Genetics and Lifestyle

Research indicates there is a genetic component with nearsightedness. However, researchers in Australia found that myopia is most prevalent in societies where children watch TV, play computer games or read instead of playing outside in natural light.¹ Today’s children, and even adults, spend significantly less time outdoors where natural light is up to ten times greater than indoor light – even on a cloudy day. Exposure to natural light causes our bodies to produce a chemical called dopamine known to prevent the eyeball from lengthening which prevents light from focusing directly onto the retina.

Your child may be a candidate for Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses giving them clearer vision during the day without glasses, daytime contact lenses or surgery. With Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses, parents no longer have to worry about their child seeing the board at school clearly, not wearing their glasses, losing or breaking their daytime contacts, glasses or having blurry vision during their favorite after-school activity.

Orthokeratology with Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses has become a sought after option for those who are nearsighted, and particularly children who have the genetic factor for nearsightedness. The first step is to find out if your child is a candidate for orthokeratology with Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses. Find A Certified Paragon CRT® Contact Lens Eye Care Practitioner with our search tool to locate a provider near you and schedule an appointment today.

Teenagers Wear Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses

Active teens are great candidates for Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses. Instead of putting on contacts after they wake up, they take them out and see clearly all day long without having to wear daytime contacts or glasses. Teens that are always on the go and involved in after-school activities and sports find not having to wear dry, itchy contact lenses or clunky glasses a great boost to their confidence. They know they can always look and feel their best all day, every day.

By sleeping in Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses, you should see noticeable results during the first few days. Within 7 to 14 days of wearing Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses each night, your cornea should remember the proper shape for the entire day, leaving no need for daytime contacts or glasses. Remember, the results are temporary so if you stop using Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses your corneas will revert to their previous shape. Find A Certified Paragon CRT® Contact Lens Eye Care Practitioner with our search tool to locate a provider and schedule an appointment today.

How Monovision Works with Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses

Monovision is when one eye is corrected with a lens to sharpen your distance vision and the other eye is corrected with another lens to sharpen your near vision. However, when both eyes are open while wearing the lenses, the results is typically clear vision at all distances. Though monovision might sound difficult to adjust to, most people adapt very well and eventually don’t notice which eye is their “distance eye” and which is their “near eye.” For many people, monovision with Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses are an acceptable vision alternative.

Adults Wear Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses

Orthokeratology, or ortho-k, is particularly appealing for people with dry eyes who participate in sports or work in dusty, dirty environments that can make contact lens wear difficult. Because this treatment can be discontinued at any time without permanent change to the eye, people of any age can try the procedure, as long as their eyes are healthy. It takes only 2-3 weeks of non-wear for the eyes to return to their original shape.

Millions of contact lens wearers are frustrated with discomfort, fluctuating vision or experience tired and dry eyes. Contact lens wearers are particularly susceptible to the development of dry eye, with 50-75% of wearers reporting dry eye symptoms.² Ultimately, they begin their search for vision alternatives to daytime contact lenses.

Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses eliminate dryness and discomfort associated with daytime contacts because Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses are worn at night while you sleep, and removed before you start your day. Since the lenses are worn only while sleeping, you have freedom and comfort when it matters most – during the day!

Those considering a LASIK surgical procedure are also looking for freedom from the hassles and discomfort of contact lenses and glasses. Similar to LASIK, Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses reshape the front surface of the cornea to provide device-free vision during your waking hours. LASIK may require follow-up surgeries to obtain the desired vision correction, while Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses, on the other hand, are a non-invasive and non-surgical alternative to LASIK.

“In 2001, after 15 years in practice and 9 years performing refractive procedures, I opened New Vista LASIK Center so that I would have room to purchase my own laser and expand my practice.

I had wanted LASIK myself; both to demonstrate my confidence in the procedure to my patients and to relieve myself of the burden of wearing daytime contact lenses. When I screened for the LASIK procedure in early 2001, I discovered that I have thin central corneas. LASIK was now out of the question, and PRK did not appeal to me for several reasons.

In 2002, I was introduced to Corneal Reshaping [orthokeratology] with [Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses]. I was intrigued and thought to try it for myself. I had recently taken up horseback riding and found that stables and riding rings were not ideal environments for a daytime contact lens wearer – and I did not like wearing glasses while riding, fearing they would slip off at any moment. Prior to CRT® [Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses], my prescription was -4.75D with a small amount of astigmatism.

After two weeks of wearing my CRT® [Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses] each night, I had 20/15 vision without the need for daytime contacts or glasses, and I was delighted!

This experience motivated me to offer corneal reshaping [orthokeratology] with CRT [Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses] to my patients, and I’m happy to report I’m still a satisfied CRT [Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses] wearer today.”

Dr. Lisa G. Wohl,? Board-Certified Ophthalmologist

Dr. Wohl has been in private practice since 1985 in the Chicagoland area and has performed thousands of cataract and refractive procedures. In 2002, Dr. Wohl was one of the first Eye MDs’ to offer orthokeratology with Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses.

Choosing the right vision correction option to meet the needs of your busy lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to settle for uncomfortable or blurry daytime contacts, or undergo invasive eye surgery. If you’re one of the many individuals who experience discomfort, fluctuating vision or dryness from your daytime contacts, or if glasses get in the way of your activities, corneal reshaping with Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses may be a great vision correction treatment option for you.

1. Lisa A. Jones, Loraine T. Sinnott, Donald O. Mutti, Gladys L. Mitchell, Melvin L. Moeschberger and Karla Zadnik. Invest Ophtalmol Vis Sci. 2007; 48: 3524-3532.

2. Ethis Communications, Inc. The Ocular Surface ISSN: 1542-0124.The epidemiology of dry eye disease:report of the Epidemiology Subcommittee of the International Dry Eye WorkShop (2007). 2007;5(2):93-107