Twenty-four month results from the United States clinical trial evaluating Essilor Stellest lenses have shown that spectacle lenses with highly aspherical lenslets (HAL) are “a safe and effective myopia control intervention’ that provide “a reduction in myopia progression and axial elongation over 24 months”.1
The multicentre, double-masked, randomised clinical trial enrolled 159 myopic children aged 6–12 years across nine clinical sites in the United States. It evaluated the safety and effectiveness of spectacle lenses with HAL compared with single vision lenses over 24 months.
Key findings from the 24-month study show that Essilor Stellest lenses:
- Slowed myopia progression by 71% (0.64D) on average over two years,1
- Slowed axial elongation by 53% (0.24mm) on average over two years,1 and
- Demonstrated a well-tolerated safety profile and visual performance comparable to single vision lenses.1
The study authors concluded, “While longer-term data are needed to evaluate sustained treatment efficacy, these findings support HAL as a safe and effective myopia control intervention and underlie US Food and Drug Administration authorisation of the study device.”
Published in JAMA Ophthalmology, this was the first peer-reviewed publication of results from the United States randomised clinical trial that supported Food and Drug Administration (FDA) De Novo marketing authorisation of Essilor Stellest spectacle lenses. Stellest is the first and only US FDA market authorised spectacle lenses to slow myopia progression in children.2
References
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- Shen J, Hunt C, Young G, Drobe B. Spectacle Lenses With Highly Aspherical Lenslets for Myopia Control: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online August 20, 2026. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2026.3288
- US FDA authorizes marketing of first eyeglass lenses to slow progression of pediatric myopia. Sep 2025. Available at: fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-marketing-first-eyeglass-lenses-slow-progression-pediatric-myopia. Accessed Aug 2026.
