Photo: These Lenses Can Slow the Progression of Nearsightedness

While Europe and Asia have had Stellest glasses for years, the FDA finally approved them for the U.S. in 2025.

Essilor's new Stellest lenses—approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2025—promise to slow nearsightedness in children. They use concentric lenslets to redirect light and reduce myopia progression by up to 70 percent over two years, according to company data.

The lenses are already used across Europe and Asia. The FDA threshold for "reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness" tends to be especially high, which likely prolonged the review.