1. What is Paragon CRT?
   

2. How new is Paragon CRT?
   

3. Is Corneal Refractive Therapy permanent?
   

4. Can everyone wear Paragon CRT?
   

5. How long does it take to reach good vision?
   

6. What can I do to see adequately in the period of time between when I start
   Corneal Refractive Therapy and when I achieve full treatment?
   

7. Are there any risks involved with wearing Paragon CRT?
   

8. Can I see with my Paragon CRT lenses in?
   

9. How often will I have to replace my Paragon CRT lenses?
   

10. How do I care for my Paragon CRT lenses?
    

11. How much does Corneal Refractive Therapy with Paragon CRT cost?
    

12. Is Corneal Refractive Therapy painful?
    

13. Is Corneal Refractive Therapy and Paragon CRT lenses FDA approved?
    

14. What is the difference between Corneal Refractive Therapy and Paragon CRT?
    

15. Are there age restrictions for Corneal Refractive Therapy?
    

16. Are the Paragon CRT lenses difficult to insert or remove?
    

17. If I discontinue CRT, will my vision return to normal?
    

18. My driver’s license is marked that I need corrective lenses to operate a motor vehicle. What should I do about that?
    

19. What happens if I lose or damage a lens?
    

20. Do benefit programs cover Corneal Refractive Therapy?
    

21. I experience scratchiness and sessatioins of dryness when I wear contact lenses, am I a candidate for CRT?
    

22. I wore contact lenses, but stopped due to discomfort. Am I a candidate for Corneal Refractive Therapy?
    

23. I have astigmatism. Am I a candidate for Corneal Refractive Therapy?
    

24. I wear glasses. Am I a candidate for Corneal Refractive Therapy?
    

25. How can I tell if I have the original Paragon CRT lenses?

1. What is Paragon CRT?

Paragon CRT is a specially designed oxygen permeable contact lens used in Corneal Refractive Therapy. Corneal Refractive Therapy or CRT is a sophisticated, non-surgical, and reversible process, which reshapes the cornea while you sleep. You remove the lenses when you awake and are able to continue throughout the day without any other correction devices such as glasses or contact lenses.

Contact lens corneal reshaping is not a new concept. Previous corneal reshaping designs were marginally successful due to technological limits. Paragon Vision Sciences has taken the recent advancements in computerized corneal mapping, computerized manufacturing, and oxygen permeable contact lens materials and produced a therapeutic contact lens design that is unlike any other. Paragon CRT recieved its FDA approval in June 2002 and is proud to know that hundreds of thousands of people, worldwide, are enjoying the benefits of CRT. This has allowed Paragon CRT to become the one corneal reshaping modality that truly stands out and the first to earn FDA approval for nighttime Corneal Refractive Therapy.

No, it’s temporary, if you stop wearing the lenses regularly while you sleep, your vision will return to its original state in as little as 72 hours.

Not everyone can wear Paragon CRT. This lens is designed for individuals with low to moderate myopia (nearsightedness up to –6.00 diopters) with or without astigmatism (up to –1.75 diopters). Paragon CRT therapeutic lenses are not yet available in bifocal prescriptions for presbyopia (which requires reading glasses or bifocals). At your doctor’s discretion you may be fitted in a monovision mode (one eye corrected for near vision and one corrected for distance vision). However, since there are variations in patient physiology and visual needs, the decision for CRT, at any age, can only be made after a thorough eye exam and the recommendations of the eye care professional. At this time, hyperopia (farsightedness) is not correctable with CRT.

Depending on their prescription, most patients have rapid improvement in the first few days of nightly treatment and achieve optimal vision in 7 to 14 days.

It’s important to understand that for a time after you begin treatment, but before sufficient treatment is realized, your old glasses or contacts will no longer be the appropriate prescription. To help you through this transitional period you may need to wear your Paragon CRT lenses for part of the day or your eye care practitioner may prescribe temporary soft lenses in different prescriptions as another option. Your eye care practitioner will discuss your options with you.

There is a small risk involved when any contact lens is worn. It is not expected that the Paragon CRT lenses worn for Corneal Refractive Therapy will provide a risk that is greater than other contact lenses. There were no serious adverse events reported in the Paragon CRT FDA clinical study. More Info Here

Yes, one of the great features of the Paragon CRT lens is that if you have to get up in the middle of the night, you will have good vision. Also, if during the initial treatment phase, you find you need some form of vision correction, you can put in your Paragon CRT lenses and see clearly.

Generally speaking Paragon CRT lenses will need to be replaced once a year. However, depending on factors such as protein build-up, how well the lenses are taken care of, etc., the lenses may need to be replaced more frequently.

Your lenses should be chemically disinfected after every use (not heat). Your eye care practitioner will instruct you about which care system is best for your lenses.

The cost for your initial fitting, professional care, follow-up and Paragon CRT therapeutic lenses varies by practitioner. After your first year of treatment, the annual cost of CRT is about the same as wearing contact lenses or glasses. Many eye care Practitioners also offer optional payment plans, which they will be happy to review with you. Consult your Paragon CRT eye care practitioner for further specific information. You may also want to consult with your employer about this cost being covered by your Flexible Medical Spending Account.

A Flexible Medical Spending Account (FSA), (also called flex plan, reimbursement account, Flex 125, Tax Saving Plan, Medical Spending Account, a Section 125, or a Cafeteria Plan), is an employer-sponsored benefit that allows you to pay for eligible medical expenses on a pre-tax basis. If you expect to incur medical expenses that won't be reimbursed by your regular health insurance plan, you should be taking advantage of your employer's FSA if they have one.

Any expense that is considered a deductible medical expense by the IRS and is not reimbursed through your insurance can be reimbursed through the FSA. These include most elective surgery, corneal refractive therapy, medical insurance, deductibles, eyeglasses, and prescription drug co-payments.

Not all employers participate in FSA programs. It is recommended you check with your Benefits Manager to see if your employer participates. It is important to calculate how much money to contribute for the year. If you put in more money than you need, by law, you lose it. For Corneal Refractive Therapy, it’s recommend you have a consultation first to determine candidacy prior to making any allocations to your Flexible Spending Account.

The therapy is not painful. Initially, you may have a slight awareness of the therapeutic lens. You will not feel the lenses when you sleep and there is no sense of physical corneal change…. just visual improvement when the lenses are removed.

Paragon CRT was the first therapeutic lens design approved by the FDA for overnight contact lens Corneal Refractive Therapy for the temporary reduction of myopia. Paragon Vision Sciences, the manufacturer of Paragon CRT, received the final written approval on June 13, 2002. The issuance of this approval is the culmination of the most extensive clinical study to date to establish the safety and effectiveness of contact lens corneal reshaping in overnight use.

Corneal Refractive Therapy is the process of using a Paragon CRT therapeutic contact lens to reduce myopia by reshaping the corneal surface while you sleep. Paragon CRT is the product for this therapy.

No, the FDA placed no age restrictions on candidates for Corneal Refractive Therapy with Paragon CRT. CRT is being successfully performed on children of all ages.It can be a great option for children and teens that are currently to young for Lasik, and glasses or contacts interfere with sports activities and other extra curricular activities.

Individuals who are presbyopic (requiring reading glasses or bifocals) may still be candidates for CRT. They may correct their distance vision with CRT and wear near-vision reading glasses for close work. At the doctor’s discretion these individuals may be fitted in a monovision mode (one eye corrected for near vision and one corrected for distance vision).

These lenses are no more difficult to insert or remove than any other similar contact lens. You may want to use comfort or re wetting drops prior to insertion of the lenses and immediately upon waking. The lenses must move freely prior to removal. If you have difficulty removing the Paragon CRT lens, there are lens removal aids available to assist in this process.

Yes, there are no recorded permanent corneal changes post-treatment. Generally, the more myopia being reduced, the longer it will take for the corneal curvature to return to normal. For instance, if your pretreated correction was - 4.50D, it would take a few days longer to return to normal than if the pretreated correction was -1.50D.

Your eye care professional can offer you a document that states you are participating in a visual therapy program that eliminates the need for corrective lenses during working hours. The document should have an expiration date and you should have your driver’s license updated with a new vision screening through your local DMV office to reflect this change.

Corneal Refractive Therapy is different than wearing regular contact lenses. If you discontinue wear for one night, your vision may be impaired the next day. Previously worn glasses or contact lenses may not help. Immediate replacement is necessary! Having a spare pair of lenses is strongly recommended. You can request a spare pair from your eye care Practitioner.

This is an elective procedure, and to the best of our knowledge is not usually covered by benefit programs. If regular contact lenses are covered under your vision care plan, Corneal Refractive Therapy may be partially covered. You should check with your benefits plan administrator.

Only your eye care professional can determine if you are a CRT candidate. Many patients with slightly dry eyes do well with CRT. Since you are wearing the lenses only while sleeping, the closed eye state minimizes evaporative loss of tears and can give dry-eye patients suitable vision without compromising the ocular surface.

Only if you are nearsighted and your eye care Practitioner successfully qualifies you to be a candidate for CRT. Paragon CRT lenses are worn at night while you are sleeping. This greatly reduces any discomfort normally experienced while wearing contact lenses during the day.

Astigmatism does not disqualify you as a CRT patient. Paragon CRT is designed to correct myopia with up to 1.75 diopters of astigmatism. Each individual should be evaluated by a CRT certified eye care professional to determine if CRT is right for your visual requirements.

Yes, the transition from wearing only glasses to Paragon CRT should not be a concern. About 18% of the patients in the FDA study were non-contact lens wearers.

Each lens is laser marked to assure you and your eye care practitioner that you have the original Paragon CRT therapeutic contact lens. Paragon CRT is the only contact lens that is laser marked to indicate use for Corneal Refractive Therapy.