Stellest Lenses for Myopia: What Parents Should Know

If your child has been diagnosed with myopia (commonly called nearsightedness), you already know the routine: annual exams, updated prescriptions, and the hope that their vision won’t keep declining.

But correcting myopia and actually slowing its progression are two very different things.

For years, standard eyeglasses fixed what a child could see today without doing anything about how fast the condition was worsening. That’s beginning to change.

Fuquay Eye Care now offers Essilor® Stellest® lenses as part of our myopia control program. Stellest lenses for myopia are designed to do both: correct your child’s vision and work to slow the rate at which their prescription worsens.

In this blog, we explore how Stellest lenses for myopia work, who they’re recommended for, and why early intervention matters.

Myopia is one of the most common vision conditions in children, and its prevalence is rising. The American Academy of Ophthalmology has identified myopia as a significant public health concern, noting that genetic and environmental factors, including reduced time outdoors and increased near work — appear to contribute to both its development and progression.

The concern isn’t just blurry vision. Myopia that progresses unchecked during childhood can lead to high myopia in adulthood, which is a condition associated with a significantly higher risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.

Children with even one myopic parent show increased rates of progression, and the earlier myopia develops, the more likely it is to worsen over time. This is why managing myopia, not just correcting it, matters.

Essilor® Stellest® lenses are the first and only FDA market authorized spectacle lens to slow the progression of myopia in children. They received FDA Breakthrough Device designation in April 2021 — a designation reserved for devices that may provide more effective treatment of serious conditions than existing options.

Unlike standard single vision lenses, Stellest lenses for myopia are built on H.A.L.T.† technology (Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target). The lens contains 1,021 highly aspherical lenslets that create a volume of myopic defocus in front of the retina, a signal designed to slow the eye elongation that drives myopia progression. The lenslets cover the full lens surface, so the benefit extends across all gaze directions, not just through a narrow optical zone.

† H.A.L.T. is an acronym for Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target and does not imply a “halt” or “stop” of myopia progression.

In a prospective, randomized, double-masked, multicenter U.S. clinical trial, Essilor® Stellest® lenses slowed myopia progression by 71% on average over 2 years compared to single vision lenses in myopic children aged 6–12 years at initiation of treatment.*¹

That’s a meaningful result, and the study design matters: randomized, double-masked U.S. trials are the gold standard for clinical evidence.

*Compared to single vision lenses. Results from a prospective, randomized, double-masked, multicenter U.S. clinical trial in myopic children aged 6–12 years at initiation of treatment.

1. Essilor International, data on file (2025).

Stellest lenses for myopia can be recommended as soon as myopia is detected in a child, following a comprehensive eye exam.

The lens is available for prescriptions in the sphere range of 0.00 to −10.00 D and cylinder up to −4.00 D. Your doctor will consider factors including:

Children with confirmed myopia between the ages of 6 and 12
Children with one or two myopic parents (higher risk of progression)
Children whose prescriptions have been increasing year over year
Children who can consistently wear and care for spectacle lenses

After dispensing, a follow-up visit at two weeks is recommended to check fit, with ongoing visits every six months to monitor prescription changes. Our team will guide you through the full process.

Stellest lenses are a clinical tool, not a replacement for healthy visual habits. Alongside lens wear, Essilor recommends:

Increasing outdoor time — research consistently associates time outdoors with a protective effect on myopia development

Following the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, focus on something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds

The AAO notes that outdoor activity appears protective against myopia onset and progression — likely because natural light exposure and sustained distance viewing play a role in regulating eye growth. These habits work alongside, not instead of, clinical myopia management options like Stellest lenses.

Are Stellest lenses just regular glasses?

No. While they look like standard eyeglasses, Stellest lenses contain specialized H.A.L.T. technology with 1,021 aspherical lenslets designed to create a myopic defocus signal. Standard single vision lenses only correct vision — they do not slow progression.

How effective are Stellest lenses for myopia control?

In a U.S. clinical trial, Essilor® Stellest® lenses slowed myopia progression by 71% on average over 2 years compared to single vision lenses, in children aged 6–12.*¹ They are currently the first and only FDA market authorized spectacle lens for this purpose.

At what age can my child start wearing Stellest lenses?

Stellest lenses can be recommended as soon as myopia is diagnosed in a child. The U.S. clinical trial enrolled children beginning at age 6. Your child’s doctor will determine the right time based on their prescription and history.

Will my child still need prescription updates?

Yes. Stellest lenses slow progression, but they do not stop it entirely. Regular follow-up exams every six months are recommended to monitor any changes and update the prescription as needed.

Are Stellest lenses for Myopia available at Fuquay Eye Care?

Yes. Stellest lenses are now part of our myopia control program. Visit fuquayeye.com/myopia-control or call 919-557-0308 to schedule a consultation.

Our doctors take a proactive approach to pediatric eye care. Myopia in children doesn’t have to be a “wait and see” situation — there are now evidence-based options to help slow progression and protect your child’s long-term vision. Stellest lenses are one of those options, available right here in Fuquay-Varina.

If your child has been diagnosed with myopia, or if you’ve noticed signs their vision may be changing, schedule a comprehensive eye exam with us today. Call 919-557-0308 or visit fuquayeye.com/myopia-control to learn more.

*Compared to single vision lenses. Results from a prospective, randomized, double-masked, multicenter U.S. clinical trial in myopic children aged 6–12 years at initiation of treatment.

1. Essilor International, data on file (2025).