How Stellest Lenses Work
What Stellest Lenses Are
Stellest lenses are prescription glasses designed to slow myopia growth in children. Regular glasses correct blurry distance vision. Stellest lenses do both. They correct vision and also send a signal to the eye to slow how fast it gets longer. The lenses look like regular glasses, so children can wear them all day.
Stellest lenses use HAL technology, short for Highly Aspherical Lenslet. According to Bao et al. (2022), each lens has about 1,021 contiguous aspherical lenslets in 11 rings around a clear central zone. The central zone gives normal clear vision. The rings around it create a zone of myopic defocus in front of the outer retina.
When the outer retina gets light from behind its focal point, the eye tends to grow longer. This is called hyperopic defocus. It drives myopia growth. Stellest lenses flip this signal. They create myopic defocus, putting light focus in front of the outer retina. AAO EyeWiki (2023) notes this signal tells the eye to slow its growth. The central zone stays clear so your child can see well at all distances.
What the Research Shows
A two-year randomized trial found that children wearing HAL lenses at least 12 hours per day had myopia growth slowed by 0.80 diopters and axial growth cut by 0.35 mm versus children in standard single-vision lenses (Bao et al., 2022). Less axial growth means less stretch on the retina and a lower risk of serious eye problems later in life.
A three-year follow-up showed that children who started HAL lens wear earlier and wore them more hours each day gained more benefit over time (Bao et al., 2022). The more time spent wearing the lenses each day, the more consistent the signal to slow eye growth. For best results, children should wear Stellest lenses during all waking hours.
The International Myopia Institute (IMI) 2023 clinical report lists myopia control spectacle lens designs, including HAL lenses, as evidence-based options for children with growing myopia (IMI, 2023). This means Stellest is a proven option, not an experimental one. Eye doctors who recommend these lenses can point to peer-reviewed trial data as the basis for the recommendation. Parents can feel confident that the approach has been studied and validated.
Why Slowing Myopia Matters
The AAO (2022) links high myopia of minus 6.00 diopters or worse to a higher lifetime risk of retinal detachment, myopic macular disease, glaucoma, and early cataracts. These risks are tied to how long the eyeball becomes. Slowing myopia growth during childhood keeps the final prescription from reaching these higher levels.
AAO EyeWiki (2023) notes that about two hours of outdoor time per day is linked to slower myopia onset and growth. Natural daylight plays a role in healthy eye growth. Stellest lenses work best as part of a broader plan that also includes outdoor time and regular eye exams.
Stellest lenses work best for children whose myopia is actively growing. If your child prescription has changed by 0.50 diopters or more in a year, or if myopia started before age 10, the eye doctor may suggest myopia control. Stellest is a glasses-only option, which makes it a good fit for younger children not yet ready for contacts. Children who have never worn contacts and whose parents prefer a simpler routine often do well with Stellest as their first myopia control step.
Getting the Most from Stellest Lenses
The HAL trial found the best results with at least 12 hours of daily wear (Bao et al., 2022). Fewer hours mean less time receiving the myopia control signal. Putting the glasses on first thing in the morning and removing them only before bed helps meet this target.
Myopia control needs regular check-ups to see how the prescription is changing. Most children on myopia control come in every three to six months. The doctor compares current readings to past ones to see whether growth is slowing. If it is not, the plan may need to change. Keeping all scheduled visits is key to getting the most from Stellest lens treatment.
Stellest lenses are one part of a myopia plan. More time outdoors in natural light gives an added benefit. Taking breaks from close tasks helps reduce eye strain. Good lighting for homework supports healthy eye habits. Together, these steps give your child the best chance of keeping myopia from growing too fast. Remind your child to take a break from reading every 20 minutes and to look at something in the distance for at least 20 seconds. These small habits add up over a school year.
Questions About How Stellest Lenses Work
Regular glasses correct blurry vision but do not slow myopia growth. Stellest lenses also correct vision, but the rings of lenslets create a myopic defocus signal that tells the eye to slow its growth. Your child gets clear vision and myopia control in one pair of glasses.
The central zone of each Stellest lens gives sharp vision for all tasks. The lenslet rings create a specific type of blur that the brain largely ignores during normal use. Most children adapt quickly and report no issues with reading, school, or sports.
The HAL trial found the strongest results with at least 12 hours of daily wear (Bao et al., 2022). Fewer hours mean less time receiving the myopia control signal. We suggest wearing the lenses all day, from waking until bedtime.
Myopia control works over months and years, not days. After the first year, the eye doctor will compare your child current prescription to baseline readings. Slower growth than expected is a sign the lenses are working. The goal is to reduce how much myopia grows over time, not to reverse existing nearsightedness.
Yes. Outdoor time adds an independent benefit. AAO EyeWiki (2023) links about two hours outdoors per day to slower myopia growth. Stellest works through the defocus signal, while outdoor time works through natural light. Using both gives more protection than either alone.
Myopia control slows growth but does not stop it fully. Your child will still need updated prescriptions over time. The goal is to keep the final prescription from reaching high levels linked to serious eye problems. Slowing growth from a young age means a lower final prescription and lower long-term risk.
Book a Myopia Control Consultation
If your child prescription keeps getting worse each year, call our office to discuss Stellest lenses and other myopia control options. We offer full eye exams and personal plans to help protect your child vision for the long term.