Cataracts
Convenient cataract care all in one visit.
For patients who live farther from our Lakewood surgery center, traveling for multiple cataract appointments can be challenging. Our Same-Day Cataract Surgery pathway is designed to make the process more convenient by combining pre-operative testing, your surgical consultation, and cataract surgery into a single visit.
For eligible patients, this means one trip to Lakewood per eye instead of multiple appointments on separate days. When appropriate, we may also perform your first post-operative exam on the same day.
Our goal is to make cataract surgery more efficient and accessible while providing the same high level of personalized care. For some patients, an overnight stay may be helpful to accommodate early or late appointments. We have partnered with several nearby hotels to offer preferred rates for our patients.
Start with your optometrist for a comprehensive eye exam. If cataract surgery is recommended and you’re eligible for our Same-Day Cataract Surgery pathway, your OD will refer you to our surgical team.
On your scheduled surgery day, travel to our Lakewood surgery center. We’ll take care of the necessary pre-operative testing and measurements when you arrive.
You’ll meet with your cataract surgeon for a personalized surgical consultation. Your surgeon will review your testing, discuss your options, and answer your questions before moving forward.
Once your testing and consultation are complete, you’ll proceed with cataract surgery that same day.
For eligible patients, our Same-Day Cataract Surgery pathway means one trip to Lakewood per eye—helping reduce the time, travel, and inconvenience of multiple appointments. In some cases, an overnight stay may be beneficial to accommodate early or late appointments. We’ve partnered with several nearby hotels to offer preferred rates for our patients.
While our Same-Day Cataract Surgery pathway simplifies your visits, your care and safety remain our top priorities.
Our team will work closely with you and your optometrist before and after surgery to ensure all necessary pre-operative and post-operative instructions are understood and followed. We’ll provide you with clear guidelines and instructions to help you prepare for your procedure, know what to expect on surgery day, and support a smooth recovery.
By staying closely connected with both you and your optometrist, our team helps ensure that every step of your cataract care is coordinated—from your initial referral through your post-operative care.
A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s natural lens. The lens sits behind the iris (the colored part of the eye) and helps focus light onto the retina so you can see clearly. When the lens becomes cloudy, light doesn’t pass through as well, and vision becomes blurred or distorted.
The symptoms of cataracts include blurry vision, dull colors, glare from sunlight or lamps, and glare while night driving. Cataracts will eventually cause blindness if left untreated.
No. You cannot prevent cataracts from forming. This is a natural process that occurs to most people over age 60. After the clouding of the lens begins, it is impossible to return the lens to its original clear state with medications. Cataract surgery is the only way to improve your declining vision when you have cataracts.
During your consultation, we will complete a detailed health and vision history and perform a thorough examination of your eyes. Dilation is performed to examine the cataract, optic nerve, and retina. After reviewing tests and images of your eye, we will then have a detailed discussion about cataract surgery and your options for meeting your visual goals.
During cataract surgery, the surgeon removes the eye’s cloudy natural lens and replaces it with a clear artificial lens implant (called an intraocular lens, or IOL). The procedure is done on an outpatient basis, typically takes 10–20 minutes, and is performed with numbing medication to keep you comfortable. Most patients experience little to no pain and are able to go home the same day, with vision often beginning to improve within a few days.
Recovery from cataract surgery is a gradual process that varies by individual, but most patients achieve full healing within 4 to 8 weeks. While you may notice significant vision improvement within just 24 to 48 hours, certain restrictions and care steps are required throughout the healing stages.
Follow your post operative instructions carefully, and remember to take any eye drops your surgeon may have prescribed. You should also avoid rubbing your eye and you will sleep with a shield over your eye for 1 week. Our team will provide detailed post-operative instructions for you to follow.
Cataract surgery is the most common surgery performed in the United States, and has an exceptionally high success rate, with 98–99% of procedures
being complication-free. However, like any surgical procedure, it carries certain risks.
Secondary Cataracts are the most frequent “long-term” issue, occurring in 20–40% of patients within five years. It happens when the membrane holding your new lens becomes cloudy. Your care team will discuss these risks, and will also screen for certain risk factors that may complicate cataract surgery. For example, a history of trauma, previous eye surgeries including corneal transplantation, retinal detachment surgery, retinal membrane peel, and retinal injections.
Your safety is our number one priority. Our surgeon and care team will work together to determine what needs to be done in order to give you your best possible vision, with your safety at the center of that decision.
Modern cataract surgery offers a range of lens and technology options tailored to your specific vision goals, such as whether you want to be completely free of glasses or prioritize the sharpest possible night vision.
Based on your personal vision goals and health history, you will have options as to what type of IOL you receive, how we set that IOL to compliment your lifestyle, and how we perform surgery. We package our lenses into 4 different categories based on how you want to see the world after surgery. Click here to learn more about our IOL options.
Dr Andrews and his staff are amazing! I got an appointment within 2 days and the whole visit was well organized and very smooth!
What a wonderful place, staff, and location. Dr Crosby was very knowledgeable and professional, truly, top notch. The rest of the staff was just as incredible. I was very pleased with my whole experience. That's coming from a skeptic. I would go back for Dr. Crosby alone, but the rest of the staff were also very helpful. They even tightened my glasses because my 13-month-old decided to bend them a little bit too much 😂. It's that little attention to detail, and the knowledgeable staff like Dr Crosby that made me want to give this place a five star! From the friendly faces at the check-in desk to the delicious coffee machine to the knowledgeable medical staff, and the amazing doctor. All five stars!
Dr. Purser was extremely knowledgeable about patient needs. She was also willing to go above and beyond what I’ve seen most doctors do by helping find a way to reduce drug cost.
Dr Tetrault and his techs were very thorough and although I didn’t get the best news that I was hoping for, my eyes didn’t get any worse. Also, Penny in the optical department was very helpful in getting my glasses!
Kassidy was very thorough, knowledgeable and patient. Certainly an asset to this organization
Always a great experience. We have been clients of DES since we moved to Denver in 1993. Everyone from reception to checkout is 1st rate.
Dr Crosby did a good job in explaining to me how to treat my dry eye condition. The Dr also suggested I see a cataract specialist to have my right eye corrected.
I hit 2 as far as satisfaction when I meant to type 1- sorry- service was wonderful, the doctor & staff were winderful. Professional & efficient. No complaints at all!
Dr Tetrault has managed my glaucoma for many years and he and the staff there have provided excellent care at every appointment. I feel confident I am receiving the best care possible and highly recommended him and Denver Eye Surgeons. We have my step daughter going there now to deal with macular degeneration.
The female surgeon I saw was very professional and gave me information about my eye that should have been given at my last visit about a spot on back of my eye. She was informative and thorough.
The staff and the doctor I saw for my upcoming cataract surgery was fantastic they were polite courteous and answered every question that I had I'm getting my first cataract surgery done next month
I recently saw Claire Purser, OD and Kassidy Campton, contac lens technician at Denver Eye Surgeons. They were both professional, knowledgeable and personable. Took time to answer all questions. The entire staff at the office deserve 5 star ratings.
I want to commend Kayla M. for her care and understanding with patients during check in. She is always cheerful and calm, never rushing anyone. A true professional!
They have taken excellent care of our eyes for years! I am confident they know what they are doing. The appointments are easy to schedule and there are plenty of comfortable chairs to wait for your appointment. The waiting time is brief. We are always satisfied!
Incredible customer service!!! Everyone was engaging, kind, supportive and professional ~all the way from the front desk, visit, exit. Dr Noguchi was excellent- bedside manner, medical intervention, demeanor. He is a world class physician and a classy gentleman. Thank you all for treating me like family
Tania was very nice and personable. She answered all my questions. Very very friendly! Dr. Costin was also very personable and good.
Tania came in to the exam room to perform the pre appointment examination before meeting with Dr. Purser. Tania was very thorough, professional and personable. A very good experience.
I was so impressed by your staff. One person really went out of her way, Tonia. Very helpful and kind. She has great patient care ethics. Great job team.
Everyone was wonderful and explained everything very thoroughly, including billing. Both office staff and doctors were great! I had a past retinal detachment and they treated it very seriously.
Kassidy did a fantastic job fitting me for my contacts. She was very patient and friendly and I am seeing great in my new monovision set up. Thanks Kassidy!
Great experience with Kassidy after cataract surgery for contact lens fitting. She explains everything in layman’s terms that make it easy to understand what I am experiencing very easy to understand. Thank you Kassidy.
