Eyecare professionals (ECPs) from Australia and New Zealand now have access to a new myopia control treatment, with EssilorLuxottica ANZ launching its Essilor Stellest lenses on 13 October.
The spectacle lens-based intervention is designed to correct vision and slow myopia progression. According to the company, clinical trial results show that after two years, Essilor Stellest lenses slow myopia progression by 67% on average, compared to single vision lenses, when worn 12 hours a day.1
Mr Marco Caccini, general manager of EssilorLuxottica’s Wholesale ANZ businesss, said the Australian and New Zealand launch of Essilor Stellest lenses would provide new innovation for ECPs to help correct vision and fight myopia progression in children.
“With higher rates of childhood myopia, practices are going to be seeing more and more myopic young patients, with their parents seeking long term solutions,” he said.
“Correction of myopia with single vision lenses has no effect on slowing down the elongation of the eye.”
Given the risk of related ocular complications associated with high myopia later in life such as retinal detachment, glaucoma, posterior subcapsular cataracts and myopic macular degeneration, EssilorLuxottica stated it was important to proactively slow myopia progression in children.
“With more than 30 years of research and development experience in myopia, Essilor is proud to be at the forefront of myopia management with innovative solutions such as its Essilor Stellest lenses to help support better vision and eye health for children with myopia later in life,” Caccini said.
“Essilor Stellest lenses now offer children the dual benefit of myopia correction and control, without any aesthetic compromise.”
H.A.L.T. technology
While there are other myopia control solutions, EssilorLuxottica said it had gone a step further to help control myopia by creating what is calls H.A.L.T2 technology, tailored to the myopic eye.
It involves the constellation of 1,021 lenslets spread on 11 rings designed to create, for the first time, a volume of signal that slows down the elongation of the eye. Based on scientific publications, EssilorLuxottica said its R&D experts concluded that a volume of signal has a stronger effect on the slowing down of myopia progression than a surface signal.
“The aspherical lenslet design and their arrangement create this targeted effect of volume of non-focused light in front of the retina, following its shape,” the company said in a statement.
“In children, whose eyes are still developing, this volume of signal allows to keep the eye elongation process in check.”
Aiming to provide a complete vision care system, Essilor Stellest lenses are complemented by a suite of equipment from Essilor Instruments such as the Myopia Expert 700 and a comprehensive protocol to support ECPs in the myopia care journey to elevate their myopia management practice.
The Myopia Expert 700, distributed by Australian ophthalmic equipment supplier OptiMed, is designed to help ECPs build a compelling myopia management journey from onset detection to monitoring, and positioning these professionals as the reference in myopia, EssilorLuxottica stated.
Essilor Stellest lenses are specially designed for children and suitable for a variety of paediatric frames. In addition to customer partner launch events, EssilorLuxottica is also offering education and in-store assets and demonstration tools to support optometrists to introduce and explain the lens with patients and their parents.
OptiMed, which formed a joint-venture with Essilor in 2019, will also have technicians available for support with instruments.
“Essilor Stellest lenses provide a solid solution for the optometrist to recommend to children if they feel their myopia needs to be managed. It is EssilorLuxottica’s best solution to slow down myopia progression in children,” the company said.
“While current results are based on children from eight- to 13-years-old, Essilor Stellest lenses can be recommended to children as young as six and up to 16-years-old, upon the decision of the optometrist.”
Caccini said EssilorLuxottica is committed to tackling myopia to help make a much-needed impact on children’s lives.
“We have been working to advance research and innovation by bringing breakthrough solutions such as the Essilor Stellest lenses, to strengthen awareness and education to better equip ECPs and the public to manage myopia, and to help increase access to vision care and vision screenings,” he said.
“The launch forms part of our ongoing mission to help people see more, be more and live life to its fullest, while continuing our role to be the best business partner for independent practices.”
More information about the Essilor Stellest myopia control lens in Australia New Zealand can be found here.
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