Vision Therapy in Centennial

Spotting the Signs of Dry Eye

(303) 771-4221

Understanding the Symptoms

Dry eye is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide, and its symptoms can vary in severity. It's crucial to recognize the signs of dry eye early to seek appropriate treatment and improve your eye health and comfort.

man with sore eyes


Common Symptoms to Look Out For

woman with red eyes

Experiencing dry eye symptoms can greatly affect your daily life and overall health. These symptoms can disrupt your work, hobbies, and even your ability to carry out everyday tasks comfortably.

The constant discomfort and distraction caused by these symptoms can lower your productivity and overall quality of life. 

Here are common signs that may indicate dry eye syndrome:

  • Dryness:
    A persistent sensation of dryness, grittiness, or eye irritation.
  • Itching:
    Frequent itching or a burning sensation in and around the eyes.
  • Redness:
    Bloodshot or red eyes, often accompanied by discomfort.·
  • Excessive Tearing:
    Paradoxically, your eyes may produce more tears as a response to dryness, leading to watery eyes.
  • Blurry Vision:
    Vision may become temporarily blurred, particularly when reading or using digital screens.
  • Light Sensitivity:
    Increased sensitivity to light, known as photophobia.
  • Foreign Body Sensation:
    Feeling as though something is in your eye.
  • Eye Fatigue:
    Increased eye fatigue, especially during prolonged periods of reading, screen time, or other visually demanding tasks.

Ignoring dry eye symptoms can lead to worsening discomfort and potential complications. Chronic dry eye can damage the eye's surface and increase the risk of eye infections, scarring, and vision loss. Seeking professional guidance if you're experiencing any of these symptoms is crucial.


Dry Eye Diagnosis and Expert Care

When you choose EyeCare Consultants for your dry eye care, you benefit from our expertise in comprehensive diagnosis. We understand that your unique health history and lifestyle can affect your dry eye differently, which is why we practice personalized care tailored to you. Our approach includes:

  • In-Depth Eye Exams

    During a comprehensive eye exam, we evaluate your eyelids, eye surface, and your complete health history and lifestyle to identify potential underlying causes of dry eyes.

  • Tear Assessment

    We conduct a detailed assessment of your tears, measuring their volume and quality. This assessment helps us identify any deficiencies in tear quantity or quality, crucial factors in dry eye diagnosis.

  • Tear Breakup Time

    Using advanced techniques like tear breakup time measurement, we identify specific areas of your eyes where tears may evaporate more rapidly. This information aids in tailoring your treatment plan.

  • Specialized Dry Eye Test: Schirmer Test

    This test involves placing blotting test paper strips on the lower eyelids to measure tear production over a specific time. It helps determine the volume of tears your eyes produce.

Patient Reviews
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764 Reviews
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- Aug. 25, 2025
Great experience! Courteous and knowledgeable staff, highly recommend. Glasses are priced a bit high... but the staff and Doctor that I saw were phenomenal.
- Aug. 20, 2025
A wonderful overall experience.
- Aug. 09, 2025
Very patient and thorough. Explain things well. Good with kids. Great selection of higher-end gla... sses frames.
- Aug. 07, 2025
I had a great experience with Dr. Barkey and her team. Dr. Barkey took the time to explain everythin... g clearly and answered all of my questions with patience and professionalism. I never felt rushed, and I appreciate her attention to detail. She is smart, kind, and personable. I highly recommend her!!
- Jul. 10, 2025
The staff is professional and friendly. Dr. Barkey takes time to explain things clearly.
- Jun. 27, 2025
Knowledgeable to le and pleasant...
- Jun. 16, 2025
Service was kind efficient. The doctor was helpful and provided a lot of information and made me fee... l comfortable. Ty woman who helped me select my glasses and sunglasses was knowledgeable, positive, and helpful. I did pay quite a bit for my new glasses, but I'm very happy with them and the best part is I can see!
- Jun. 12, 2025
Excellent experience. Professional and caring. Dr. Barkey was exceptional.
- Jun. 04, 2025
I've been going here for years. Very friendly staff and doctors.
- Jun. 03, 2025
Dr. Shimonova was very professional and patient. She answered all of my questions clearly and comple... tely.
- Jun. 02, 2025
Heavenly environment million thanks
- May. 25, 2025
EyeCare Consultants is great
- Apr. 08, 2025
They provide excellent customer service.
- Apr. 04, 2025
Great eye doc, staff, and facility!
- Apr. 01, 2025
Very professional, highly recommend
- Mar. 21, 2025
I have used EyeCare Consultants for over two decades since my PRK procedure. I have always received ... excellent care for my vision health. Despite change in ownership in 2021, I continue to experience that same level of excellence.
- Dec. 18, 2024
Dr. Barkey is wonderful. Knowledgeable an kind. My wife and I both go there and my father did as wel... l before he passed. The best place to go for eyecare in Colorado.
- Dec. 12, 2024
The entire office is professional, courteous, prompt and polite.
- Dec. 10, 2024
Great experience with Dr. Kaitlyn Barkey was excellent and answered my concerns and made recommendat... ions for continued eye health approaches.
- Dec. 09, 2024
Dr. Katlyn is awesome! She is great at answering my questions and is easy to talk to. The staff is... also great. There's no waiting, they are efficient and I feel taken care of there.

View All 764 Reviews

Dry Eyes in Centennial

Our optometry practice in Centennial

Photograph of Katlyn Barkey
Hours
  • Monday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
  • Wednesday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
  • Friday 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
    1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
  • Sep. 01 Closed
Insurance Plans
  • Aetna
  • Anthem
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Medicare
  • Spectera
  • United Healthcare
  • VSP

man putting eye drops in eyes

Consult Our Dry Eye Experts

At EyeCare Consultants, our experienced eye care specialists are ready to help you find relief from dry eye symptoms. We understand these symptoms' impact on your daily life and are committed to improving your eye health and comfort.

Contact us to schedule an appointment and discuss your dry eye symptoms. Let's work together to find the most suitable treatment and enhance your quality of life.

(303) 771-4221