’s vision is a shared priority across the profession and communities we serve.”
Click here for additional details about The Myopia Collective and information on becoming a member. To see a full list of change agents and student change agents, click here.
