Stellest lenses are eyeglass lenses designed to help slow myopia progression in children while providing clear vision for everyday activities. These lenses received FDA authorization in September 2025, making them the first FDA-authorized spectacle lenses for myopia control.
Unlike traditional single-vision lenses that only correct blurry distance vision, Stellest lenses incorporate optical technology to address the underlying cause of myopia progression. The lenses feature a clear central zone for normal viewing surrounded by 1,021 tiny highly aspherical lenslets arranged in 11 concentric rings. These lenslets create a controlled light pattern that signals the eye to slow its lengthening, helping to protect your child's long-term eye health.
Stellest lenses use H.A.L.T. technology, which stands for Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target. The 1,021 aspherical lenslets positioned around the clear central zone create a volume of light in front of the retina rather than behind it. When light focuses behind the retina, it signals the eye to grow longer, which worsens myopia.
By creating this controlled light pattern in front of the retina, Stellest lenses send a signal to the eye to slow down its elongation. Your child looks through the clear central zone for all everyday tasks, so their functional vision remains unaffected. The surrounding lenslets work continuously to help manage myopia progression.
Wear time affects how well Stellest lenses work. Clinical studies showing 71% reduction in progression are based on consistent daily wear. We recommend aiming for at least 10 hours per day, 6 days per week. Longer daily wear is associated with better outcomes. We often recommend targeting 12 or more hours per day for maximum effect.
Consistency matters more than perfection. If your child misses a day occasionally, focus on building strong habits over weeks and months.
Clinical research demonstrates strong results for Stellest lenses. In a U.S. randomized, double-masked trial involving children aged 6 to 12 years, Stellest wearers showed 71% less refractive progression and 53% less axial elongation over two years compared with children wearing standard single-vision lenses.
This means that children wearing Stellest experienced significantly slower increases in their prescription strength and slower physical lengthening of the eyeball. Both factors are critical in reducing lifetime risk of serious eye conditions associated with high myopia.
Every diopter of myopia progression prevented has meaningful implications for your child's long-term eye health. Research shows that slowing progression by just 1.00 diopter may reduce the risk of myopic maculopathy by approximately 40% and retinal detachment by approximately 30%.
Myopia is not simply a refractive error requiring stronger glasses. It is a progressive condition that physically alters the structure of the eye through axial elongation, leading to higher risks of sight-threatening conditions.
Stellest lenses offer comparable efficacy to other proven myopia management treatments. With 71% reduction in refractive progression, Stellest performs similarly to MiSight 1 Day contact lenses, which show approximately 59% reduction in refractive progression. Orthokeratology lenses demonstrate a range of 36% to 56% slowdown in progression. Low-dose atropine eye drops have shown varying effectiveness depending on concentration.
The choice among these options depends on your child's age, maturity level, lifestyle, prescription, and family preferences. Stellest offers the advantage of spectacle simplicity without requiring contact lens handling or nightly routines.
Stellest lenses are typically prescribed for children aged 6 to 12 years old, though decisions are individualized based on each child's specific circumstances. This corresponds with the typical age when myopia often begins to develop and progress most rapidly. The earlier myopia management begins after onset, the more cumulative benefit your child receives over their growing years.
Stellest lenses are designed for children with myopia typically ranging from approximately -0.75D to -4.50D with up to about 1.50D of astigmatism. We will confirm whether the available range suits your child's specific prescription during the myopia evaluation. If your child's prescription falls outside the available range, we can discuss alternative myopia management options such as orthokeratology, multifocal soft contact lenses, or low-dose atropine therapy.
While Stellest lenses work well for many children, alternative treatments may be recommended in certain situations:
Our team will conduct a thorough assessment to determine the best treatment approach for your child's unique needs.
Fitting Stellest lenses requires precise measurements to ensure the optics align correctly with your child's eyes. We will take monocular pupillary distances and pupil-center heights for each eye individually. Frame selection is important because frames with minimal tilt and wrap angles help maintain proper optical alignment. These technical details ensure that your child looks through the appropriate zones of the lens for optimal myopia control effect and clear vision.
Children should not notice the lenslets during normal use. The lenslets are positioned outside the clear central zone, which children look through for all everyday activities. The central zone provides normal, clear vision for distance and near tasks. Most daily activities including reading, computer work, and sports feel exactly like wearing regular glasses.
Stellest lenses are made from polycarbonate, a highly impact-resistant lens material recommended for children. Polycarbonate is suitable for active play and school activities. The material is also lightweight and provides 100% UV protection. An anti-smudge coating helps the lenses stay cleaner during daily activities.
Stellest lenses are cared for just like any other eyeglasses. Clean them daily using lens cleaner spray and a microfiber cleaning cloth, or rinse with lukewarm water and mild soap, then dry with a clean, lint-free cloth. Avoid using paper towels, clothing, or tissues, which can scratch the lens surface. When not wearing the glasses, store them in a protective case. Teach your child to use both hands when putting on or removing their glasses to avoid bending the frames.
Stellest lenses serve as both vision correction and myopia management treatment. They correct your child's nearsightedness to provide clear distance vision just like regular single-vision glasses, while simultaneously working to slow myopia progression. Your child wears them full-time during waking hours, just as they would wear any other prescription glasses.
Ongoing monitoring is essential to track your child's myopia progression and treatment effectiveness. Typical follow-up schedules include evaluations every six months. During these visits, we will check visual acuity, update the prescription if needed, assess eye health, and measure axial length. Axial length measurement tracks the physical elongation of the eyeball, which is the key factor in myopia progression and associated disease risks.
Clear vision is immediate. Your child will see clearly for distance and near tasks as soon as they put on their Stellest lenses. However, the progression-slowing effect is measured over months and years, not days or weeks. Myopia management is a long-term treatment approach aimed at reducing the total amount of myopia your child develops during their growing years.
Sometimes combination therapy is recommended for children with rapid myopia progression or inadequate response to a single treatment. In select cases, we may consider adding low-dose atropine eye drops to Stellest lens wear. The decision to use combination therapy depends on factors including your child's age, current prescription, rate of progression, and adherence to treatment.
Some prescription change is expected and normal even with successful myopia management. The goal of Stellest is not to prevent all progression but to significantly slow it compared to what would occur without treatment. When monitoring shows that your child's prescription has changed enough to warrant an update, new Stellest lenses will be prescribed with the updated power. Your eye doctor will compare your child's actual progression to age-matched norms to document treatment effectiveness.
While glasses and contact lenses can correct the blurry vision caused by myopia, they do nothing to address the underlying structural changes occurring in the eye. Progressive myopia causes the eyeball to elongate abnormally, a process called axial elongation. This physical lengthening stretches the retina and other internal structures, creating higher risks of serious conditions throughout life.
Children with progressive myopia face elevated risks of retinal detachment, myopic macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma. Every diopter of myopia progression prevented meaningfully reduces these risks, which is why early intervention is critical. Our children's vision symptom checker can help you identify early warning signs.
Several factors indicate which children are at highest risk for rapid myopia progression:
Lifestyle modifications work alongside Stellest lenses to maximize myopia control. Outdoor time is the most critical lifestyle factor. Research shows that at least 2 hours per day outdoors helps reduce myopia progression risk. Natural light triggers dopamine release in the retina, which creates a biological signal that helps slow eye elongation.
Screen time management is also helpful. Following the 20-20-20 rule can reduce eye strain: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Maintaining appropriate reading distance and good lighting for near work also supports eye health.
Both Stellest lenses and MiSight contact lenses are proven, FDA-authorized treatments that help slow myopia progression. Stellest shows 71% reduction in refractive progression, while MiSight demonstrates approximately 59% reduction over three years.
The choice between these options depends primarily on lifestyle factors, personal preference, and maturity level. Stellest offers the simplicity of eyeglasses without requiring daily contact lens insertion and hygiene routines. MiSight provides freedom from glasses that some children prefer, especially for sports and social activities. Some children are not ready for contact lens care at younger ages, making Stellest a good choice.
Orthokeratology involves wearing specially designed rigid contact lenses overnight to temporarily reshape the cornea, allowing clear vision during the day without glasses or contacts. Ortho-k provides approximately 36% to 56% reduction in myopia progression.
Ortho-k offers daytime freedom from vision correction, which appeals to swimmers, athletes, and children who prefer not wearing anything on their eyes during the day. However, ortho-k requires nightly lens insertion and removal, careful cleaning routines, and typically more frequent follow-up visits. Stellest lenses offer spectacle simplicity with comparable or better efficacy, but require wearing glasses during all waking hours.
Treatment approaches can be adjusted based on changing circumstances, preferences, or treatment response. Some children start with Stellest lenses and later transition to contact lens options as they mature and become ready for lens handling. Other children may begin with contact lenses and switch to Stellest if wearing contact lenses becomes challenging. The flexibility to personalize treatment over time is one of the strengths of myopia management programs.
Our optometrists have training and credentials in myopia management. Dr. Thanh Mai, OD, FSLS, FIAOMC holds a fellowship from the International Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control and serves on the EssilorLuxottica advisory board for Stellest. Dr. Nathan Schramm, OD, FSLS, FBCLA serves as principal investigator for the Euclid Phoenix ortho-k trial. Dr. Ariel Chen, OD is a co-investigator on the same trial and manages ortho-k and atropine protocols.
Dr. Valerie Lam, OD, FAAO, FOVDR works with pediatric myopia cases, particularly children who also need vision therapy. Dr. Nhi Nguyen, OD has Treehouse Eyes affiliation and fits ortho-k lenses.
We use the Zeiss AXL WAVE Optical Biometer to measure axial length with precision. Tracking axial length over time tells us exactly how the eye is responding to treatment. We also use Pentacam corneal imaging and the Tomey WaveDyn Aberrometer to provide thorough myopia evaluations and monitor treatment progress.
The first step is scheduling a myopia evaluation. During this visit, we will assess your child's current prescription, measure axial length, evaluate risk factors, and discuss which treatment options may work best for your family. Early intervention provides maximum benefit because every year of delay allows progression to continue unchecked.
Yes. Stellest lenses are made from polycarbonate, which is highly impact-resistant and safe for most sports and physical activities. For swimming or high-contact sports where glasses might not be practical, some families choose to have a backup pair of glasses or discuss alternative myopia management options like orthokeratology for those specific activities.
Replacement lenses can be ordered. Because Stellest requires precise fitting measurements, having those measurements already on file makes replacement straightforward. Ask about warranty and replacement policies during your consultation, as these vary by practice.
Myopia typically progresses most rapidly between ages 6 and 14, with progression often slowing in the late teenage years. Most children continue myopia management treatment throughout their primary growth years. Your eye doctor will monitor progression and discuss when it may be appropriate to transition to standard lenses.
Stellest lenses are well-tolerated by most children. Some children may notice mild adjustment during the first few days as they adapt to looking through the clear central zone, but this typically resolves quickly. The lenses do not cause any changes to the eye itself. They simply use optical technology to create signals that help slow elongation.
The standard Stellest lens includes an anti-smudge coating. Anti-reflective treatments may be available. Photochromic options that darken in sunlight may also be available. Ask your eye doctor about current coating options that are compatible with the H.A.L.T. technology.
If monitoring shows that progression is faster than expected despite consistent wear, your eye doctor may recommend adding low-dose atropine eye drops or switching to a different treatment approach. Having regular follow-up visits allows us to catch any concerns early and adjust the treatment plan as needed.
