Nearsightedness, also known as myopia, is an increasingly common vision condition. Nearsightedness makes it hard to see clearly faraway. It occurs when the eye grows too long or has too much corneal curvature, leading to an inability to focus light directly on the retina, causing distant objects to appear blurry and out-of-focus.1
42 percent of Americans struggle to see well at a distance, and studies indicate that nearsightedness is nearing epidemic proportions in the U.S. and other developed countries.2 About 42 percent of Americans ages 12-54 are nearsighted, up from 25 percent in 1971.2 Thankfully, nearsightedness can be treated without the use of daytime contact lenses, glasses, or invasive surgery.
Read on to learn more about nearsightedness and its treatment options:
The Rise of Nearsightedness
Although nearsightedness is frequently passed down genetically, scientists have pegged the latest surge in cases in the U.S. and elsewhere is due to changes in lifestyle that have occurred in recent generations.2 For example, activities such as near work (tablets, video games, phones) can cause the eye to lengthen, inducing nearsightedness (myopia).3
Researchers estimate that by 2050, almost half of the world will be nearsighted. 4
Long-term studies of children ages 6-14 (the age range when myopia often develops) found that kids who spent more time outdoors each day were at a lower risk for nearsightedness – likely because of their decreased use of screens and uptick in exposure to a wider range of light conditions. 5
Symptoms of Nearsightedness
The best way to determine if you are nearsighted is to schedule an eye exam.
Symptoms include:- -Eye strain
-Squinting
-Trouble with tasks that involve long-distance sight
-Driving, especially at night
- -Squinting, especially when trying to make out objects at a distance
-Frequent eye rubbing
-Sitting too close to the TV
-Closing one eye to read
-Excessive blinking
When left untreated, severe myopia can lead to other vision complications, such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and retinal detachment.6
Treating Nearsightedness with Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses
Nearsightedness can usually be treated with glasses, daytime contact lenses, or a surgical procedure such as LASIK.
There are other treatments for myopia that can be convenient for your lifestyle. Orthokeratology is a painless option for people who find glasses impractical and don’t want to wear contact lenses all day.
Orthokeratology (also known as Ortho-K) is a method for treating nearsightedness with overnight contact lenses, such as Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses. These FDA approved, breathable lenses are specially designed to reshape the cornea to focus light correctly on the retina.7 When Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses are worn overnight, users are given the freedom to wake up, remove the lenses, and experience clear vision throughout the day.
Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses have improved the eyesight of people worldwide and have been prescribed in over 50 countries.8 92 percent of Paragon CRT® wearers report that their experience meets or exceeds expectations.9
If you are looking for a solution for nearsightedness and are curious about your options, it might be time for you or your child to try Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses!
[1] Carr, B. J., Ph.D., & Stell, W. K., M.D., Ph.D. (1995). The Science Behind Myopia. In The Organization of the Retina and Visual System. Salt Lake City, Utah: University of Utah Health Sciences Center. doi:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470669/
[2] Vitale, S et al. 2009. Increased prevalence of myopia in the United States between 1971-1972 and 1999-2004. Arch Ophthalmol 127(12): 1632-1639.
[3] Huang, H., Shuo-Teh Chang, D., & Wu, P. (2015, October 20). The Association between Near Work Activities and Myopia in Children—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [Review]. Plos One. Retrieved April 9, 2019, from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0140419
[4] Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA, Jong M, Naidoo KS, Sankaridurg P, Wong TY, Naduvilath TJ, Resnikoff S, Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050, Ophthalmology, May 2016 Volume 123, Issue 5, Pages 1036–1042
[5] Jones-Jordan, LA, et al. 2012. Time outdoors, visual activity, and myopia progression in juvenile-onset myopes. Clinical and Epidemiologic Research 53: 7169-7175.
[6] Filtcroft, D. (2012). The complex interactions of retinal, optical and environmental factors in myopia aetiology. Progress in Retinal and Eye Research, 31(6), 622-660. doi:Elsevier
[7] FDA Approval Letter
[8] Paragon Vision Sciences, Data on file, 2017
[9] Paragon Vision Sciences, Consumer Survey, Data on File, Oct 2018