Nearsighted people may be able to help their sight

In Sept. of 2025, the FDA approved Essilor Stellest’s myopia-slowing glasses, which have been scientifically proven to have a 71% reduction rate according to the FDA. Essilor Stellest had a two-year clinical trial until they were released on Sept. 25, 2025. According to the FDA, 30-40% of children have myopia, also known as nearsightedness, making distant objects appear blurry or unfocused. There has been an increase of myopia in adults and children causing this study of treating lenses to be done, the specialized glasses slow nearsightedness in six to 12 year olds and in teens. Nearsightedness is worsened by the eye elongating, worsening vision and putting the retina at risk for tears. The retina is the light sensitive tissue in the back of the eye needed for vision. These glasses are made with 11 concentric rings to refocus light in a way that will slow the elongation of the eye. Up to 50% of the children who wear it show slowing in the elongation of the eye. The price of these lenses starts at $450. 

Parents are hesitant to put their child as young as eight in contact lenses, so these glasses may be a good alternative. The lenses, according to the FDA, can be prescribed to any child within the recommended age range. If the glasses aren’t an option, doctors can prescribe myopia treating eye drops for the patient. The glasses can help with some long term consequences of severe myopia, like cataracts, glaucoma and retinal detachment that could lead to blindness. Like in the name, retinal detachment is where the retina pulls away from the back of the eye, cutting off blood supply, causing blurred vision, flashes and floaters. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damages the optic nerve, usually due to increased eye pressure, due to fluid buildup, leading to loss of peripheral vision and maybe blindness. Cataracts are a common clouding of the eye’s natural lens, causing blurry, faded or hazy vision, making it difficult for people who have it to see at night. Some lenses help with astigmatism, which is a common eye condition where the cornea or lens has a football-like shape instead of its usual perfect dome, causing blurry vision at all distances, distorted vision, and eye strain. It causes headaches and makes people suffering with it squint and strain their eyes to try to see, causing fatigue and difficulty concentrating while doing something like reading. The only way these myopia control lenses could help astigmatism is with special additions to the prescription. Danielle Alcazar ‘29 said, “I feel like they should make more of [the glasses] because they would be kind of blind and it would be kinda messed up and if they didn’t make it, there would be a decline in vision and sales.” 

The glasses are a breakthrough, according to the FDA.  Andreah Drake ‘29 said, “I think that [the glasses] are really good because they slow down the myopia so people’s eyesight don’t get worse.” 

The glasses have been tested and truly work and they are not hard to get as millions have been distributed.