Dispensing Optics | DO Online editor, Nicky Collinson, Takes 5 with Dr Andy Hepworth, Essilor professional relations manager, to discuss the company’s new myopia control lens and how the company is supporting practitioners in myopia management.
NC: What, specifically, sets Essilor Stellest lens apart from other myopia management options available?
AH: Essilor Stellest lenses not only correct myopia but also, and above all, slow down its progression. Clinical trial results show that after two years, Essilor Stellest lenses slow down myopia progression by 67 per cent on average1. Designed with Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target or HALT2 technology, a constellation of 1,021 invisible aspherical contiguous lenslets distributed over 11 rings on the surface of the lens have been designed to create, for the first time, a volume of non-focused light in front, and following the shape, of the retina. This signal helps to slow down the eye elongation and therefore myopia progression.
NC: What is the best way for practitioners to start a conversation about myopia management with both the parent and child?
AH: We believe the public don’t always realise how significant myopia is, and we’ve therefore created tools to aid practitioner communication, including a myopia passport launched last month. This follows the patient’s journey to help them track changes in their vision and encourage conversations about myopia management. The new tool will support communication between the practitioner, the patient, and their parents by measuring what has been happening to the child’s myopia between their six-monthly visits. The eyecare practitioner will fill in the passport during each visit and log any changes to the child’s vision. We believe this will act as a gentle reminder for parents to keep coming back for regular optical appointments and the importance of myopia management as well as correction.
NC: What support can you provide practitioners in prescribing Essilor Stellest lenses?
AH: Our business development managers are on hand to locally train independent eyecare practitioners on the product, and support is also available in the form of point-of-sale to help engage the patient in practice. The lens is also available as part of Essilor’s 2022 multi-pair lens offer running throughout the year.
NC: How best should prescribing practitioners manage a situation whereby a child’s myopia is continuing to progress, despite intervention?
AH: Follow-up appointments are key here. Not only to review unaided vision, binocular vision and eye health, but to also ensure that behavioural changes are in place. Essilor Stellest lenses should be worn throughout the child’s waking hours, for at least 12 hours per day. Assessment should take place every six months, with a full cycloplegic refraction recommended every 12 months.
NC: Evidence-based knowledge is key in practitioners feeling confident about managing patients’ myopia. What can Essilor offer in terms of education on the topic?
AH: We are busy creating new CPD modules on the subject of myopia management which will be offered to practitioners very soon. These will include a lecture and a peer review- which is now a mandatory requirement for both optometrists and dispensing opticians as part of the new CPD cycle. A virtual classroom is also available on EssilorLuxottica’s training platform, Leonardo, along with new courses in the coming months. This will give practitioners a chance to learn more about myopia management, myopia risk factors and Essilor® Stellest ™ lenses and the technology and clinical trial surrounding them.
References
1. Two-year prospective, controlled, randomised, double-masked clinical trial results on 54 myopic children wearing Stellest lenses compared to 50 myopic children wearing single vision lenses. Results based on 32 children who declared wearing Stellest lenses at least 12 hours per day every day. Bao J. et al. One-year myopia control efficacy of spectacle lenses with aspherical lenslets. Br. J. Ophthalmol. 2021. doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-318367. Drobe B. et al. Adaptation and visual comfort in children with new spectacle lenses containing concentric rings of contiguous aspherical micro-lenses for myopia control. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2020 61;(7):94.
2. Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target, aspherical lenslets.