An in-depth conversation with Arnaud Ribadeau Dumas , Global Head of Myopia EssilorLuxottica Group, we explore the innovative world of Stellest lenses, designed to revolutionize myopia correction in younger people.
In the world of ophthalmic solutions for children, Stellest stands out as a revolutionary and versatile product that goes beyond simple vision correction. Its distinctive features represent a turning point in the treatment of childhood myopia. Through innovative educational and training programs involving all players in the sector and targeted communication strategies, Stellest aims to change the way children's vision needs are addressed, positioning itself as a pioneer in the management of young people's vision. In this interview, Arnaud Ribadeau Dumas, Global Head of Myopia EssilorLuxottica Group, tells us how the Group is leading the change for better vision and well-being for young wearers.
Why is Stellest different?
"This is a very special lens in which there are 1,021 microlenses distributed across 11 different rings. Each of them has a different power from the others and this represents the first important difference compared to what is currently on the market. Furthermore, the microlenses are extremely aspherical, which means that the image that each of them creates in front of the retina is not a fixed image, but rather an image formed by different points of light, which cannot be captured by the eye. In other words, there is no specific image that the eye aims at to focus, but rather a sort of signal volume that is formed in front of the retina."
You are addressing children: from what age and up to what age?
"This is an interesting question that lends itself to a composite answer. Clinical trials originally focused on a certain age range, namely 6 to 12 years, and then extended to 13 years and then 14 years, thus involving children of an increasingly older age. However, the situation is still different because while it is true that children usually start to develop myopia around the age of 6, it is also true that in some cases this phenomenon tends to continue until the age of about 25. This prolongation of the visual defect that develops between the ages of 18 and 25 is called 'Student Myopia', so this leads me to say that our target audience covers an age range that goes from 6 to 25 years. Of course, the decision on the prescription is up to the ophthalmologist. Some of them, based on measurements of the axial length of the child's eye that indicates a size larger than the norm for an emmetropic eye, can prescribe lenses even before the age of 6. In practice, therefore, there is no fixed age limit and even if clinical studies indicate a specific age, the reality is that there are no restrictions and therefore the ophthalmologist can prescribe the use of this special type of lenses to anyone he deems appropriate”
What do you think needs to be done to make eye doctors aware of prescribing this type of lenses?
"It is essential to invest in adequate and thorough training, in order to allow them to clearly understand the results of clinical studies, which are often scientific and therefore complex. Our aim is therefore to communicate in an accessible way. Nowadays, there are studies called "retrospective studies" that compare EssilorLuxottica Stellest lenses with other lenses available on the market. These studies were not conducted by us, but by independent sources who, through a series of extensive tests in Chinese hospitals, have unequivocally shown that Stellest offers greater effectiveness. Our main message must therefore be clear and direct: in these studies it has been shown that Stellest is more effective than other solutions on the market. This is because adaptation to the lenses is extremely simple, with children able to see normally after just 5 minutes. Stellest lenses are made of polycarbonate, a virtually indestructible material, so there are no concerns about quality. It is also important to highlight that our lenses are equipped with anti-reflective treatments, such as Crizal Rock, which helps prevent scratches and stains, reducing reflections and protecting against UV rays. Our educational mission is to fully illustrate all the benefits of these lenses, which boast superior effectiveness, exceptional strength and advanced treatments for protection from reflected light"
In terms of communication, what do you think is best to do to get this message across, in addition to training?
"For the issue of myopia to gain relevance, five different and fundamental players need to be involved. First of all, doctors, especially ophthalmologists who play a key role, as they are the first to prescribe solutions for controlling myopic progression. The second player is the optician-optometrist who plays the important role of advising parents on Stellest, explaining its function, protocol and benefits. It is therefore essential that the optician-optometrist knows the product perfectly. Parents are the third key player in this context. They need to understand that their children develop myopia naturally, and that this represents a change in their lifestyle. Unless we decide to deprive them of devices such as smartphones and tablets, it is unlikely to reverse this trend. It is therefore essential to educate parents on the fact that the development of myopia has a clear impact on the quality of life of the child. If the loss of diopters increases, it will be necessary to carry out a new measurement after 6 months and this entails additional costs. Instead, by opting for the use of lenses to control myopic progression, you can change your prescription after 1 or 1.5 years. This approach ensures optimal vision for a whole year and represents the first benefit of lenses to control myopia progression. Furthermore, in the long term, these lenses help prevent the development of eye diseases and pathologies. It is often underestimated that avoiding the loss of a diopter reduces the risk of developing maculopathy by 40%. It is therefore essential to clearly explain to parents that their children have a new, more digital lifestyle and need optimal vision all year round to be happy at school, play sports and do other activities and that slowing down the evolution of their children's myopia offers long-term benefits as it helps avoid potential problems related to eye pathologies. The fourth crucial player is the government, which at the moment does not seem to have fully understood the importance of the issue. It is imperative that industry and the medical profession demonstrate to the government that there is a long-term risk to public health and a significant impact on the country's finances and that this situation will have considerable costs for public finances. This is an important aspect for us that we are working on with increasing commitment. We have already taken significant steps in China and we are continuing to raise awareness among institutions in an increasingly marked way also in France"
In Italy, it seems they are rather deaf to this type of request…
"Yes, and if there was greater awareness in public hospitals or schools, for example through an annual or biannual vision screening starting at age 6, this would be an extremely effective public health action. This process does not entail unaffordable costs and would already represent an important step forward. Therefore, there is a lot of room for improvement, and the task of carrying forward this initiative falls to us. The fifth and final player to consider is the reimbursement system, which as we know varies from one country to another. In Italy, there are also private insurance companies that offer health supplements, but they are not currently used very much, perhaps because they still have high costs for the majority of the population. In France, many of these organizations cover the costs related to myopia. In Italy, it is essential to get closer to health systems so that private providers can evaluate the opportunity to cover eye exams once or twice a year and perhaps coverage of lenses to control myopic progression. In our stores and through our partner optical centers we also offer a series of programs and guarantees aimed at facilitating the proposal of the optician-optometrist and the purchase by families".
When you offer programs and guarantees, it is because you know that the product works…
"Exactly. It is a priority for EssilorLuxottica to facilitate the Stellest protocol with programs aimed at facilitating the renewal of glasses during the years of control of myopia progression. It is also a priority to support the work of vision professionals with a series of commercial guarantees such as that of adaptation, incorrect assembly or modification of refraction parameters".
Regarding the frame, how can it be matched with the lenses?
"Frames for children often reflect a miniature version of adult frames, commonly referred to as "mini-me". While this choice may initially allow children to identify with their parents, there comes a time when they want to stand out and have something personal and unique. Therefore, we are focusing on designing more age-specific frames: before 6 years old, from 6 to 12 years old and from 12 to 16 years old, adapting the size to the growth of the head. The main focus is on the design, which undergoes significant changes during the transition from childhood to adolescence. Safety is another crucial aspect, in fact children's frames are made of solid and non-toxic materials. In addition, most of the new collections dedicated to younger consumers are made of sustainable materials, such as bio-based nylon or recycled acetates. Both stability and comfort are essential, as a frame that slips could compromise the effectiveness of the Stellest lens treatment"
When you sell Stellest lenses, do you also offer the associated frame to opticians?
"Yes, we offer lines of frames recommended for Stellest lenses such as specific models from Ray-Ban and Emporio Armani. Over the next year, approximately 70 new models for children will be launched, which will be developed taking into account all the parameters and criteria I told you about before. All this will facilitate sales by Optical Centers because it will allow professionals to offer their customers a catalog of frames suitable for enhancing the performance of the lenses."
It is true that parents must be educated first, but how can we make children understand that glasses are not a prosthesis, but rather a play element, an accessory?
"When we were younger, we often faced stigmatization for wearing glasses. However, as time went by, we felt less and less marginalized as more and more people embraced the use of glasses. In addition, adults began to consider glasses not only as a corrective tool, but also as a fashion accessory and a means of identification and differentiation. Children, being sponges that absorb every aspect of the adult world, are starting to perceive this change in perspective. In Italy, for about two years the program 'Guardiamo Lontano' for primary and secondary schools has been offering teachers and families educational content on the importance of "good vision" and recognizing the first symptoms of myopia. For 2024, we are implementing the new Eyestar Mission program, a playful and educational approach that transforms the entire optical experience into an engaging game. This program aims to help children understand what it means to be short-sighted, why and how they become so, and through these playful activities we can more easily identify any visual problems that could need to be corrected. The program is divided into modules that can last a quarter of an hour or an hour, depending on what you want to achieve and deepen. It is an educational program, completely flexible that can be implemented in schools as well as by ophthalmologists and Optical Centers. And we are gradually enriching it. The kids segment is increasingly expanding and opticians cannot ignore this. Having an optical center near schools, parks, residential centers, also means developing a sales experience that meets the needs of children and adolescents. The power of the partnership between Essilor and Luxottica allows us to offer complete solutions composed not only of the Eyestar Mission program and Stellest lenses but also of suitable frames, instruments that allow you to measure your eyesight and training courses for the optician. Furthermore, we have also started to create model stores, therefore we are able to offer the Optical Center a corner with a layout suitable for children's needs and we guarantee the complete assortment of products".
Have you planned anything special for Italy?
"We are implementing a very important action plan that we intend to continue to develop significantly also in 2024 since your country represents one of our main focuses in Europe. In 2023 we started collaborative programs with important Italian pediatric ophthalmologists, starting with Professor Nucci and extending to ophthalmologists working in clinics or hospitals of reference in Italian cities. We have built a team of 10 Medical Relation Specialists throughout the country that will become the technical-scientific reference partner for the medical profession on lenses for the control of myopic progression and in general on the evolution of our optical technologies. We have also launched an intense program of symposia for the information of doctors and a series of meetings involving ophthalmologists and opticians-optometrists with a fairly unique approach in the sector. Our goal is in fact also to facilitate knowledge and communication in the territory; we believe it is crucial to establish a real link between the two professions, since, with Stellest, we are talking about a treatment protocol for the control of myopic progression and not just a lens. This approach is of fundamental importance to us, which is why we are implementing our action plan in Italy, which also includes the entire communication aspect. We have already started: in September, the Stellest advertising campaign was aired on all the main television networks, aimed at raising awareness among parents about the problem and which required an adaptation to local regulations on the communication of medical devices in close collaboration with the Italian governments, a commitment that we are happy to undertake. Myopia and Stellest are a shared priority, a shared priority, which involves the entire EssilorLuxottica team and in 2024, we will introduce new products, of which, for now, I cannot reveal all the details. We are activating all five players that I have spoken about, with specific plans for each of them”.
Source: Vision.biz