Are you currently a third-year optometry school student who’ll be a fourth-year in the fall? Do you have a passion for or interest in myopia management? Then The Myopia Collective wants to hear from you.

The Myopia Collective, a partnership between CooperVision and the American Optometric Association, has officially opened applications for its latest class of Change Agents. And for the first time, the program is welcoming Student Change Agents to join OD Change Agents in its mission to drive the practice of myopia management as standard of care.

Since its launch in 2024, the Myopia Collective has grown to more than 3,500 members and built a network of over 70 trained Change Agents. Through workshops and ongoing collaboration, these leaders are helping expand awareness of evidence-based myopia management across every U.S. state and Washington, D.C. Change Agents serve as ambassadors to the program, receiving specialized training in myopia management while advocating for improved pediatric eye health.

Here are the top six questions answered on what students need to know about this exciting new opportunity:

1. Are there eligibility requirements for Student Change Agents?

Students who will be fourth-year optometry school students during the 2026/2027 academic school year are eligible to apply         as Student Change Agents.

2. How many Student Change Agents will be selected?

The program will select one rising fourth‑year leader from each of the eligible 24 schools and colleges of optometry.

3. How long is the Student Change Agent term?

Selected students will serve a 1-year term that will be completed upon their graduation from optometry school.

4. What’s the deadline for applying? 

Applications should be submitted online by April 27, 2026.

5. If I’m chosen to be a Student Change Agent, what’s next?

The AOA and CooperVision will announce the new OD Change Agents and Student Change Agents in conjunction with Optometry’s Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, June 17–20, 2026. All the Change Agents will participate in a dedicated training workshop this November in Houston, TX where they will gain novel and practical guidance on improving myopia management adoption in their practices while collaborating with peers to further advance children’s eye health.

6. What else do I need to know?

In addition to the new Student Change Agents, the Myopia Collective is growing its OD reach. The program has also opened applications for 17 new OD Change Agents positions across 15 states as part of its continued expansion. This year, the Myopia Collective is seeking OD Change Agents in Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Washington. Although the Change Agent placements are focused on select states, the Student Change Agent program is open nationwide.

Find out more about the Myopia Collective. And you can apply for a Student Change Agent position here.