OUR EYE DOCTORS
Eye care professionals specialize in understanding how the human eye really works, as well as diseases and conditions that affect your vision - many of which do not have obvious symptoms. Eye doctors know how age and risk factors affect vision over time for young and old, and they understand the benefits and features of corrective lenses including eyeglasses and contacts.
The Doctors and Staff at Mountain Vista Eye Care and Dry Eye Cener are committed to:
- Providing our Patients with the finest quality eye health care and vision products.
- Inspiring confidence through patient education and maintaining the highest standards of professional expertise.
- Serving our patients in a manner which honors God with honesty, integrity and compassion.
By staying current with the latest developments in eye care, prescription lenses and advances in contact lens technology, our vision center can provide you with the best vision, advice and fit today—and in the years to come. We take pride in building lasting relationships with our patients, which is why we take the time to get to know you, your vision requirements and your lifestyle needs. Contact your eye care clinic today to find out how we can help.
- We believe strongly in giving back to the community. Read more about our outreach programs.
- We are proud of our Doctors' achievements. Read more about their associations and awards.
Meet Your Doctors :
Dr. Kent Yount earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Pacific University before graduation Cum laude from the Pacific University College of Optometry in 1988. He completed an additional residency/fellowship in ocular disease and pathology at the Omni Eye Center in Denver. After beginning his career in Boulder in 1989, he joined Dr. Loomis in 1995. Dr. Yount was on the Board of Trustees for the Colorado Optometric Association, where he served as President in 2005. He is an adjunct professor for Southern California College of Optometry and a former instructor for fellow Colorado optometrists in acquiring therapeutic certification. He has been a frequent lecturer in Ocular Disease and has been published in Optometric literature. He is past Chairman of the Eye Care Benefits Committee and sits on the educational committee for the Colorado Optometric Glaucoma Society. He is a past board member that represented the state of Colorado on the Southwest Council of Optometry and the Great Western Council Optometry. He became a Diplomate in the American Board of Optometry in 2011 and is the board’s liaison for Colorado. Dr. Yount was selected Young Optometrist of the Year by the Colorado Optometric Association in 1996, Optometrist of the Year in 2013, and received the Distinguished Service award in 2018.
In his free time, Dr. Yount loves to cycle and spend time outdoors. He and his wife Shawna enjoy spending time with their three daughters; Madison, Katie, and Sarah; son-in-laws Luke and Forrest; and grandchildren Levi and Nolan.
Specialities: Ocular Disease (including dry eye, glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration)
Dr. Kruchen earned his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Optometry degrees from Indiana University. He began his optometric career practicing in Michigan. He moved to Colorado in 1984 and joined Mountain Vista Eye Care in 1990. He is a member of the American and Colorado Optometric Associations and has served on the optometric associations' legislative and awards committees.
Dr. Kruchen has two daughters and enjoys skiing, biking, hiking and swimming.
Specialties: Ocular Disease (including dry eye, glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration)
Dr. DeRose earned her Bachelors Degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2001 and graduated with distinction from Pacific University College of Optometry in 2005. She was President of the Colorado Optometric Association in 2014-15, and was selected as the 2011 Young Optometrist of the Year and 2018 Optometrist of the Year.
Dr. DeRose is a member of the Vision & Learning Forum, American Optometric Association, Colorado Optometric Association, and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. She has volunteered for numerous community vision screenings and has traveled with the Lions Club and AMIGOS Eyecare on mission trips to Guatemala and Mexico. Dr. DeRose completed her thesis study on sports performance enhancing contact lenses. She now practices full scope optometry with special interests in pediatrics and sports vision.
Dr. DeRose is married to Jim and they have an Old English Sheepdog named Molly. They enjoy golfing, skiing, hiking, and traveling.
Specialties: Pediatrics, Myopia Management, Ocular Disease (including dry eye, glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration).
Dr. Suzette Place was born and raised in Florida. She attended Florida State University and graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Dr. Place then earned her Doctorate of Optometry with clinical honors from Nova Southeastern College of Optometry in 2002. During her four years at Nova, she was a member of SVOSH, where she volunteered and participated in vision screening trips to Central America. She completed her externship in ocular disease at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida. Dr. Place has been practicing in Littleton since 2003 and joined Mountain Vista Eye Care and Dry Eye Center in 2015.
Dr. Place is a member of Colorado Optometric Association, American Optometric Association, and Denver Metro Optometric Association.
In her free time, Dr. Place enjoys mountain biking, skiing, and traveling with her husband, John. They have two young children and a dog, who makes sure that they are actively exploring Colorado's trails.
Specialties: Pediatrics, Myopia Management, Ocular Disease (including dry eye, glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration), Scleral/RGP Specialty Contact Lens Fittings
Dr. Lisa Pallagi provides compassionate and comprehensive eye care to all her patients, whether it's through routine annual ocular health exams, co-managing surgical eyecare, fitting specialized contact lenses or treating ocular disease.
Dr. Pallagi earned her undergraduate degree in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She then received her Optometric Doctorate from Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon where she graduated with distinction and as a member of Beta Sigma Kappa, the International Honor Society. Her clinical education includes training at the Veterans Administration hospital in Lexington, KY, Naval and Marine bases in San Diego, CA and at ICON Eyecare in Denver. Dr. Pallagi is an active member of the American Optometric Association and the Colorado Optometric Association.
Having grown up in Colorado, Dr. Pallagi enjoys spending her free time outside skiing, hiking, and camping across our beautiful state.
Specialties: Myopia Management, Ocular Disease (including dry eye, glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration), Scleral/RGP Specialty Contact Lens Fittings
Dr. Reyes was born and raised in Spencer, Iowa. She graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology.
You might recognize Dr. Reyes from Mountain Vista Eyecare years ago! She was the Clinic Team Leader, and met her now husband, who was also on the Clinic and Optical teams. She then attended The Ohio State University, where she earned her Doctor of Optometry degree. We are grateful to have her back on the Mountain Vista team.
She specializes in the diagnosis and management of ocular disease, contact lenses, binocular vision, and post-operative eye care.
Dr. Reyes cherishes time spent with her husband and kids. She enjoys running, music, get-togethers with friends, and soaking in the Colorado sunshine.
Specialties: Ocular Disease (including dry eye, glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration) and Pediatrics, Scleral/RGP Specialty Contact Lens Fittings, Myopia Management.
Dr. Jessie Vassau was born and raised in the Black Hills of South Dakota. She earned her degree from the University of Wyoming and graduated magna cum laude from Southern California College of Optometry in 2013 as a member of Beta Sigma Kappa International Honor Society. She completed a pediatric optometry residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and was awarded the Terrance N. Ingraham Pediatric Residency Award for excellence in pediatric patient care.
Dr. Vassau has extensive experience in an ophthalmology/optometry clinic seeing patients of all ages for medical and routine examinations, specialty contact lenses and eye misalignment.
She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, an active member of the Colorado Optometry Association, and has volunteered for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.
Much of her spare time is spent outside with her husband, two young sons and Australian Shepherd in the Ken Caryl neighborhood. She enjoys mountain biking, hiking, skiing, rock climbing and traveling.
Specialties: Pediatrics and Binocular Vision, Myopia Management, Scleral/RGP Specialty Contact Lens Fittings, Ocular Disease
