10/01/2025
👓 Big News for Families — A New Tool in the Fight Against Childhood Nearsightedness! 👦👧
We’re excited to share a major development in pediatric eye care: the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has just authorized Essilor Stellest spectacle lenses — the first eyeglass lenses in the U.S. cleared to slow the progression of nearsightedness (myopia) in children.
🧐 What we know so far
✅These lenses are authorized for children aged 6 to 12 years (at the start of treatment) with or without astigmatism.
✅In clinical studies over 2 years, the Stellest lenses reduced myopia progression by 71% (in refractive change) and 53% (in axial length elongation) compared to standard single-vision lenses.
✅No serious adverse events were reported; some participants noted visual symptoms like blur or halos.
✅Long-term data are promising: a six-year follow-up in other markets showed sustained slowing, with an average of ~57% reduction in prescription progression and 52% slowing in eye elongation vs. extrapolated controls.
This approval fills a key gap — until now, the only FDA-cleared myopia-slowing option in the U.S. was a contact lens for children ages 8 to 12. Stellest gives us another option for kids who aren’t good candidates for contacts.
⏳ When will we be able to offer them?
Essilor has announced that these lenses will be made available to U.S. eye care professionals “in the coming weeks”. However, we have not yet received a firm date or supply schedule. Once we know when Stellest becomes available locally, we’ll announce it here — and we’d be glad to discuss whether a child in your family might be a good candidate during their eye examination.
✅ What this means for your family
This is not a cure — it’s a tool to slow the rate at which nearsightedness worsens during childhood, when the eye is still growing.
Because early and rapid progression of myopia increases long-term risks (retinal complications, glaucoma, etc.), adding options like this is a meaningful step in prevention strategy.
Not every child will be a suitable candidate. We’ll consider each child’s vision needs, eye health, and whether they can adapt to special lens designs.
If you have a nearsighted child (or know someone who does) and want to learn whether this new option might help, drop us a message or call our office. We’ll keep you updated as soon as Stellest lenses are in stock — and we’re here to guide what’s right for your child’s eyes. 👁️🗨️
The US Food and Drug Administration has authorized marketing of the first eyeglass lenses that not only correct nearsightedness in children, they can slow the progression of the condition.
