Our History

THIRTY YEARS OF MEDICAL AND SURGICAL EYE CARE

 Colorado West Ophthalmology Associates, P.C. was established in 1980 with the principal goal of provided quality eyecare to those living on the Western Slope.   Throughout the years, Colorado West Ophthalmology has continued to expand both its scope of eye care and its clinical facility to keep pace with the population growth of Montrose and the surrounding area.

During the late 1990's, the old Montrose office on South Nevada Avenue was no longer of adequate size to continue to offer their Western Slope patients the level of service they deserved. The availability of state of the art diagnostic and surgical equipment was expanding rapidly and a larger office building was needed in order to be able to offer these options.

In early 2002, Colorado West Ophthalmology moved to their new clinical facility that is located just east of the Montrose Pavilion. The doctors, staff, and their patients are enjoying the modern clinic.  In addition to the spacious reception and administrative area, there is a large comfortable patient waiting area, ten fully-equipped exam rooms, a suite for minor surgery and plenty of space for new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.  Colorado West Ophthalmology also maintains a fully staffed clinic in Delta, across the street from Delta Hospital,  which is open 5 days a week.  Both clinics have state of the art diagnostic equipment, including  an in office laser, an Optical Coherence Tomography Scanner, digital photography, and electronic medical records to facilitate accurate, reliable, and safe patient records.

The physicians are confident that they will continue to provide basic eye care to Western Slope residents and keep pace as Montrose and Delta continue to grow, and will also continue to offer the most modern facilities for diagnosis and treatment of eye disease.

Colorado West Ophthalmology has been fortunate to have a legacy of quality and compassionate physicians.  Paul Story, MD. practiced here for more than 25 years, and Peter M. Pritchett, M.D. joined the group in 1993.  Among the cuurent physicians,  Paul D. Wiesner, M.D.  has been in practice here since 1986, Kevin Chismire, M.D., since 2003.  Nicholas Neubaum, M.D. since 2004, Christopher Huot, M.D. since 2008, Loren  Beek, O.D. in 2009, and Shad Saunders, M.D. also in 2009.

The new Colorado West Ophthalmology facility also houses Alpine Optical, winner of Montrose's "Best of the Valley" award for optical shop 7 years in a row.   Ken Linnenberger has managed Alpine Optical since the business was begun, boasting a longstanding and cordial relationship with many of the customers.

There are some very exciting new developments in Ophthalmology. The ophthalmologists of Colorado West Ophthalmology perform over seven hundred cataract surgeries a year in both Black Canyon Surgical Center and Delta County Memorial Hospital. With the newly developed,  lens implants on the horizon, patients who undergo cataract surgery in the future may no longer need glasses for clear distance vision or reading.   Ocular Coherence Tomography and Avastin injections have transformed the treatment and prognosis for those with macular degeneration.  Our in office Argon laser facilitates timely treatment of retinal tears, holes, as well as diabetic retinopathy.  Glaucoma patients receive the best possible care with automated visual field testing, Ocular Coherence Tomography, and access modern laser and surgical treatment of glaucoma eye disease.  We offer the most up-to-date soft and hard contact lenses, as well providing customized contact lens fits for those with conditions such as keratoconus.

All of the doctors of Colorado West Ophthalmology and their families feel truly fortunate to have the opportunity to live and practice in this beautiful area of Colorado.  They  all enjoy the wonderful Montrose community, the personal interaction with each of their patients,  and the many exciting outdoor activities that are available nearby.

Our doctors would like to personally thank both Montrose Memorial Hospital and Delta County Memorial Hospital for their unwavering support through the years. Their greatest thanks however, go to the thousands of patients who have been faithful throughout these thirty years. These patients have helped make Colorado West Ophthalmology both a successful and very enjoyable endeavor, and the doctors look forward to many rewarding years ahead in the exciting medical and surgical treatment of ophthalmology.