Understanding Myopia and Why It Matters
Myopia occurs when the eye grows too long from front to back, causing light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it. This leads to blurred distance vision that’s corrected with glasses or contact lenses.
But simply correcting vision doesn’t address the underlying issue—the eye’s growth. As myopia progresses, the risk of long-term complications such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts, and myopic maculopathy increases.
That’s why slowing eye growth during childhood is so important. Early intervention can help preserve not just clear vision, but long-term eye health.
How Stellest™ Lenses Work
Stellest™ lenses look and feel like regular glasses—but what’s inside is anything but ordinary.
Each lens features Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target (H.A.L.T.) technology, an innovation designed to both correct vision and slow down the progression of myopia.
Here’s how it works:
- The central zone of the lens provides clear vision correction, just like a standard pair of glasses.
- Surrounding that, hundreds of tiny, invisible lenslets create a gentle “signal” that guides the eye’s growth, helping it develop in a healthier shape and reducing elongation over time.
- Clinical studies have shown that Stellest™ lenses can slow myopia progression by up to 67% on average, compared to wearing traditional single-vision lenses.
This makes Stellest™ an ideal solution for children who:
- Are too young or hesitant to wear contact lenses
- Struggle with eye irritation or dryness
- Have not responded as well to other myopia control options
- Or simply prefer the ease of wearing glasses every day
Other Proven Myopia Control Options
At our practice, myopia management is never one-size-fits-all. In addition to Stellest™, we offer a full range of treatment options tailored to each child’s unique needs:
- MiSight® Daily Disposable Contact Lenses: The first FDA-approved contact lens for myopia control, ideal for children who are comfortable wearing lenses during the day.
- Orthokeratology (Ortho-K): Specially designed custom contact lenses worn overnight to gently reshape the cornea while sleeping. Ortho-K lenses allow children to see clearly during the day without glasses or contacts, and have been shown to slow the progression of myopia.
- Atropine Eye Drops: Low-dose atropine has been shown to slow myopia progression in some children by acting on the biochemical pathways involved in eye growth.
- Lifestyle and Environmental Guidance: Increasing outdoor time and managing near work habits can further support eye health and enhance treatment results.
By combining these approaches, we can design a truly personalized myopia control plan that fits your child’s lifestyle, comfort, and vision goals.
For Families Already Enrolled in a Myopia Control Program
If your child is already participating in a myopia management program—whether with MiSight® contact lenses, orthokeratology (Ortho-K), or low-dose atropine—you may be wondering how Stellest™ fits into the picture.
While many children are doing well with their current treatment, Stellest™ lenses can be an excellent option in several specific situations:
- For soft contact lens wearers who would benefit from a non-contact lens option (for example, during allergy season, sports breaks, or for younger siblings not yet ready for contact lenses).
- For children using low-dose atropine who are still showing measurable progression—adding Stellest™ may provide an additional layer of myopia control.
- For combination therapy, where Stellest™ lenses are used alongside existing treatments in select cases to achieve better stabilization.
During your child’s regular myopia management follow-up, we can evaluate whether Stellest™ lenses could enhance or complement their current treatment plan.
Why This Matters for Families
With Stellest™, we can now offer effective myopia management to a much wider group of children.
Parents no longer need to choose between comfort and control—these lenses combine both.
They are:
- Clinically proven to slow myopia progression
- Non-invasive and comfortable for all-day wear
- Durable and customizable, just like any other high-quality pair of children’s glasses
At our practice, we’ve seen how myopia control can make a lifelong difference—reducing the severity of prescription changes and helping protect eye health into adulthood.
Is Stellest™ Right for Your Child?
If your child’s vision prescription has been increasing each year, or if you have a family history of myopia, it’s worth exploring whether Stellest™ lenses could help.
During a myopia management consultation, we’ll measure your child’s eye growth, discuss all treatment options—including Stellest™, MiSight®, orthokeratology, and atropine—and design a plan that fits your child’s needs and lifestyle.
Schedule a Myopia Management Consultation
The FDA approval of Stellest™ lenses marks a major milestone in children’s eye care—and we’re excited to offer this new option right here in our practice.
To learn more or schedule a consultation:
Your Team at Old Towne Optometry
Leaders in Myopia Control and Children’s Vision Care