Southwest Eye Institute

I am a veteran and the Veterans Administration referred me to Southwest Eye Institute. I thought it was just busy the 1st time I had my appointment, but this is their routine. If you make an appointment be prepared to wait for hours! This last visit after both eye procedures were completed and which should be one of my last follow-up appointments I checked in at 9:20 am I got called back at 10:00 am only to be told by the young lady that I was going to be getting my eyes dilated and I would need someone to drive my home! Why wasn't I told when I made my appointment in December or days before that I would need somebody to drive me home! Appointment and my time wasted! I did get rescheduled for my appointment for next week with the same doctor, I had been seeing since I got my first appointment After I requested to see the manager. The scheduling receptionist had previously said it was going to be 6 months before I could get another appointment. They will eventually call you back to check your eyes and the young lady that calls you back is Not friendly or has any customer service skills. Then you will be placed in another waiting room in the middle of the building to wait another hour. The last time I had my appointment, I witnessed this man go off in the second waiting room because he was waiting so long, now I truly understand why. The young lady that tells you about the procedures and surgery is very rude and again, no customer service skills. Dr. R. Oakey is very patient and was very personal once you get to see him. The best part about this establishment is Vista Surgery! If you can make it this far you will not be disappointed. The procedures are done quickly, the nurses and doctors are outstanding, plus they are all very caring and make you feel comfortable before and after your surgery.

Procedure: Combined Cataract and glaucoma surgery. As s new patient to Southwest Eye Institute, having transferred from a very long-term affiliation with another physician upon his retirement, I did not know what to expect from SEI. However, my concerns were immediately put to rest upon my initial arrival at El Paso West, then at El Paso East and the Surgical Center next door. The friendliness, knowledge, individualization, and overall care which I encountered at each office was incomparable! Every tiny procedure was explained to me in detail before it occurred! The advanced technology for various measurements and treatments was very impressive, also, but it would mean little without the SEI Staff's ability to use it all, effectively. The genuinely joyful atmosphere among the physicians, nurses, nurse assistants, technicians, and clerical staff was the palpable. All this plus the utter cleanliness of the facility afforded me full confidence that I had chosen the right facility! To Dr. De la Torre, Dr. Cole (sp?), and everyone at Southwest Eye Institute, I offer my deepest gratitude! [P.S. I don't know how they manage to keep on schedule with a plethora of patients, yet without rushing through a single case, but they do! When they place a patient on the calendar for any given date and time, that is when it occurs! Very refreshing!]

It's a big facility and you are moved from one room to another, but it is very efficiently run, the staff is friendly and know what they are doing. I especially want to commend Dr. Javier De La Torre for his professionalism, knowledge, and ability to describe the medical information to the patient. I also found Vanesa Soto very professional and friendly in the final step with surgery counseling. I feel confident to have my cataract surgery performed at this facility.

Firstly, the 5 stars go to Dr. Tafoya!! Probably has the best bed side manner than any doctor i have ever been to! And i've been to many!! He removed all fears at the thought of having cataract surgery in both eyes. He answered all of my questions, he stayed open to me asking even more questions. At no point did i ever feel like i was bothering him or wasting his time!! My eyes healed perfectly as was expected after surgery. And i couldn't be happier! Even during surgery, the process was seamless and almost like nothing ever happened! Additionally, the 5 stars go to the meticulous system they have to make the appointments, to announce them, to confirm them. 95% of the appts i've had with them, i've spent no more than 20 mins waiting to be seen!! All the staff do their job well! and because of that the glitches are little to none!! Very impressed with their attention to the patient!! Would definitely recommend Dr. Tafoya and his team to my loved ones and anyone dreading cataract surgery!! You'll be in absolute good hands with him!!!

I've been here before and loved my first visit. I decided to call to make an appointment and the receptionist was a bit forward when answering. I gave her the benefit of doubt, it's been crazy with the holidays. But I asked for an appointment and told her I was a previous patient. She asked which insurance I took, still in a condescending tone, and I answered. She told me that they don't take my insurance and rudely hung up. Unfortunately this isn't my only experience with a rude receptionist from this office. 2 years ago I called to make an appointment for an eye exam and was treated poorly. The receptionist rudely told me that they don't do eye exams any more and hung up then too. I called again this year because I saw an advertisement for eye exams and decided to try my luck. I'm personally tired of receptionists being rude. This happens in most doctor's offices in El Paso. It's too bad. The doctors are amazing.

I had an emergency and was treated almost immediately! Everyone from the front desk, to the technicians and Dr. de La Torre took me seriously and treated me with patience, concern and respect. Everyone was professional and very well trained and educated.

I visited the Southwest Eye Institute on Common Dr. in East El Paso on January 15, 2026. On the positive side, Dr. Jennell Jackson is an amazing physician and has been treating me for about six months. The waiting room (and the second waiting room located in a side hallway) was somewhat dark and dreary, as if some lights were out. The public restrooms in the lobby were criss-crossed with clear packing tape barring entry for some reason. The COVID-era plexiglass shields still hang between the patient checking in and the staff, making communication difficult.

My wife just had LASIK at Southwest Eye Institute and we're honestly blown away by the whole experience. From the beginning, they walked us through every step--what each machine does, what kind of pain to expect (which was minimal), and how to care for her after. As her husband, it helped me feel confident about how to support her before and after surgery. What really stood out was how involved and genuine the doctor (Javier De La Torre) was. He took his time with us, asked the right questions, and made sure we felt comfortable. Nothing felt rushed or scripted, and every question was welcomed--even the odd ones. Before the procedure, they gave her something to calm the nerves and even had a massage therapist come in to help her relax. I mean, that's next-level care! We're so happy with the results and the entire experience--we've already started recommending this place to our friends and family. If you're thinking about LASIK, this is the place to go.