WASHINGTON — For many children, purchasing their first glasses is an inevitable milestone, their first visit to an optometrist.
But what if these lenses could actually help preserve a child's vision and reduce the likelihood of more serious vision problems as an adult?
That's the promise of a new type of lens approved by the Food and Drug Administration in September. Previously available in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world, this technology is now spreading to the United States.
Here's what you need to know about the new approach.
Nearsightedness, commonly called nearsightedness, is when people can see objects at close range clearly, but have difficulty seeing distant objects, which often appear blurry or indistinct.
Studies conducted around the world have shown an increase in the incidence of myopia, which researchers link to increased time spent indoors looking at screens, books and other objects held close to the eyes.
In the United States, 30% to 40% of children are nearsighted by the time they graduate from high school, according to Dr. Michael Repka, a professor and pediatric ophthalmologist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Until now, doctors have had few treatment options for this disease.
“It was typical and simple: 'Your child has to wear glasses and he'll get over it,'” Repka said. “This will continue for life and it will probably get worse in the next few years.”
The specialized glasses, sold under the Essilor Stellest brand, are FDA-approved to slow myopia in children ages 6 to 12.
The FDA said it cleared the lenses based on company data showing that children saw a 70% reduction in the progression of myopia after two years.
Over time, nearsightedness causes the eye to become longer, impairing vision and increasing the risk of tearing the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that is essential for vision.
The new lenses use 11 concentric rings filled with tiny raised dots that refocus light onto the retina in a way that is believed to slow the elongation of the eye.
“Of course, whether this hypothesis is ultimately proven is only partially relevant,” Repka said, noting that the lenses seem to work regardless of how the underlying science works.
In the company's study, children who wore the lenses showed a 50% reduction in eye elongation when measured after two years. Researchers in the US and other countries are now conducting their own independent studies to confirm these results.
Ophthalmologists say the potential benefits go beyond preserving vision and preventing some of the long-term consequences of severe nearsightedness, which can include cataracts, glaucoma and retinal detachments that can lead to blindness.
“We now have a way to slow down this process and maybe we can prevent children from developing really elongated eyes, which puts them at risk for blindness,” said Dr. Rupa Wong, a pediatric ophthalmologist in Honolulu.
According to EssilorLuxottica, the company that makes the lenses, the suggested retail price is $450.
Major vision insurance providers in the United States are expected to cover eligible lenses for children.
The only other FDA-approved product for slowing myopia are contact lenses made by MiSight. Daily disposable lenses approved in 2019 use a similar approach, designed to slow the progression of myopia in children ages 8 to 12.
But Gupta says many parents and doctors will likely opt for glasses.
“A lot of people might be hesitant to put contact lenses in a child as young as eight, so glasses are a really good alternative,” she said.
Some doctors prescribe medicated eye drops designed to slow myopia, but they are not FDA approved.
According to the FDA, lenses can be prescribed to any child with nearsightedness who is within the recommended age range. There were no serious side effects, according to the FDA, although some children reported vision disturbances such as halos around objects while wearing the lenses.
The studies that the FDA reviewed for approval were conducted in Asia. Repka said U.S. ophthalmologists and optometrists might want to see some additional research.
“I think before they become widely used, we'll need some data in the United States” showing that the lenses work, said Repka, who is conducting a U.S. study of the new lenses with support from the National Institutes of Health.
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