Our Medical Staff

You can trust your eyes to Colorado Eye Associates. After all, we've been caring for Colorado eyes for over 20 years, and our reputation speaks for itself.

J. Gregory Baron, M.D.
Dr. Baron graduated with a medical degree from the University of Minnesota, and went on to complete his residency at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Scheie Eye Institute in Philadelphia. After serving two years with the U.S. Army as a surgeon, including tours in Vietnam and Fort Carson, he established a private practice in Colorado Springs.

Dr. Baron's extensive surgery expertise includes Laser Vision Corrections, "no-stitch-small-incision" cataract surgery and corneal transplants. His refractive surgery training was done with two of the leading refractive surgeons in the United States: Dr. Frederick Kremer in Philadelphia and Dr. Charles Casebeer in Scottsdale. He also studied Laser Vision Correction techniques under Dr. Stephen Slade of Houston and Dr. Jesus Vidaurri Leal in Monterrey, Mexico.

Dr. Baron is a member of the CRS Lasik Investigational Group. Dr. Baron was certified in the VISX Excimer Laser System at Rush Medical Center in Chicago, and has had extensive experience in Laser Vision Correction, as well as having had LASIK himself!

In addition to his Colorado Springs office, Dr. Baron has a second location in Lamar, Colorado, where he has served this community and the surrounding areas for the past 20 years, and is well-loved and respected by his patients.

Robert J. Foerster, M.D.
Originally a native of South Dakota, Dr. Foerster graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1967. After a year of internship at the University of Colorado in Denver, and two years as a Flight Surgeon in the Air Force, he completed his three-year residency training in Ophthalmology at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Dr. Foerster has been in practice in Colorado Springs for 21 years, and practices general Ophthalmology with an emphasis on cataract surgery and refractive surgery. He has over 28 years of surgical experience, including extensive experience in Laser Vision Correction.

He was certified in the VISX Excimer Laser System at Rush Medical Center in Chicago, and trained under Dr. Charles Casebeer, one of the foremost refractive surgeons in the country. He also studied Laser Vision Correction Techniques under Dr. Stephen Slade in Houston, Texas.

In addition to his Colorado Springs location, Dr. Foerster has two other offices, located in Limon, Colorado and Burlington, Colorado, where he has served these and surrounding areas for over 20 years, and is well-loved and respected by his patients.

Dr. Thatcher began Ophthalmology practice in Colorado Springs in 1970 in association with Dr. Paul Wetzig emphasizing the care of diabetic eye disease. In 1973 he was in Colorado among the first surgeons to perform intraocular lens implantation as part of cataract surgery.

Dr. Thatcher now specializes in medical ophthalmology with particular emphasis on retinal disease. He counts among his special privileges repetitive service as an associate examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology and has published several papers on retinal eye disease.

Marta L. Walz, O.D.
Dr. Walz graduated with a degree in optometry from the University of Houston, College of Optometry. Prior to graduation, she had the opportunity to develop her clinical skills on externship. The first rotation was at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, NM. She then came to Ft. Carson, CO for a rotation at Evans Army Hospital.

After graduation, Dr. Walz returned to Colorado Springs and began practicing optometry. In June 2000, she became an Associate of Colorado Eye Associates. Dr. Walz specializes in primary care optometry. She provides pre-operative and post-operative care for Lasik and cataract patients. Dr. Walz also works at Colorado Eye Associates Limon office. Dr. Walz is a member of the American Optometric Association and the Colorado Optometric Association.

Scott M. Smetana, MD
A native of Western Kansas, Dr. Smetana graduated with highest distinction in undergraduate and medical school at the University of Kansas. After completing an internship at Presbyterian/St. Luke's in Denver, he completed his 3-year ophthalmology residency at the Anheuser-Busch Eye Institute at St. Louis University. He was elected chief resident during his final year in St. Louis.

Dr. Smetana's surgery experience includes Laser Vision Correction (certified using VISX Eximer Laser System including "custom" wavefront analysis), "no-stitch-small-incision" cataract surgery, and ocuoplastic surgery.

He joined Colorado Eye Associates in July of 2004 and is accepting new patients. Along with the Colorado Springs office, Dr. Smetana is also seeing patients in Leadville, CO, and Buena Vista, CO.