What does the future of myopia management look like? Entering its third year, The Myopia Collective has now welcomed future myopia management leaders into its Change Agent fold. A partnership between CooperVision and the American Optometric Association, The Myopia Collective recently shared the list of its inaugural class of Student Change Agents, representing third-year students from U.S. schools and colleges of optometry.
We sat down with Student Change Agent Chris Kang, a third-year student from the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry, to talk about challenges and opportunities in myopia management, his inspiration to become a Student Change Agent in The Myopia Collective, and what lies ahead.
What sparked your passion for myopia management?
Chris: In 2026, I want to believe that the most significant barrier to providing more myopia control to patients is the availability and understanding of what myopia management is. From personal experience, when I was getting my first pair of glasses, the concept of myopia control was never explained or even mentioned during my exam. And up until I got to SUNY Optometry, I never knew myopia management was a type of care optometrists could provide to help slow down the progression of myopia. To this day, when I do a simple Google search of “myopia management near me,” there are very few clinics that offer this particular service. With the increased prevalence of myopia, I hope that more and more practices will be able to provide myopia control services to the broad population and become more confident in explaining the importance of how myopia can affect their children as the condition progresses.
Why were you inspired to become a Student Change Agent?
Chris: I was very inspired to apply to be a Change Agent for The Myopia Collective because I believe that every child/patient should be given the opportunity to undergo treatment for myopia management. I feel that in the general population, many people believe that myopia is just a condition that does not allow you to see far, and a simple pair of glasses or single vision contact lenses will adequately treat the condition. During my time in optometry school, I’ve learned that there is so much more to myopia treatment than just a spectacle prescription. With the introduction of myopia control soft contact lenses, I believe that every child should and will have a treatment that will work for them. When I become a practicing optometrist, I want to be able to help children with myopia and share my passion about myopia management with other optometrists.
What advice would you give a colleague on how to be successful in myopia control?
Chris: The best piece of advice I can give to a colleague (current students) when it comes to myopia control success is to be curious, to be brave, and to be wrong. Myopia control, similar to assessing GP fits or even a simple refraction, is really an art. Every doctor can approach it slightly differently from a practice management or communication perspective yet achieve similar clinical results. As students, we are always afraid of being wrong and worried that our preceptors may dock a few points for our reasoning, but in optometry school, it really is a space where we can strive to learn even when we are wrong. Myopia control will always be a growing area in research as well as technology that will continue to advance. I hope that more students, optometrists and researchers will continue to be curious when it comes to successful myopia management. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! This is how we all learn!
Find out more about The Myopia Collective and discover how to become a member here.
In addition to being a Myopia Collective Student Change Agent, Chris Kang is an O.D. Candidate, SUNY College of Optometry, Class of 2027. At SUNY, Chris is the Class Council Secretary, NYSOA President, Student Optometric Association for Private Practice Treasurer, and Contact Lens Education and Research Club Secretary.
