Dry Eye Therapy in Colorado Springs

Name: Bettner Vision
Address: 9205 N Union Blvd #110, Colorado Springs, CO, 80920
Telephone: 719-282-0400

Dry Eye Relief is Within Reach

Are your eyes dry and irritated most of the time? Do you find yourself rubbing or blinking excessively to produce moisture and relieve discomfort?

If so, you may have a condition called dry eye. You wouldn’t be alone: currently, there are an estimated 16 million Americans who have been diagnosed with this chronic condition.

Fortunately, the team at Bettner Vision can help. Our optometrists and ophthalmologists won’t just address your symptoms. We’ll use a combination of experience and advanced technology to determine the cause of your dry eyes. Then, we will work together to create a personalized management or treatment plan to relieve your symptoms.

For more information about dry eye, book an appointment with our team today.

How Do I Know If I Have Dry Eye Syndrome?

The symptoms of dry eye are often just that: consistently dry, scratchy, irritated eyes. However, in some cases, excessive tearing can occur. This occurs because it is the eyes’ natural reflex to protect and comfort themselves when in distress.

How Does Dry Eye Develop?

Dry eye is a condition that occurs when our eyes aren’t naturally lubricating. The two main reasons for this are poor tear quality and inadequate tear volume.

Poor Tear Quality

Tears have 3 main components: mucin, water, and oil (called meibum). Meibum creates a protective coating on the surface of the tear film, slowing the evaporative process, while mucin helps ensure your tears spread evenly over the surface of your eye.

If you lack meibum or oil, your tears will evaporate too quickly. If your tears lack mucin, they won’t be distributed evenly across the surface of the eye. Both of these factors cause dry eye.

Inadequate Tear Volume

Our tears are produced by lacrimal glands both in and around our eyelids. These glands can either produce an inadequate amount of tears required for sufficient lubrication or can block tear production altogether.

There are several reasons why both the quality and quantity of our tears may be compromised:

Aging
Medications, such as antihistamines and antidepressants
Medical conditions, such as diabetes or autoimmune conditions
Digital eye strain
Environmental factors, such as strong winds, or dry or smoky environments

How To Manage Dry Eye

Unfortunately, dry eye is usually chronic, which means it cannot be cured. However, we offer a variety of treatments in our clinic and can suggest other helpful management strategies.

Meibomian Gland Expression

We will conduct tests to determine if your meibomian glands are blocked and, therefore, not expressing the meibum our eyes need. If that is the case, we will massage the clogged glands so they open and the meibum can flow and lubricate the eye.

Depending on the extent of the blockage, you may only require one treatment. In some cases, the procedure is repeated until the glands are free and functioning normally.

Eyelid Cleansers

To keep eyelids clean and the meibomian glands clear, we offer several products that can help to remove oil, debris, pollen, and other contaminants from the eyelid area. Check with our office for an assortment of pre-moistened cleaning pads and cleansers.

Other Dry Eye Management Strategies

Things like artificial tears, medicated eye drops and advances in supplements and nutrition have come a long way in the fight against dry eye.

There are also treatments like LipiFlow, iLux®, and Intense Pulsed Light – dry eye therapy procedures that use heat, light, and gentle massage to clear blockages in the oil-producing meibomian glands.

BlephEx Treatment

BlephEx is a revolutionary in-office tool designed to help alleviate dry eye symptoms caused by meibomian gland dysfunction, blepharitis, and other eyelid hygiene issues.

Handheld BlephEx devices are equipped with a spinning medical-grade sponge that your doctor will use along the edge of your eyelids to remove the accumulated bacterial biofilm causing your dry eye symptoms. In some cases, this treatment may need to occur every 4 to 6 months to promote the healthy production of tears.

Visit Our Location

Find Us in Colorado Springs

Our Colorado Springs practice is conveniently located in the Marketplace at Briargate, beside Sushi Rakkyo and the T-Mobile store.

Our Address

9205 N Union Blvd #110
Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Contact Information

Phone: 719-282-0400
Fax: 719-282-1004
Email: [email protected]

Hours of Operation

Monday

8 AM – 5 PM

Tuesday

8 AM – 5 PM

Wednesday

8 AM – 5 PM

Thursday

8 AM – 5 PM

Friday

8 AM – 5 PM

Saturday

By Appointment

Sunday

Closed

Book Your Appointment

Our Specialty Services

Keratoconus & Scleral Lens Institute (KSLI)

At Bettner Vision, our keratoconus and scleral lens institute specializes in diagnosing and treating patients with keratoconus – a progressive eye disorder that results in the thinning of the cornea.

Keratoconus & Scleral Lens Institute (KSLI)

Keratoconus & Scleral Lens Institute

Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine that specializes in eye anatomy, physiology, and diseases of the eye.

Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine that specializes in eye anatomy, physiology, and diseases of the eye.

Ophthalmology

Pediatric & Binocular Vision Therapy

Vision therapy, sometimes known as orthoptics, is akin to physical therapy for the eyes and brain. It is a non-surgical, customizable set of exercises and activities that aim to resolve symptoms that interfere with visual abilities, motor skills, and brain function.

Pediatric & Binocular Vision Therapy

Neuro-Optometry: Visual Rehabilitation

Our eyes and brain are inseparably linked. Impulses continuously travelling back and forth via the optic nerve ultimately result in what we see and how we see it.

Neuro-Optometry: Visual Rehabilitation

Our eyes and brain are inseparably linked. Impulses continuously travelling back and forth via the optic nerve ultimately result in what we see and how we see it.

Neuro-Optometry