April 25, 2024 — CooperVision and the American Optometric Association (AOA) have partnered to launch The Myopia Collective to elevate the standard of care for children with myopia, shifting focus from correction to comprehensive treatment.

The Myopia Collective will be driven by Change Agents, ambassadors trained in myopia management who will lead legislative and community advocacy efforts. One or two Change Agents will be appointed per U.S. state and several territories. Interested optometrists are encouraged to apply by Friday, May 17. The inaugural cohort of Change Agents will be announced in conjunction with Optometry’s Meeting, set to take place in Nashville, TN, from June 19-22.

Anyone within the optometric profession can join as a member, regardless of credentials, and gain access to educational opportunities and resources.

“Disrupting the status quo and establishing a new standard of care for children with myopia is a monumental task, one that requires collective effort,” says Michele Andrews, O.D., vice president, professional and government affairs, Americas, CooperVision. “The AOA’s full and active participation in The Myopia Collective alongside CooperVision is an unmistakable sign of how critical this issue is to the eye health and vision care for Americans both today and in the decades to come.”

An educational workshop set to take place in Chicago in September will provide Change Agents with training on the skills required to effectively implement myopia management into their practices. This event and others to come will offer Change Agents the chance to network and collaborate with peers with the goal of making an impact on the profession and patient’s lives.

“Through The Myopia Collective, and with CooperVision’s ardent support, engagement in myopia management at the practice level and outreach at the state and local levels will substantially increase—effective advocacy delivering tangible change,” says AOA president Ronald L. Benner, O.D.