Over 60 Years
of Progress and Innovation
The beginning of the journey...
Clínica Peñaranda was founded in 1964, when Dr. Carlos Luís Peñaranda Peñaranda began his work as an ophthalmologist in the city of Cúcuta. Dr. Peñaranda was the third disciple in Colombia of Dr. José Ignacio Barraquer Moner - a Spanish doctor who developed most of his professional life in Colombia, founding the Barraquer Clinic and the Barraquer Institute of America in Bogotá.
Dr. Carlos Luis finished his studies in Bogotá and after training in Iowa (USA), he returned to Colombia and developed, in the city of Cúcuta, a brilliant professional career that lasted for 22 years during which he laid the foundations for the creation of an institution initially dedicated, exclusively, to eye care.
The legacy continues
On January 16, 1986, Dr. Carlos Luis Peñaranda passed away in the city of Cúcuta, and for a few months, the ophthalmology services were attended by ophthalmologists from the Barraquer Clinic in Bogotá.
In 1987, his eldest son, Dr. Carlos Iván Peñaranda Gómez, a medical doctor from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá (Colombia), completed his specialization as an ophthalmologist at the Higher School of Ophthalmology of the Barraquer Institute of America and settled in Cúcuta to continue his father's work initially at the facilities located on Avenue 0 and 16th Street in Cúcuta (Colombia).
New rooms and professionals
In 1992, the Peñaranda Ophthalmological Clinic inaugurated its new facilities located on 16th Street between Avenues 0 and 1 East, offering its patients a larger space which additionally allowed it to have the first specialized and proprietary operating rooms in the city.
The following year, his brother Jairo, also a medical doctor from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá (Colombia) and an ophthalmologist from the Higher School of Ophthalmology of the Barraquer Institute of America, completed his studies, carried out observation rotations in the oculoplasty and reconstructive surgery departments at both the Barraquer Clinic in Bogotá (Colombia) and the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI), a hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School in Boston (USA), and settled in Cúcuta, where he joined the clinic's team of professionals.
During this period, some unique equipment in the region was acquired, and Clínica Peñaranda became a pioneer in ophthalmological procedures and technology, being the institution with the highest volume of incisional refractive surgery (with a diamond knife) in the department.
It was also a pioneer in the routine performance of corneal transplants, leading Cúcuta to be, according to eye bank statistics, the provincial city with the highest rate of this procedure.
From this year on, the adaptation of ocular prostheses began to offer patients who needed it the possibility of replacing an eyeball lost due to illness or injury, restoring facial symmetry, improving aesthetics, and regaining the patient's confidence.
Advancement in Cataract Surgery
Clínica Oftalmológica Peñaranda, faithful to its commitment to offering patients state-of-the-art technology, has been acquiring new equipment that allowed, in addition to guaranteeing excellence in service quality, modernizing some surgical techniques such as the cataract surgery technique through ultrasound surgery, called phacoemulsification, for which the Infiniti model Phacoemulsifier (from Alcon) was acquired and put into service, making the procedure much more efficient and safer.
Laser and Retina Revolution
For this year and with the firm commitment to bringing major advances in ophthalmology to the region, Clínica Peñaranda acquired the first Excimer laser (Schwind eye-tech-solutions brand).
This German equipment, unique in the region and used at that time only by the most prestigious ophthalmology institutions in the country such as the Barraquer Clinic (Bogotá), the Carriazo Institute in Barranquilla, Lafam opticians in Bogotá and Barranquilla; allowed, in the field of the correction of refractive visual defects, to offer patients efficient procedures to eliminate or reduce dependence on glasses and contact lenses by correcting defects such as myopia, astigmatism, hyperopia and some cases of presbyopia, among others, with additional advantages such as easier patient recovery thanks to smoother healing.
Clínica Peñaranda has been updating the versions of this equipment to remain at the forefront of technology and services.
Since 2005, treatment and surgeries of the retina and vitreous began. Until that date, initial care was provided, but patients had to be transferred to other cities to be treated. From that moment on, the clinic has had among its professionals medical ophthalmologists specialized in retina and vitreous and has acquired state-of-the-art equipment that has meant an improvement in the quality of patient care.
Subspecialties and Technology
2007 marked the beginning of a decade of great growth in the offer of services and the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment for greater comfort and better patient care.
Since 2007, and faithful to the commitment of offering the best care to patients, the portfolio of high-quality ophthalmology services has been expanded for all patients who need it because their pathology warrants it. Since that date, in addition to attending general ophthalmology and vitreous and retina cases, it also has subspecialists in Glaucoma, Oculoplastic Surgery, Pediatric Ophthalmology, and Strabismus.
During that period, the Clínica Oftalmológica Peñaranda acquired equipment to improve the care of patients with retinal diseases, who require ocular ultrasounds and digital angiographies for their diagnosis and treatment. Equipment was also acquired to perform computerized campimetries for the diagnosis and follow-up of glaucoma, other ophthalmological diagnostic equipment such as the Pentacam to improve the care of patients with corneal diseases and to perform a precise assessment before refractive surgeries; optical and ultrasonic pachymeters (LenStar brand) for the precise calculation of intraocular lenses for cataract surgery; the optical coherence tomograph to diagnose pathologies in the anterior and posterior segment of the eye as well as glaucoma and other retinal diseases; and equipment for endothelial cell counting to evaluate corneal health before cataract surgery or in some acquired or hereditary corneal diseases.
New services and new state-of-the-art equipment, along with highly qualified professionals, have consolidated the Clínica Oftalmológica Peñaranda as the most complete and updated eye care institution in the department, thus fulfilling the dream of its founder and inspirer, Dr. Carlos Luís Peñaranda.
In this year (2008), with a view to strengthening the care of patients with retina and glaucoma pathologies, the Clinic acquired an argon laser equipment that works using ionized argon gas, utilizing thermal energy to seal tissues, tears, or destroy abnormal blood vessels, facilitating and guaranteeing better care for patients with diabetic retinopathy, retinal tears and holes, and venous occlusions.
Patients with glaucoma also benefit from the argon laser, as it allows laser trabeculoplasties to be performed, applying impacts to the eye's drainage system (trabecular meshwork) to improve the outflow of aqueous humor and reduce intraocular pressure, and iridotomies, which, in patients with closed-angle glaucoma, allow microperforation in the iris, ensuring that fluid flows properly.
Otolaryngology Area
Faithful to the commitment to constantly improve quality and expand the portfolio of services, in 2017 the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) area came into service, offering specialized services in the nose, ears, throat, and neck. To this end, specialists, subspecialists, and professionals in areas related to Otolaryngology and complementary services joined the Clínica Peñaranda team, such as Dr. Daniela Rubio, a medical doctor from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá (Colombia), an otolaryngologist from the Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud (FUCS) (Bogotá - Colombia), and a subspecialist in Laryngology and Phonosurgery from the Universidad Autónoma de México (Mexico City - Mexico).
Dr. Daniela is in charge of providing specialized services in larynx and phonosurgery, unique in the region, and together with the ENT group of specialists, they perform functional surgeries of the ear, nose, throat, and neck.
Within the ENT services, Clínica Peñaranda offers patients care in ear issues such as hearing loss, otitis, tinnitus, vertigo, or facial paralysis; in nose issues such as care for problems like rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal polyps, nasal deformity, and nosebleeds; care for throat pathologies such as snoring, dysphonia, vocal cord polyps and nodules, and throat tumors; and neck problems such as cervical masses and nodes or diseases of the salivary glands and the thyroid gland.
Also growing in the Otolaryngology offer, patients were able to access complementary services such as audiometries, speech audiometries, impedanciometry, and basic and specialized otolaryngology tests.
New Headquarters and Third Generation
From 2019, Dr. Carlos Felipe Peñaranda Henao, son of Dr. Carlos Iván Peñaranda, joined the Clinic's professional team. Dr. Carlos Felipe is a medical doctor from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá (Colombia), an ophthalmologist from the Higher School of Ophthalmology of the Barraquer Institute of America, and a retinologist trained at the Association to Prevent Blindness in Mexico City, in the high specialty program endorsed by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
In 2020, Clínica Peñaranda, due to the growth of its services, moved its facilities to the new headquarters located on 17th Street between Avenues 0 and 1 in Cúcuta. Gradually, new levels were put into service, distributing doctors' offices, operating rooms, hospitalization services, ophthalmological and otolaryngological diagnostic tests, and an optical shop, among others.
Also in this year, Dr. Alba Cristina Peñaranda Gómez, sister of Dr. Carlos Iván, joined the team of professionals. She is a medical doctor from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá (Colombia), an ophthalmologist from the Higher School of Ophthalmology of the Barraquer Institute of America; who between 2010 and 2020 worked as Coordinator of the Priority Consultation Service at the Barraquer Clinic and professor of residents at the Higher School of Ophthalmology of the Barraquer Institute of America in Bogotá (Colombia).
Ocaña and New Services
As of 2022, people from Ocaña and the province of Ocaña (Colombia) have consultation and diagnostic test services from Clínica Peñaranda. Since that year, the Clinic's facilities were opened in the region due to the high number of people who had to travel to access the services.
There, patients, in addition to optometry and ophthalmology consultations, can undergo tests such as campimetries, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and others, as well as receive otolaryngology services such as audiological tests and hearing aid fittings.
From 2023, Dr. Marcela Peñaranda Henao joined the professional team of Clínica Peñaranda. Dr. Peñaranda Henao, daughter of Dr. Carlos Iván Peñaranda, is a medical doctor from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá (Colombia), an ophthalmologist from the Higher School of Ophthalmology of the Barraquer Institute of America (Bogotá - Colombia), and a specialist in cornea, refractive surgery, and ocular surface from the Association to Prevent Blindness in Mexico City, in a high specialty program endorsed by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
During the same year, the Clinic acquired new equipment to improve the care of patients with glaucoma. In addition to ophthalmology and otolaryngology surgeries, surgeries in gastroenterology, orthopedics, urology, and plastic surgery, among others, are also performed; in charge of doctors from the region who find in Clínica Peñaranda adequate conditions to perform their surgeries.
OPTIMUS FUSION™ Platform
Since 2008, the clinic has had the Argon Laser to treat retina and glaucoma pathologies; however, convinced of the importance of offering more and better services to its patients every day, in 2024 the Optimis Fusion™ Laser from Quantel Medical (Lumibird) was put into service. This is an advanced laser platform to treat not only glaucoma but also cataracts, because it combines two fundamental technologies in a single device: SLT technology (Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty) and YAG technology (Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet).
This equipment, operated in YAG Laser mode, is mainly used to perform capsulotomies (treatment of "secondary cataract" after cataract surgery) and iridotomies (treatment or prevention of narrow-angle glaucoma); and in SLT Laser mode, to perform selective trabeculoplasties to reduce intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension, stimulating the eye's natural drainage.
This new equipment confirms the leadership of Clínica Oftalmológica Peñaranda in precision technology to guarantee the best care for its patients.
Diagnostic Vanguard
An important advance materialized during 2025, thanks to the acquisition of essential new equipment for the diagnosis and preoperative planning of refractive and cataract surgeries: the ANTERION®. This equipment from the German company Heidelberg Engineering is an optical coherence tomography (OCT) platform designed to evaluate the anterior segment of the eye, combining corneal topography, tomography, biometry, and intraocular lens calculation in a single device. With this new equipment, Clínica Peñaranda offers even more safety and efficiency in cataract surgery, refractive surgery, glaucoma diagnosis, and crystalline lens study.
In the same year, new laser equipment was acquired to reinforce services. In 2003, the first Excimer laser for the region was acquired, and the Clinic has continued in its purpose to be at the forefront of state-of-the-art technology, so in 2025 it acquired its third version of the Excimer laser - AMARIS 750. The new version, also from the German company Schwind Eye Tech Solutions, offers multiple benefits in corneal refractive surgery (myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism) and therapeutic procedures.
The ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) services were also reinforced; the division of Clínica Peñaranda specialized in Otolaryngology, with the acquisition of the Combi System VNG-vHIT, an equipment to perform comprehensive clinical otoneurology tests to evaluate the balance system (vestibular system) in the inner ear.
This modern equipment, through the videonystagmography (VNG) test, records and analyzes involuntary eye movements (nystagmus), evaluating how the brain and inner ear work together to maintain ocular stability and body balance. Through the Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT), it measures the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), allowing the diagnosis of vestibular pathologies and the identification of the exact cause of conditions such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), vestibular neuritis, or Ménière's disease, determining whether the origin of the problem is in the right ear, the left ear, or the brain connections.
Since 2023, Clínica Peñaranda has offered the service of renting operating rooms so that doctors from other specialties can operate on their patients with the peace of mind and confidence of having a duly accredited space for this service. In accordance with this objective, an arthroscopy shaver was acquired, which is a motorized surgical instrument for minimally invasive joint surgeries (such as in knees or shoulders) and its main function is to cut, suction, and remove damaged tissues (such as deteriorated cartilage or inflamed tissue) with great precision and safety.
The arthroscopy shaver is at the service of orthopedists who use Clínica Peñaranda's operating rooms, and thanks to this equipment, minimally invasive surgeries can be performed with maximum precision and faster recovery, since the patient experiences less postoperative pain, less inflammation, and a much more agile functional recovery.
Hospitalization and safety in operating rooms
Renewing daily the commitment to the quality of its care, the safety of its patients, and the impulse to the region through the improvement in the offer of services, 2026 began with a new service for all doctors who operate or wish to operate on their patients in our facilities; we now also have a hospitalization service. Today, the Clinic has a floor dedicated to hospitalization services with 13 fully equipped rooms for patient stays, of which 11 are single and 2 are double.
Additionally, always looking for patient safety, Clínica Peñaranda reinforced the equipment in its operating rooms in 2026. From now on, doctors who administer anesthesia to patients have a blood and fluid warmer, a medical device that raises the temperature of intravenous liquids (such as serums) and blood products (blood or plasma) until they reach normal body temperature before being administered to the patient, mainly to prevent hypothermia during procedures where large volumes of cold liquids are administered. They also have a videolaryngoscope, which is a device that transmits images of the larynx to a monitor and is used mainly to perform endotracheal intubations safely, allowing the breathing tube to be guided without the need for direct vision, ideal in patients with complex anatomy (short neck, obesity, or trauma) where a traditional laryngoscope does not offer visibility. Thanks to offering a wide-angle view (up to 60°) around the anatomical structures, it reduces the risk of injuries and increases the success rate.
Another of the new pieces of equipment is the neuromuscular transmission monitor (NMT), which evaluates the degree of muscle relaxation of a patient under the effect of neuromuscular blocking drugs by emitting small electrical stimuli into a motor nerve (such as the ulnar nerve in the wrist) and measuring the physical or electrical response of the muscle. This allows the anesthesiologist to administer the exact amount of muscle relaxant during surgeries, facilitating intubation and avoiding overdose, and ensuring that the effect of the medication has completely disappeared before the patient wakes up to avoid respiratory complications. And multichannel infusion pumps for total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), which allow administering multiple intravenous medications simultaneously, continuously, and exactly, providing general anesthesia without using inhaled gases, combining hypnotics, analgesics, and muscle relaxants safely and in a controlled manner.
Also for greater safety in the administration of anesthesia, Clínica Peñaranda acquired the Bispectral Index (BIS) monitor, a monitoring device to measure the depth of the patient's sedation from 0 to 100. This brain monitor measures the electrical activity of the brain to evaluate the level of consciousness under general anesthesia or sedation, helping to adjust the medication dose, preventing intraoperative awareness, and allowing the patient to wake up faster and with fewer side effects at the end of the procedure.
Starting this year, we also have new laser equipment for care, treatment, and surgeries of the vitreous and retina, the Easyret micropulse laser, an ophthalmological photocoagulation device from Quantel Medical by Lumibird that allows treating pathologies such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR), as well as retinal tears and alterations safely, precisely, and preserving the surrounding tissue.
We also put the Zeiss Lumera 700 surgical microscope (from the OPMI Lumera series) at the service of our patients, manufactured by the parent company Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, from Germany. This Zeiss Lumera surgical microscope allows the surgeon to visualize the most subtle details and transparent structures of the eye with exceptional clarity throughout the procedure. Our Zeiss Lumera 700 microscope is used in cataract surgery, anterior and posterior segment surgeries, such as corneal transplants, glaucoma surgery, retina and vitreous surgeries such as vitrectomy or the treatment of epiretinal membranes, adapting to the anatomical demands of each case.
A cafeteria located on the fifth floor was set up, offering a quiet and comfortable space for patients, their companions, and the general community.
62 years of journey and we keep moving forward
Clínica Peñaranda is a consolidated Health Services Providing Institution (IPS) that provides specialized services in: Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, and their respective subspecialties. It offers comfortable spaces distributed over 8 floors enabled for patient care, carrying out diagnostic exams, surgeries with state-of-the-art technology and highly trained professionals, an optical shop, and a cafeteria, as well as spaces for doctors from other specialties who use operating room services and hospitalization services, among others.
Our Pillars
Mission
To provide Optometry, Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology services and their respective subspecialties, general, vascular, gynecological, orthopedic, plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, other surgeries, vascular diagnosis, and non-ionizing diagnostic imaging. We do this through humanized care with a high professional and technological level, meeting the needs and expectations of our users in a timely and efficient manner with an optimal level of quality, while generating scientific and economic development for the region, employment opportunities, and profitability.
Vision
To continue being leaders in ophthalmology, position ourselves as the best clinic in otorhinolaryngology by the year 2030 with its subspecialties, and to be recognized in specialized surgeries such as orthopedics, with its different supraspecialties, vascular surgery, and general surgery. We guarantee patient safety through humanized treatment and compliance with current legal requirements, while also generating well-being and security for our suppliers and internal clients.
Institutional Principles
Ethics
We act with rectitude, honesty, and transparency in each of our decisions and actions, guaranteeing safe, human, and responsible care based on respect for life and the dignity of each patient.
Humanization
We recognize the patient as the center of our care, providing warm, respectful, and compassionate treatment that generates trust, tranquility, and comprehensive well-being.
Excellence
We work with high standards of scientific, technological, and healthcare quality, promoting continuous improvement and the permanent updating of our human talent.
Patient Safety
We promote an institutional culture aimed at preventing risks, minimizing adverse events, and guaranteeing safe and reliable care.
Respect
We value the diversity, autonomy, and beliefs of each person, fostering relationships based on consideration, empathy, and human dignity.
Responsibility
We assume our functions with commitment and professionalism, responding in a timely, efficient, and transparent manner to the needs of our users and the community.
Confidentiality
We protect the clinical and personal information of our patients, acting with absolute reserve and in accordance with current ethical and legal principles.
Social Commitment
We contribute to the well-being of the community through accessible, safe health services oriented toward improving the quality of life.
Institutional Values
Integrity
We act with coherence between what we think, say, and do, maintaining ethical and transparent conduct at all times.
Service Vocation
We serve with human sensitivity, willingness, and empathy, always seeking to provide a dignified and satisfactory experience to our patients and their families.
Professionalism
We develop our activities with competence, discipline, responsibility, and respect for the scientific and ethical standards of healthcare.
Empathy
We understand the physical and emotional needs of our patients, accompanying them with closeness and human warmth during their care process.
Teamwork
We foster interdisciplinary collaboration, mutual respect, and effective communication to achieve common goals for the benefit of the patient.
Transparency
We act with honesty and clarity in our healthcare, administrative, and financial processes, strengthening institutional trust.
Commitment
We deliver the best of our capabilities with dedication and a sense of belonging, oriented towards the fulfillment of our institutional mission.
Respect for Life
We recognize life and health as supreme values, acting always under bioethical principles and a deep human sense.
Years Since 1964
Patients in the last 5 years
Ophthalmological surgeries on average every year
Ophthalmology consultations on average every year
Patients on average every year
Optometry consultations in the last 5 years
