Discover H.O.R.I. myopia control lens technology by VisionXlab, featuring 540 hexagonal lenslets for childhood myopia management. Coming soon to Malaya Optical Malaysia.
H.O.R.I. Myopia Control Lens Technology: 540 Hexagonal Lenslets for Childhood Myopia Management
A New Spectacle Lens Technology for Myopia Management Is Coming Soon to Malaya Optical Malaysia
When a child becomes myopic, giving them clearer vision is only part of the conversation.
A conventional single-vision spectacle lens can correct the blurred distance vision caused by myopia.
But it does not specifically aim to slow the progression of myopia.
Today, specially designed spectacle lenses can do both:
Correct the child’s vision while providing an optical signal intended to help slow myopia progression.
One of the newer technologies entering this field is H.O.R.I. — Hexagon Optimized Reticular Integration.
Developed by the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and VisionXlab, H.O.R.I. uses an unusual integrated arrangement of 540 hexagonal lenslets across the spectacle lens.
The objective is not simply to make distant objects clear.
The lens is designed to provide normal refractive correction while simultaneously creating optical signals for myopia management.
H.O.R.I. myopia-management spectacle lenses are coming soon to Malaya Optical Malaysia.
What Does H.O.R.I. Stand For?
H.O.R.I. = Hexagon Optimized Reticular Integration
According to VisionXlab, the H.O.R.I. technology was developed by the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and VisionXlab, with global intellectual-property protection.
The commercial H.O.R.I. spectacle lens was launched in 2023.
H.O.R.I. is intended for myopia management in children and teenagers who are beginning to develop myopia or are already myopic.
Its most recognisable feature is something you normally wouldn’t associate with an ordinary spectacle lens:
540 Hexagonal Lenslets
These small optical elements are arranged into a highly integrated reticular—or grid-like—pattern across the treatment area of the lens.
VisionXlab describes three major design principles behind H.O.R.I.:
Fair Grid
Fractal Boundary
Full Symmetry
Together, they create a spectacle lens that looks relatively conventional to the wearer but is optically very different from an ordinary single-vision lens.
First: What Are We Actually Trying to Control?
To understand H.O.R.I., parents first need to understand what happens when a child becomes myopic.
Myopia—commonly called short-sightedness or near-sightedness—usually develops when the eye becomes too long relative to its optical focusing power.
Instead of distant light focusing correctly on the retina, it focuses in front of it.
The result?
Distant objects become blurry.
Ordinary prescription spectacles move the focus back onto the retina so the child can see clearly.
But there is another important measurement we need to consider:
Axial Length
Axial length is essentially the length of the eye from front to back.
During childhood, the eye naturally grows.
In a child with progressing myopia, however, excessive elongation of the eye is an important part of the progression process.
This is why modern myopia management is concerned with more than:
“Did the prescription increase?”
We also want to know:
“How is the eye growing?”
Correcting Myopia vs Managing Myopia
This distinction is extremely important for parents.
Conventional Single-Vision Spectacles
Their primary purpose is to:
Correct blurred vision.
Myopia-Management Spectacle Lenses
Their purpose is to:
Correct blurred vision + provide an optical treatment signal intended to slow myopia progression.
H.O.R.I. belongs to the second category.
It still provides the child’s prescription.
But surrounding the correction area is a sophisticated arrangement of lenslets designed for myopia management.
How Does H.O.R.I. Technology Work?
H.O.R.I. uses a Lenslet-ARray-Integrated concept, arranging many small optical elements around the child’s primary correction area.
The commercial H.O.R.I. design uses:
540 Hexagonal Lenslets
Rather than simply arranging isolated circular optical elements across the lens, H.O.R.I. uses a tightly packed hexagonal grid.
Why hexagons?
Think about a honeycomb.
Hexagons can fit together efficiently with very little unused space between them.
VisionXlab uses this property to create a highly integrated lenslet array.
According to the manufacturer, this allows the H.O.R.I. design to achieve a lenslet filling ratio of up to 67%.
This is the foundation of what VisionXlab calls its Fair Grid design.
1. Fair Grid: 540 Lenslets in an Integrated Network
The first major feature of H.O.R.I. is the Fair Grid.
According to VisionXlab, the lens incorporates:
540 hexagonal lenslets
arranged into an integrated grid.
The company reports that this configuration increases the lenslet filling ratio to up to 67%.
In simple terms, a larger proportion of the treatment area can contain the specialised optical structures intended to provide the myopia-management signal.
However, parents should understand an important distinction:
A higher fill ratio does not automatically mean a lens will provide better myopia control than every competing design.
Different manufacturers use different optical strategies, lenslet powers, geometries, distributions and treatment zones.
Clinical outcomes—not simply the number of lenslets—are ultimately what matter.
2. Fractal Boundary: Increasing the Treatment Boundary
The second H.O.R.I. concept is called Fractal Boundary.
VisionXlab describes the design as increasing the perimeter of the lenslet arrangement compared with traditional arrangements.
The manufacturer states that its design can expand this boundary perimeter to approximately twice that of traditional arrangements, with the intention of increasing stimulation from the myopic-defocus signal.
Think about drawing a simple circle.
Now imagine replacing its smooth boundary with a much more intricate shape.
The second shape can have considerably more perimeter even though it occupies a similar overall area.
That is broadly the idea behind this H.O.R.I. design feature.
Importantly, the proposed benefit of this increased boundary is a manufacturer-described optical design rationale. It should not be interpreted as proof that doubling a boundary automatically doubles clinical myopia-control effectiveness.
3. Full Symmetry: Hexagonal Geometry Around the Lens
The third principle is Full Symmetry.
The hexagonal segments are arranged symmetrically around the optical area.
VisionXlab says this configuration is intended to provide an enhanced dynamic viewing experience as the child’s eyes move through different parts of the spectacle lens.
This is relevant because children don’t spend their day staring perfectly through the geometric centre of their spectacles.
They:
Read → look at the board → look down → look sideways → run → play → use tablets → use phones → move their heads and eyes constantly.
A practical myopia-management spectacle lens therefore needs to consider both its treatment signal and how a child actually looks through the lens during normal life.
H.O.R.I. at a Glance
| Feature | H.O.R.I. |
|---|---|
| Full name | Hexagon Optimized Reticular Integration |
| Type | Myopia-management spectacle lens technology |
| Developed by | Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University + VisionXlab |
| Optical elements | 540 lenslets |
| Lenslet shape | Hexagonal |
| Manufacturer-reported fill ratio | Up to 67% |
| Main design concepts | Fair Grid, Fractal Boundary, Full Symmetry |
| Primary purpose | Correct vision while helping manage childhood myopia progression |
| Contact lenses required? | No |
| Overnight wear? | No |
| Eye-growth monitoring recommended? | Yes |
What Does the Clinical Research Show?
This is where we need to be careful.
There is published clinical research involving Lenslet-ARray-Integrated (LARI) spectacle lens designs associated with the development programme supported by VisionXlab.
The strongest published evidence should not simply be reduced to a marketing statement such as:
“H.O.R.I. is 67% effective.”
The clinical studies measured actual changes in:
- Spherical equivalent refraction
- Axial length
- Axial elongation
These are much more useful measurements for understanding myopia progression.
The One-Year Randomised Clinical Trial
A randomized, double-masked, controlled trial published in Ophthalmology studied 240 myopic children aged 6–12 years.
The children were randomly assigned to:
- Positive-power LARI lenses
- Negative-power LARI lenses
- Conventional single-vision spectacle lenses
After one year, both LARI groups showed significantly less myopia progression and axial elongation than the single-vision group.
The average axial elongation was approximately:
0.19 mm — positive-power LARI
0.17 mm — negative-power LARI
compared with:
0.34 mm — single-vision spectacles
The refractive changes were also smaller in both LARI groups.
That is clinically meaningful because axial elongation is one of the measurements we pay close attention to when monitoring childhood myopia.
What Happened After Two Years?
The research continued.
Two-year results were published in Eye and Vision in 2025.
Children continuing with the LARI designs showed less overall myopia progression and axial elongation over two years compared with the study’s extrapolated single-vision reference.
However, there is an important detail parents should understand.
The treatment effect was not identical from year to year.
The researchers reported that the effect on refractive progression decreased during the second year.
They also investigated whether switching between two LARI optical designs after the first year might influence the response.
Switching designs produced some differences in axial elongation during the second year, but did not significantly improve spherical-equivalent progression.
This is exactly why we should avoid describing any myopia-management lens with one simple percentage.
Myopia management is a process, not a percentage printed on a brochure.
An Important Note About H.O.R.I. and the LARI Research
For accuracy, there is a distinction worth making.
VisionXlab identifies the commercial H.O.R.I. lens as using its 540-lenslet Hexagon Optimized Reticular Integration design.
The major peer-reviewed randomized trials described above studied LARI — Lenslet-ARray-Integrated — spectacle lens designs, including positive- and negative-power lenslet configurations.
These studies provide important scientific evidence around the optical development platform, but the published papers do not simply use H.O.R.I. as an interchangeable product name throughout.
Direct H.O.R.I.-specific clinical evidence is also emerging.
For that reason, Malaya Optical prefers to describe the published results according to the actual lens design studied, rather than automatically attaching every LARI result to every commercial H.O.R.I. configuration.
That distinction matters when interpreting scientific evidence.
Who Funded the Research?
Transparency matters.
The one-year randomized trial published in Ophthalmology states that it was supported by Shanghai VisionXlab Medical Technology Co., Ltd.
The subsequent two-year study also reports support from Shanghai VisionXlab Medical Technology Co., Ltd.
The studies were conducted through the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, and the one-year study was randomized and double-masked.
Industry funding does not automatically invalidate research.
But commercial funding is relevant information when evaluating clinical evidence, and we believe parents should know about it.
As H.O.R.I. becomes more widely used, additional independent and multi-population research will be valuable.
H.O.R.I. vs MiYOSMART vs Stellest vs ZEISS MyoCare
This is probably going to become one of the most common questions from Malaysian parents.
And there is an important misconception to correct:
These lenses are not all using the same technology under different brand names.
They use different optical designs.
| Spectacle Lens | Technology | Basic Optical Approach |
|---|---|---|
| H.O.R.I. | Hexagon Optimized Reticular Integration | 540 hexagonal lenslets in an integrated reticular array |
| HOYA MiYOSMART | D.I.M.S. | Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments |
| Essilor Stellest | H.A.L.T. | Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target |
| ZEISS MyoCare | C.A.R.E. | Cylindrical Annular Refractive Elements |
H.O.R.I.
Uses 540 hexagonal lenslets organised into a tightly integrated grid, with Fair Grid, Fractal Boundary and Full Symmetry as its principal design concepts.
MiYOSMART — D.I.M.S.
HOYA MiYOSMART uses Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments technology.
It combines a correction zone with multiple defocus segments arranged within the treatment area.
Stellest — H.A.L.T.
Essilor Stellest uses Highly Aspherical Lenslet Target technology.
Its treatment area uses highly aspherical lenslets designed to create a volume of myopic defocus in front of the retina.
ZEISS MyoCare — C.A.R.E.
ZEISS MyoCare uses Cylindrical Annular Refractive Elements.
The C.A.R.E. elements are arranged in concentric rings, alternating with correction zones. ZEISS combines this with its ClearFocus design.
So Which Myopia-Control Spectacle Lens Is Best?
There isn’t one spectacle lens that can automatically be labelled the best choice for every child.
Different designs have:
- Different optical structures
- Different treatment zones
- Different clinical evidence
- Different prescription ranges
- Different fitting requirements
- Different levels of long-term research
- Different responses between individual children
Some technologies also currently have a longer evidence history than newer designs such as H.O.R.I.
The appropriate question isn’t:
“Which brand has the biggest number?”
It is:
“Which myopia-management strategy is appropriate for my child, and how will we know whether it is working?”
That second question is particularly important.
This Is Why Malaya Optical Measures Axial Length
At Malaya Optical, myopia management isn’t simply:
Eye test → new glasses → come back next year.
For our myopia patients, we use ocular biometry, including the ARK Biometer Combo, to help monitor eye growth.
We can evaluate:
- Axial length
- Refractive prescription
- Changes over time
- Rate of progression
- Treatment response
- Longer-term trends
This gives us more information than spectacle power alone.
Why Axial Length Matters
Imagine two children.
Both have a prescription of:
−2.00D
They may appear identical if we look only at their spectacle prescription.
But one child’s eye may be growing relatively slowly.
The other’s may be elongating much more rapidly.
Those children may not have the same myopia risk profile.
This is why modern myopia management increasingly considers both refractive progression and axial growth.
We Don’t Expect Every Child to Respond Exactly the Same Way
This is another important message for parents.
Clinical studies report average results across groups of children.
Your child isn’t an average.
Individual responses vary.
A child can still progress while wearing a myopia-management lens.
That does not necessarily mean the technology has “failed.”
Instead, our optometrists need to consider:
How quickly was the child progressing before treatment?
How quickly are they progressing now?
What is happening to axial length?
Are the spectacles being worn consistently?
Is the frame fitting correctly?
Has the child’s lifestyle changed?
Is another management strategy appropriate?
Myopia management should therefore be monitored over time rather than treated as a one-time product purchase.
How Long Should a Child Wear H.O.R.I. Each Day?
Myopia-management spectacles are intended to be worn consistently.
Available H.O.R.I. product guidance recommends aiming for approximately 12 hours or more of daily wear, excluding activities such as sleeping and showering, to maximise exposure to the intended optical treatment.
The exact wearing plan should still follow the advice given for the individual child.
The important principle is:
A myopia-management spectacle lens cannot provide its intended optical treatment while sitting inside the spectacle case.
Consistency matters.
One Major Advantage: No Contact Lens Handling
One of the practical attractions of spectacle-based myopia management is simplicity.
Some children aren’t ready to insert, remove and care for contact lenses.
H.O.R.I. is worn as a pair of spectacles.
There is:
- No contact lens insertion
- No contact lens removal
- No overnight lens wear
- No contact lens cleaning
- No contact lens storage case
- No lens touching the cornea
For younger children or families who prefer a spectacle-based approach, this can be an important advantage.
This doesn’t mean spectacle lenses are automatically better than contact-lens-based treatments.
It simply means they have a different practical profile.
H.O.R.I. Pros and Considerations
Potential Advantages
Spectacle-based
No contact lens insertion or removal is required.
Non-invasive
Nothing is placed directly onto the eye.
Corrects and manages
The lens corrects the child’s myopia while providing its myopia-management optical design.
540-lenslet architecture
The distinctive hexagonal array provides a high-density treatment configuration.
Easy to incorporate into everyday life
For children already accustomed to wearing spectacles, the transition may be relatively straightforward.
Growing clinical evidence
Peer-reviewed research supports the broader LARI optical approach, while H.O.R.I.-specific evidence continues to develop.
Important Considerations
Consistent wear is important
The lens needs to be worn for the treatment design to be active.
Children respond differently
No myopia-control treatment stops progression in every child.
Frame fitting matters
Lens positioning and spectacle fit need to be appropriate.
Follow-up is still necessary
Buying the lens is not the end of myopia management.
The evidence base is still developing
H.O.R.I. is newer than some established spectacle-lens technologies, so longer-term and broader-population evidence will continue to be important.
It does not cure myopia
The objective is to slow progression—not permanently reverse the child’s myopia.
H.O.R.I. vs Ortho-K vs Soft Myopia-Control Contact Lenses vs Atropine
Spectacle lenses are only one approach to myopia management.
| Option | Worn/Used | Corrects Vision? | Myopia Management? | Key Consideration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H.O.R.I. Spectacles | Daytime | Yes | Yes | Simple spectacle-based approach |
| Ortho-K | Overnight | Daytime effect | Yes | Requires contact-lens handling and hygiene |
| Soft Myopia-Management Contact Lenses | Daytime | Yes | Yes | Requires contact-lens handling and suitability |
| Low-Dose Atropine | As prescribed | No | Yes | Pharmacological option requiring appropriate clinical/medical management |
There is no single best treatment for every child.
Depending on the individual patient, management may involve spectacle lenses, contact lenses, orthokeratology, pharmacological management or another clinically appropriate strategy.
More Than One Myopia Lens Technology at Malaya Optical
H.O.R.I. will not replace every other myopia-management spectacle lens at Malaya Optical.
And we don’t think it should.
Our optometrists can consider different technologies, including established designs such as:
HOYA MiYOSMART — D.I.M.S.
Essilor Stellest — H.A.L.T.
ZEISS MyoCare — C.A.R.E.
and, coming soon,
H.O.R.I. — Hexagon Optimized Reticular Integration.
Different children may benefit from different approaches.
Our role is not to make every child wear whichever lens happens to be newest.
Our role is to evaluate the child, discuss the available evidence and options with the parents, prescribe an appropriate management strategy, and then measure the response.
Early Detection Matters
Myopia often begins during the school years.
A child may not necessarily complain that their vision is blurry.
Instead, parents or teachers may notice:
- Squinting
- Moving closer to the television
- Difficulty seeing the classroom board
- Sitting unusually close to screens
- Frequent changes in spectacle prescription
- Holding objects close
- Reduced distance-vision confidence
This is one reason Malaya Optical also participates in school eye screening.
Screening can identify children who may need a complete eye examination.
But screening itself is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye examination or myopia-management assessment.
Who May Be Suitable for H.O.R.I.?
VisionXlab positions H.O.R.I. for children and teenagers beginning to develop myopia or who are already myopic.
At Malaya Optical, we would not select the lens based on age alone.
Our optometrists would consider factors such as:
- Age
- Current prescription
- Age of myopia onset
- Previous progression
- Axial length
- Eye-growth pattern
- Astigmatism
- Family history
- Lifestyle
- Outdoor time
- Near work and screen habits
- Previous myopia-management treatment
- Ability to wear spectacles consistently
A proper assessment is therefore required before deciding whether H.O.R.I. is appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions About H.O.R.I.
What does H.O.R.I. mean?
H.O.R.I. stands for Hexagon Optimized Reticular Integration.
Who developed H.O.R.I.?
According to VisionXlab, H.O.R.I. technology was developed by the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and VisionXlab.
Is VisionXlab the manufacturer?
VisionXlab operates within the specialty vision-care industry with research, development and manufacturing capabilities. Its official corporate history states that H.O.R.I. spectacle lenses were commercially launched in 2023.
How many lenslets are in H.O.R.I.?
The H.O.R.I. design contains 540 hexagonal lenslets.
Why are the lenslets hexagonal?
The hexagonal geometry allows the optical elements to form a tightly integrated grid. VisionXlab calls this its Fair Grid concept and reports a fill ratio of up to 67%.
What is Fair Grid?
Fair Grid refers to H.O.R.I.’s arrangement of 540 hexagonal lenslets into a highly integrated treatment array.
What is Fractal Boundary?
It is VisionXlab’s term for a treatment-boundary design intended to increase the perimeter over which the optical defocus signal is presented.
What is Full Symmetry?
It describes the symmetrical hexagonal grid used by H.O.R.I., which VisionXlab says is designed to support dynamic viewing as the eyes move through the lens.
Is H.O.R.I. the same as MiYOSMART?
No.
MiYOSMART uses D.I.M.S. technology, while H.O.R.I. uses Hexagon Optimized Reticular Integration.
Is H.O.R.I. the same as Stellest?
No.
Stellest uses H.A.L.T. technology, while H.O.R.I. uses a hexagonal integrated lenslet array.
Is H.O.R.I. the same as ZEISS MyoCare?
No.
ZEISS MyoCare uses C.A.R.E. — Cylindrical Annular Refractive Elements arranged in concentric treatment structures.
Does H.O.R.I. stop myopia?
No myopia-management lens should be described as guaranteeing that myopia will stop.
The objective is to slow progression.
Individual treatment response varies.
Does H.O.R.I. cure myopia?
No.
It corrects the child’s existing refractive error while providing an optical design intended to help manage progression.
Does my child still need eye examinations after getting H.O.R.I.?
Yes.
Regular monitoring is an essential part of myopia management.
At Malaya Optical, this can include monitoring the child’s prescription and axial length to assess eye growth and treatment response.
Is H.O.R.I. available in Malaysia?
H.O.R.I. myopia-management spectacle lenses are coming soon to Malaya Optical Malaysia.
H.O.R.I. Is a New Option — Not a Reason to Forget the Fundamentals
H.O.R.I. is an interesting development in spectacle-based myopia management.
The design is different.
540 hexagonal lenslets.
Fair Grid.
Fractal Boundary.
Full Symmetry.
And there is growing clinical research around the lenslet-array optical approach.
But technology alone is not a complete myopia-management programme.
The more important process is:
Measure → Select → Fit → Monitor → Compare → Adjust when necessary
That is how we approach childhood myopia at Malaya Optical.
H.O.R.I. Myopia Management Is Coming Soon to Malaya Optical
H.O.R.I. myopia-management spectacle lenses are coming soon to Malaya Optical Malaysia.
Once available, we plan to offer H.O.R.I. through all four Malaya Optical locations:
Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur
Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya
SS15, Subang Jaya
Bandar Puteri, Puchong
H.O.R.I. will join our broader range of myopia-management options, allowing our optometrists to consider different spectacle-lens technologies and other management approaches according to the individual child.
Book a Children’s Myopia Assessment
If your child’s spectacle prescription keeps increasing, don’t look only at the number written on the prescription.
Ask:
How quickly is the eye growing?
A children’s myopia assessment at Malaya Optical can include ocular biometry and axial-length monitoring with our ARK Biometer Combo, alongside refraction and other clinically relevant measurements.
From there, our optometrists can discuss appropriate myopia-management options and monitor how your child responds over time.
Because the goal isn’t simply clearer vision today.
It is managing how myopia progresses as your child’s eyes grow.
H.O.R.I. availability at Malaya Optical is coming soon. Final Malaysian product specifications, prescription ranges and availability are subject to confirmation at launch. This article is for general educational purposes and does not replace an individual eye examination or professional clinical advice.
Eunice
Optometrist