Cataract Surgery

Southwest Eye Institute offers advanced cataract surgery in El Paso, including personalized lens options, dropless surgery, no-IV surgery for many patients, and care from experienced cataract surgeons.

Schedule Cataract Evaluation

What Are Cataracts?

A cataract is a cloudy area that forms in the natural lens of your eye. A healthy lens focuses light onto the retina, allowing you to see clear and detailed images. Over time, changes in lens proteins can cause the lens to become cloudy, interfering with how light enters the eye.

Most cataracts develop as a natural part of the aging process. However, they can also be linked to conditions such as diabetes, previous eye injuries, prolonged use of steroids, smoking, exposure to ultraviolet light, and certain medical issues.

Cataracts typically develop slowly. You may not notice significant changes at first, but your vision can gradually become more blurred, dim, or distorted as the cataract progresses.

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When To Schedule a Cataract Evaluation

Cataracts do not always cause noticeable symptoms during their earliest stages. As they progress, you may experience:

  • Blurry, hazy, or dim vision
  • Difficulty seeing while driving at night
  • Glare from headlights, lamps, or sunlight
  • Halos around lights
  • Colors that appear faded or yellowed
  • Increased sensitivity to bright light
  • Frequent changes to your glasses prescription
  • Double vision in one eye
  • Difficulty reading in normal lighting
  • Needing brighter light for close-up activities
  • Trouble recognizing faces from a distance

Schedule Cataract Evaluation

Senior woman happy to be walking in the park after learning more about the common signs of cataracts with Southwest Eye Institute.
Older Hispanic man having his eye pressure checked at a slit lamp with a female optometrist before Microinvasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) at Southwest Eye Institute

Lens Options

 Happy mature woman enjoying clear vision after preparing for cataract surgery

Prepare For Cataract Surgery

 Smiling woman relaxing by a lake, representing a smooth cataract surgery recovery and return to daily activities

Cataract Surgery Recovery

 Eye doctor using an anatomical eye model to explain cataracts to a senior patient during a cataract surgery cost consultation in El Paso and Las Cruces.

Cataract Surgery Pricing

Advanced Cataract Surgery

We’re proud to offer the region’s most advanced, comfortable, and convenient cataract surgery experience. We aim to restore your vision and improve your life, with less stress and more comfort.

We proudly offer “No Drop, No Prescription” cataract surgery for convenience and cost savings. We were the first center in Texas to provide this exciting convenience to our patients. Not only does it save hundreds of dollars in eye drops, but it also means avoiding the inconvenience of using multiple drops before and after cataract surgery. This helps in both monetary and self-convenience!

Typically, the most painful part of cataract surgery is getting an intravenous (IV) placed in your hand or arm. At Southwest Eye Institute, we eliminated IVs for most patients! We offer a unique combination of oral medication to reduce anxiety and/or provide sedation to give you a comfortable experience, usually without an IV. However, if you do prefer the additional sedation offered by an IV, our anesthesiologist will be happy to provide that for you.

During cataract surgery, if you have glaucoma, we can often treat your glaucoma at the same time as your cataract surgery by performing “micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS)” by placing an iStent® at the time of surgery. In our experienced hands, this usually adds less than one minute to your cataract surgery but helps lower your eye pressure significantly. Many patients reduce glaucoma drops after our cataract surgery with MIGS.

Why Choose Southwest Eye Institute for Cataract Surgery?

Selecting cataract surgery is about finding the right lens option for your lifestyle and, equally important, finding a dedicated care team.

1

Experienced Cataract Surgeons

Our ophthalmologists provide both traditional and refractive cataract surgery, including advanced lens options, astigmatism correction, and combined cataract and glaucoma procedures.

2

Personalized Lens Recommendations

Your surgeon will make recommendations based on your medical needs, vision goals, daily activities, and budget.

3

Multiple Locations

Patients can receive cataract evaluations and follow-up care at locations throughout El Paso and Las Cruces, as well as at outpatient surgery centers in Texas.

4

Coordinated Cataract Care

Our clinics and surgical teams work together throughout your evaluation, surgery and postoperative care. This helps provide continuity as you move through each stage of treatment.

5

Bilingual

Most of our doctors and team members speak English and Spanish. Feel comfortable discussing your care in the language you use at home.

Actual Cataract Patient

“I opted for the Tecnis Symfony lenses, and I am glad I did. I can now read the smallest font on my smartphone and drive my car, all without my readers or my contact lenses! Simply amazing! The Tecnis Symfony lens is truly a blessing, as are the staff at Southwest Eye and of course, Dr. Ellman. Thanks again, Doc!”

David S.

Google

Actual Cataract Patient

I have received a gift of life because now I can see far and near and this has made my life so much better. I traveled from Puebla to El Paso for my operation because of the reputation of the Southwest Eye Institute. They treated me great, I felt comfortable and calm as the doctor and his team gave me great confidence. I often speak of my experiences and everyone is surprised at the treatment I received, the rapid recovery, the technology they had, and how well I can see.

Eloisa W.

Google

Discover Your Lens Options

Your lens selection can influence how you see at different distances and how often you may need glasses after surgery. Your surgeon will help you compare the benefits, limitations, and potential tradeoffs of each option.

Choose Your Lens Schedule Cataract Evaluation

Cataract Appointment Resources

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Prepare For Your Appointment

Cataract Surgery Locations in El Paso

Common (East)

915-267-2020

1400 Common Drive
El Paso, TX 79936

Clinic & Surgery Center
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Desert Peaks Surgery Center

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Southwest Eye Institute
1131 Mall Dr, Ste. A
Las Cruces, NM 88011

Surgery Center
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Resler (West)

915-267-2020

150 S. Resler Drive
El Paso, TX 79912

Clinic & Surgery Center
Location Details Schedule Online

Southwest Eye’s Cataract Surgeons in El Paso

Lawrence C.R. Tafoya, M.D., Ph.D.
Lawrence C.R. Tafoya, M.D., Ph.D.

Ophthalmologist and Cataract Surgeon

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James D. Cole, M.D.
James D. Cole, M.D.

Ophthalmologist and Refractive Cataract Surgeon

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Calvin McNelly, M.D.
Calvin McNelly, M.D.

Ophthalmologist and Refractive Cataract Surgeon

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FAQ: Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is a procedure that removes the cloudy natural lens inside the eye and replaces it with a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens. This helps restore clearer vision when cataracts make daily activities harder.

You may need cataract surgery if blurry vision, glare, faded colors, night driving difficulty, or frequent prescription changes interfere with your daily life. A cataract evaluation can confirm whether cataracts are causing your symptoms and whether surgery is the right next step.

Most patients do not describe cataract surgery as painful. Your eye is numbed before the procedure, and Southwest Eye Institute offers comfort-focused options, including no-IV surgery for many patients.

Dropless cataract surgery uses medication placed during surgery to reduce or eliminate the need for multiple prescription eye drops before and after the procedure. This may help improve convenience and lower eye drop costs for some patients.

You may still need glasses after cataract surgery, depending on your lens choice, prescription, eye health, and vision goals. Standard monofocal lenses usually focus at one main distance, while advanced technology lens options may help reduce dependence on glasses.

Lens options may include standard monofocal lenses and advanced technology lenses designed to address astigmatism, near vision, intermediate vision, or a broader range of focus. Your doctor can recommend options based on your eyes, lifestyle, and goals.

For some patients with glaucoma, cataract surgery may be combined with microinvasive glaucoma surgery, also called MIGS. This may help lower eye pressure and reduce the need for glaucoma drops in appropriate candidates.

Many patients notice clearer vision within a few days, but healing can continue over several weeks. Your doctor will give you personalized recovery instructions and tell you when you can return to driving, work, exercise, and other activities.

Yes. Southwest Eye Institute offers cataract surgery in El Paso, with cataract care connected to locations including Common Drive and Mesa. A cataract evaluation can help determine your treatment plan and lens options.

You can schedule a cataract evaluation with Southwest Eye Institute to review your symptoms, confirm whether cataracts are affecting your vision, and discuss cataract surgery, lens options, recovery, and next steps.