Nearsightedness in children: A new type of spectacle lens that can slow the progression of childhood myopia has been approved for use in the United States, offering eye specialists a tool that goes beyond simple vision correction.
The lenses, sold under the brand name Essilor Stellest, received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September. The technology has been in use in parts of Europe and Asia and is now beginning to roll out in US clinics.
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Myopia, or nearsightedness, allows clear vision at close range but causes distant objects to appear blurred. Rates of myopia have been rising globally, a trend researchers link to increased time indoors, prolonged near work and higher screen use among children. In the United States, an estimated 30% to 40% of children develop myopia by the end of high school, according to Dr Michael Repka, pediatric ophthalmologist and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Until now, treatment has largely focused on prescribing stronger glasses as a child’s eyesight worsens. “It was typically and simply: your child needs to wear glasses, and they’ll live with it; it will be lifelong, and it will likely get worse over the next few years,” Repka said.
The newly approved lenses are designed for children aged 6 to 12 and are intended to slow, rather than just compensate for, the underlying progression of myopia. The FDA based its decision on company data showing that children wearing the lenses had a 70% reduction in myopia progression after two years compared with those using standard single-vision lenses.
Myopia progression is driven by elongation of the eyeball over time. As the eye becomes longer, not only does vision worsen, but the risk increases for complications such as retinal tears, retinal detachment, glaucoma and cataracts, all of which can threaten sight later in life.
The Stellest lenses contain 11 concentric rings embedded with hundreds of tiny raised optical elements. This pattern alters how light is focused on the retina in a way that is believed to signal the eye to slow its axial growth. In the manufacturer’s study, children wearing the lenses showed about a 50% reduction in eye lengthening over two years.
“The hypothesis about the exact mechanism is still being studied, but the clinical effect on eye growth appears real,” Repka said. Independent research groups in the United States and other countries are now conducting their own trials to confirm the findings.
Ophthalmologists say that if the results hold up, the long-term benefits could extend beyond clearer vision in childhood. Slowing eye elongation may reduce the lifetime risk of high myopia and its associated complications.
EssilorLuxottica, the company that makes the lenses, has set a suggested retail price of about $450. The only other FDA-approved product specifically aimed at slowing myopia progression is MiSight, a daily disposable contact lens cleared in 2019 for use in children aged 8 to 12. Those lenses use a similar optical principle to influence how light reaches the retina. Some parents and clinicians, however, are cautious about fitting young children with contact lenses, making glasses an appealing alternative.
