EssilorLuxottica has unveiled new long-term findings strengthening the evidence supporting sustained outcomes with its Essilor Stellest lenses for myopia management.
It unveiled clinical data supporting the lenses at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2026 meeting in Denver, US from 3-7 May.
The company said findings across 12 abstracts and analyses spanning 26 clinical studies highlighted continued innovation shaping the future of evidence-based and personalised myopia management.
The abstracts covered clinical trials, real-world studies, combination therapies and emerging research into the biological mechanisms underlying myopia progression.
Among the headline findings was a seven-year follow-up study from China showing sustained benefits from Essilor Stellest lenses, which use highly aspherical lenslet (HAL) technology. The researchers said the lenses slowed myopia progression by an average of 2.30 dioptres and reduced axial elongation by 0.92 mm over the study period.
The data also suggested adolescents wearing the lenses up to 19 years of age had a lower risk of developing high myopia compared with those wearing conventional single-vision lenses, reinforcing the value of continued intervention throughout adolescence.
“Integrated evidence in myopia management combines clinical trials, real-world data, and mechanistic understanding to deliver consistent, personalised and clinically meaningful outcomes across the patient journey,” said optometrist Olga Prenat, head of medical and professional affairs at EssilorLuxottica in a media release on 25 May 2026.
Additional results came from a prospective, randomised, multicentre clinical trial US involving children aged six to 12 years. Investigators found Essilor Stellest lenses slowed myopia progression by an average of 71% and axial elongation by 53% over two years compared with single-vision lenses.
Researchers found benefits across all age groups and baseline levels of myopia, with the strongest effects observed in younger children. The study also reported stable visual acuity, high compliance and retention rates, with no significant impact on astigmatism progression over the two-year period.
EssilorLuxottica said the US findings were particularly notable because in September 2025, Essilor Stellest became the first and currently only spectacle lens authorised by the US Food and Drug Administration for specific paediatric myopia indications.
Beyond individual clinical trials, EssilorLuxottica highlighted a review encompassing 26 studies conducted across multiple populations and geographic regions. According to the analysis, children wearing HAL spectacle lenses consistently experienced lower axial elongation than those wearing single-vision lenses, regardless of study design or location.
Real-world evidence also featured prominently. A retrospective cohort study published in Ophthalmology Science found that several myopia-control spectacle lens designs slowed progression compared with single-vision lenses in routine clinical practice, with HAL lenses associated with the greatest reduction in axial length.
Other presentations explored combination treatment strategies. An independent study reported that pairing HAL spectacle lenses with low-dose atropine maintained stronger myopia control over 24 months than atropine treatment alone.
And a large school-based study in Shanghai suggested that combining HAL lens wear with increased outdoor time could help reduce the incidence of myopia and slow axial elongation among both myopic and pre-myopic children.
The conference also showcased research aimed at improving future myopia interventions.
EssilorLuxottica said ARVO highlighted EssilorLuxottica’s continued innovation in understanding myopia development and in potentially predicting how well a myopia progression control lens will slow eye growth.
Research presented explored how the retina may use chromatic contrast cues to detect defocus, contributing to a growing understanding of the mechanisms involved in myopia progression. A separate study demonstrated that retinal contrast metrics may be used to predict the efficacy of myopia progression control lenses, potentially supporting the development and evaluation of future lens designs.
