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Dry Eye Treatment

Offering Lasting Relief For Dry, Itchy & Gritty Eyes

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Tired of your eyes constantly watering?

Want to find a solution for your red, dry, itchy eyes?

Dry eye disease can seriously harm your quality of life. It can cause severe irritation and even infection in severe cases.

Symptoms of dry eye disease include:

  • Red, dry eyes
  • Itchiness in and around the eye
  • A gritty-feeling in the eye
  • Light sensitivity
  • Excessive watering of the eyes

Visit Foothills Vision and Eye Care for effective and lasting dry eye relief.

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Give Your Eyes the Care They Deserve

How Dry Eye Disease Develops & How to Treat It

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Dry eye disease is an increasingly common eye condition that can happen either because the eye is not producing enough tears, or because tears are evaporating too quickly, leaving the eyes without enough moisture to function comfortably.

This can happen for several reasons including allergies, side effects from medications, hormonal changes, and illness.

Depending on the cause and exact symptoms of your dry eyes, our Fort Collins eye doctors will be able to prescribe treatments and medications aimed at increasing the amount of tears your eye produces and/or slowing the evaporation of tears to better hydrate your eyes.


What Are the Main Causes of Dry Eye?

  • Aging

    Dry eye disease tends to affect people over the age of 50. This is because tear production slows as we age. As the lacrimal glands produce fewer tears, dry eye develops.

  • Hormonal changes

    It's not uncommon for some women to experience dry eye symptoms during pregnancy, menopause, or while using birth control pills. That's because hormone imbalances can reduce tear production.

  • Autoimmune disease

    Certain autoimmune diseases, like Sjögren’s syndrome, can cause white blood cells to attack your tear glands, thus reducing tear production. Other diseases like arthritis, lupus, and diabetes can also cause poor or insufficient tear production.

  • Medications

    Certain medications can reduce mucus production (one of the 3 tear components) thus contributing to chronic dry eye.

    They include antihistamines, antidepressants, diuretics, and beta-blockers.

Note that this is just a handful of causes. There are many other factors that can contribute to dry eye, including pollution and dry air, allergies, poor tear quality, dehydration, contact lens wear, and more.


Dry Eyes Treatment

Our optometry practice in Fort Collins

Photograph of Scott  Haugen
Hours
  • Monday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP
  • Medicare
  • United Healthcare
  • Aetna
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Patient Reviews
4.9
129 Reviews
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- Mar. 14, 2023
I have been a patient of Dr. Skrdla for many years. I ALWAYS get exceptional, professional, friendl... y service every visit.
- Feb. 25, 2023
Dr. Skrdla is truly the BEST! He’s extremely knowledgeable -not just about everything related to e... ye and vision health but also so much more. I’ve been his patient for 15+ years and I trust him more than any other doctor I’ve seen in that time. I have some complex medical issues (mostly unrelated to my eyes/vision) that he somehow knows more about than most of the specialists I see who are supposed to be experts in those issues… I wish he was a primary care physician. Everyone I’ve ever recommended him to have become longtime patients of his and all feel the same way. Make an appointment with him and you’ll see :-).
- Feb. 24, 2023
Dr Haugen and staff are great! They are friendly and courteous and answered all my questions. Felt... very comfortable during the appointment.
- Feb. 24, 2023
Dr Skrdla is awesome highly recommend him.
- Feb. 22, 2023
Everyone was extremely friendly, helpful and professional. A great experience!
- Feb. 21, 2023
Everyone is super friendly and informative.
- Feb. 13, 2023
Very professional and friendly Dr McClelland was great
- Jan. 23, 2023
Dr Skrdla is fantastic. I enjoy seeing him each year ! He is thorough, on time, personable and sma... rt. Our whole family sees him for our eye exams. Definitely the best there is!
- Jan. 21, 2023
Great eye care
- Jan. 20, 2023
Dr. Skrdla and his staff are wonderful! Great customer service and extremely knowledgeable!
- Jan. 10, 2023
Dr. Haugen has seen me since I was really little. I had complex issues with my eyes and I always fel... t seen at his office. Highly recommend for parents of bespectacled littles 🙂 I have a recent great story though- I live in Chicago but had seen him for a check up while I was in Colorado for a while last winter. But when I switched insurance and needed another pair of glasses, I found an in-network clinic who required a re-exam to give me new glasses. They ended up giving me the wrong prescription! One eye far sighted and the other nearsighted- I think they accidentally typed a plus sign. I bought glasses through a third party because ironically that clinic was too expensive, and of course when I received them they were totally wrong. I called them and they basically brushed me off, and the third party also couldn’t do anything because they had followed the prescription I handed them. So I decided to try and call Dr. Haugen (whose problem this definitely wasn’t!) just a bit before his office closed. He answered himself, sent the correct prescription, and got it fixed for me- when I was all the way in Chicago!
- Jan. 07, 2023
Absolutely fantastic place. I have been going there with my family for 12 years with 4 family memb... ers who need their services and they have always met or exceeded any expectations I would have.
- Dec. 30, 2022
Dr. Skrdla is very knowledgeable and the rest of the staff is extremely friendly and understanding. ... I highly recommend this place!
- Dec. 22, 2022
Happy to be a patient of theirs for many years.
- Dec. 18, 2022
Turnaround was only one week for my new glasses. The lab they use is quite good.
- Dec. 14, 2022
Wonderful staff, great care, and takes their time to make you feel you got individualized care.
- Dec. 08, 2022
Love Dr. Haugen and staff! Always friendly and never pushy. My whole family are patients. Glad we fo... und them. Would recommend to everyone!
- Dec. 07, 2022
Annual eye exam is professional and extremely competent. Would highly recommend Dr. Haugen and his s... taff.
- Dec. 05, 2022
I love the whole team. Always friendly. I am a geek, so I love the technology used to get the best d... iagnosis. And when things don't go perfectly, the team is always eager to help. Always impressed!
- Nov. 29, 2022
Dr. Skrdla is an excellent optometrist. Our family has gone to him for years. He is very thorough, c... ompetent, personable and the appointments are timely. In and out very quickly. Highly recommend he and his staff.

View All 129 Reviews

Dry Eyes FAQs

Can I still wear contact lenses if I have dry eye syndrome?

Yes, some people can still wear contact lenses with dry eye syndrome. However, depending on its severity, you may need to carefully select the adequate contact lens for optimal clarity and comfort.

Oftentimes, because contact lenses sit on the eye, it's difficult for vital oxygen to reach the eye. This can worsen dry eye symptoms, and increase the risk of scratching or otherwise damaging your eye. Make sure to ask your eye doctor which contact lenses are most adapted to your condition.

Can dry eye syndrome be cured?

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for dry eye syndrome. There are, however, many treatment options that offer lasting dry eye relief.

Can dry eye syndrome cause blindness?

In rare extreme cases, dry eye syndrome can cause corneal ulcers. These ulcers can result in scarring on the eye, making it difficult for the cornea to focus light accurately. If left untreated, corneal ulcers and the associated scarring can result in blindness.

How can I prevent dry eye symptoms?

Below are a few tips that will help prevent dry eye symptoms:

  • Point fans, heaters, and air vents so that they don’t directly blow into your eyes
  • Eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids
  • Stay properly hydrated
  • Take breaks during long tasks, especially those that require extended visual focus

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Don't suffer in silence

Contact us for lasting dry eye relief!

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