|
|
|
|
|
1.
What is corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy?
|
|
corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
is a specially designed oxygen permeable therapeutic contact lens
used in Corneal Refractive Therapy. Corneal Refractive Therapy
is a sophisticated, non-surgical process, which reshapes the cornea
while you sleep. You remove the lenses when you awake and are
able to go throughout the day without any other correction.
|
| Return |
|
2.
How new is corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy?
|
|
Contact
lens corneal reshaping is not a new concept. Previous corneal
reshaping designs were only as successful as technology allowed.
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 like no other. This has allowed corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
to become the one corneal reshaping modality that truly stands out and
the first to earn FDA approval for nighttime Corneal Refractive
Therapy.
|
| Return |
|
3.
Is Corneal Refractive Therapy Permanent?
|
|
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.
|
| Return |
|
4
.Can everyone wear corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy?
|
|
Not
everyone can wear corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy. 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). corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
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). You might still need reading glasses.
However, since there are variations in patient physiology and visual
needs, the decision for CRT (corneal refractive therapy), 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 (corneal refractive therapy).
|
| Return |
|
5.
How long does it take to reach good vision?
|
|
Most
patients have rapid improvement in the first few days of treatment and
achieve nearly their optimum vision in 10 to 14 days.
|
| Return |
|
6.
What do I do to see adequately in the period of time between when I
start Corneal Refractive Therapy with corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
and when I achieve
full treatment?
|
|
It’s
important to understand that for a time after you have begun
treatment, but before sufficient treatment is realized, your old
glasses or contacts will no longer be the appropriate prescription.
It may involve insertion of your corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
lenses for part of the
day or some use of temporary soft lenses in different prescriptions as
an option. Your eye care
practitioner will discuss your options for visual correction during
that transitional period of time.
|
| Return |
|
7.
Are there any risks involved with wearing corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy?
|
|
There
is a small risk involved when any contact lens is worn. It is
not expected that the corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy lenses for contact lens Corneal
Refractive Therapy will provide a risk that is greater than other
contact lenses. There were no serious adverse events reported in
the corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy FDA clinical study.
|
| Return |
|
8.
Can I see with my corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy lenses in?
|
|
Yes.
One of the great features of the corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
lens is that if you have
to get up in the middle of the night, you will be able to see where
you are going. Or, if during the initial treatment phase, you
find you need some form of vision correction, you can put in your corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
lenses and see clearly.
|
| Return |
|
9.
How often will I have to replace my corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
lenses?
|
|
Generally
speaking the corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy lenses will have 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 have to be replaced
more frequently.
|
| Return |
|
10.
How do I care for my corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy lenses?
|
|
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 you.
|
| Return |
|
11.
How much does Corneal Refractive Therapy with corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
cost?
|
|
The cost for your initial fitting,
professional care, follow-up and corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
therapeutic
lenses varies by practitioner. After your first year,
the annual cost of CRT (corneal refractive therapy) 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 corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
eye care
practitioner for further specific information. You may
also consult want to consult with your employer about Flexible
Spending Accounts.
A Flexible 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 (there are also similar accounts for dependent and
child-care expenses). 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, laser
vision correction, 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.
|
|
| Return |
12.
Is Corneal Refractive Therapy painful?
|
|
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.
|
| Return |
13.
Is Corneal Refractive Therapy or corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
FDA approved?
|
|
corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
is 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 corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy, 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 efficacy of contact
lens corneal reshaping in overnight use.
|
|
Return
|
14.
What is the difference between Corneal Refractive Therapy and corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy?
|
|
Corneal
Refractive Therapy is the process of using a therapeutic
contact lens to reduce myopia by reshaping the corneal surface while
you sleep. corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy is the product for this therapy.
|
| Return |
15.
Are there age restrictions for Corneal Refractive Therapy with corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy?
|
|
No.
The FDA placed no age restrictions on candidates for Corneal
Refractive Therapy with corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy.
CRT (corneal refractive therapy) is being
successfully performed on children 12 years old and younger. It
can be a great option for children and teens that are active in sports
activities or any other extra curricular activities.
Those
who are older and presbyopic (requiring reading glasses or bifocals)
may still be candidates for CRT (corneal refractive therapy). They may correct their distance
vision with CRT (corneal refractive therapy) and wear near-vision reading glasses for close work.
At the doctor’s discretion you may be fitted in a monovision mode
(one eye corrected for near vision and one corrected for distance
vision).
Visual
requirements due to age or activities can only be assessed after a
thorough eye exam. Your corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
certified eye care
professional will recommend what is best for you.
|
| |
16.
Are the corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy lenses difficult to insert or remove?
|
|
These
lenses are generally no more difficult to insert or remove than any
other similar contact lens. You may want to instill comfort or
rewetting 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 corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
lens, there are lens
removal aids available to assist this process.
|
| Return |
17.
If I discontinue CRT (corneal refractive therapy), will my vision to return to normal?
|
|
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.
|
| Return |
18.
My driver’s license is marked that I need corrective lenses to
operate a motor vehicle. What do I do about that?
|
|
Your
eye care professional will supply you with 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, before the expiration date.
|
| Return |
19.
What happens if I lose or damage a lens?
|
|
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.
|
| Return |
20.
Do benefit programs cover Corneal Refractive Therapy?
|
|
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.
|
| Return |
21.
I suffer from “dry” eyes, am I a candidate for Corneal Refractive
Therapy?
|
|
Only
your eye care professional can determine if you are a CRT (corneal refractive therapy)
candidate.
Many patients with slightly dry eyes do well with CRT (corneal refractive therapy). 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.
|
| Return |
22.
I used to wear contact lenses, but stopped due to discomfort. Am
I a candidate for Corneal Refractive Therapy?
|
|
corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
lenses are worn at night while you are sleeping. This
greatly reduces any discomfort normally experienced while wearing
contact lenses during the day.
|
| Return |
23.
I have astigmatism. Am I a candidate for Corneal Refractive
Therapy?
|
|
corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
is designed to correct myopia with to 1.75 diopters of
astigmatism. Each individual should be evaluated by a certified
eye care professional to determine if CRT (corneal refractive therapy)
is right for your visual
requirements.
|
| Return |
24.
I wear glasses. Am I a candidate for Corneal Refractive Therapy?
|
|
The
transition from wearing only glasses to corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
should not be a
concern. About 18% of the patients in the FDA study were
non-contact lens wearers. The dropout rate related to
discomfort was only 3.9%.
|
| Return |
25.
How can I tell if I have the original corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy
lenses?
|
|
Each
lens is laser marked to assure you and your eye care practitioner that
you have the original corneal therapy or corneal refractive therapy therapeutic contact lens.
Return
|