Welcome to Optometry Simplified.
In this weekly newsletter, I've curated the best resources to help you grow personally and professionally.
My mission is to find what's best for my patients and my practice.
Here's what I've found...
Yes, you read that correctly. Optometry Simplified is now weekly. Same depth and value, but a little shorter and delivered to you every Wednesday. - Kyle
Links I Liked
Get Stellest lens details in 3 mins
Finally, a spectacle lens option is available to treat myopia progression in the US. Get the most important details about the recent FDA approval of EssilorLuxottica's Stellest lens. Order date, trial details, and more: Optometry Times
3 out of 5 counterfeit cosmetic contact lenses are contaminated
Tell that to your cosmetic contact-loving patients who buy them without a prescription. A new report, Cosmetic Contact Lenses: Potential Threat to Vision Health - 2025, is a great resource to read and share with your patients as we approach the holiday season. American Academy of Ophthalmology
Research I'm Reading
Metformin for all? What about reducing the progression of AMD?
Is there an association, positive or negative, of metformin prescription and the development of AMD? No, says a new paper from JAMA Ophthalmology.
Deep Thoughts
Every few months, something big happens that subtly shifts how we practice. The FDA approval of the Stellest lens is one of those moments.
For years, we’ve had data, but not always access. Now we’ve got both. And as a busy clinician trying to make confident, clear recommendations for families, I want simple, evidence-based talking points that help me explain why we’re recommending what we are.
Using Perplexity.AI, I lined up the core studies for the four options I use most: 0.05% atropine, MiSight daily disposables, Orthokeratology, and now Stellest.
Here’s the quick, clinician-first read, with Numbers Needed to Treat (NNT) to keep us anchored to outcomes parents care about (roughly, how many kids you treat to prevent ≥1.00 D extra myopia over ~2–3 years):
- Atropine 0.05% (LAMP): ~50% less axial elongation and ~⅓ less refractive progression, with minimal side effects. NNT ≈ 7. This is still my easiest on-ramp for many families because it’s well tolerated and has little rebound at this dose.
- MiSight 1-Day (3-year RCT): ~50% less elongation and ~60% less progression. NNT ≈ 4. Excellent efficacy with the structure of daily lens wear for motivated kids.
- Orthokeratology (ROMIO + meta-analyses): ~40–60% reduction in progression and ~40–60% in elongation, depending on study and compliance. NNT ≈ 5–6. Most customizable, particularly useful when families value daytime unaided vision; compliance and follow-up matter.
- Stellest lens (JAMA Ophthalmology 2022): ~50% less elongation and ~53% less refractive progression. NNT ≈ 4–5. The new U.S. option that brings MiSight-like effect in a spectacle format—simple, safe, and easy to stick with.
Here’s the practical takeaway:
- Atropine is still the easiest to start and maintain, with almost no side effects.
- MiSight and Stellest are both highly effective, FDA-approved, and great for younger or lower-myopia kids who may not be ready for contacts.
- Ortho-K remains the most customizable and often the most satisfying for the right families—but requires more commitment and follow-up.
The arrival of Stellest closes one of the last gaps in U.S. myopia management. It gives us another evidence-based option that’s easy to explain, easy to fit, and easy for families to follow through on.
For me, this is the next evolution of primary care optometry, where we can confidently personalize the plan instead of defending the limitations of what we have access to.
Practice Performance Partners Pick
How do we communicate the difference between Newton's (formerly Neurolens) new Sequel lens from Neurolens to patients?
Watch or listen to Evie Lawson, OD, and Chris Wolfe, OD, discuss the essential details in this short video podcast.
Can you do me a favor? If you found any of these resources helpful, share this newsletter with one of our colleagues!
See you next week!
--Kyle Klute, OD, FAAO