I cannot express fully how amazing this optometrist office is! From scheduling and on is A+. I wish I could give ten stars. Dr. Shah is absolutely fantastic. Extremely thorough and caring. She takes the time to explain everything and address concerns. They use state-of-the-art testing systems that are so futuristic and accurate. I love technology. I seriously have never had an eye exam like this before. The technician (Alejandra) who assisted was professional, kind, and caring just like Dr. Shah. The front end staff are phenomenal. Shoutout to Amy and Comet at the front desk. The office manager, Rubi is so sweet and her customer service is excellent. Speaking of excellent customer service, April is stellar! She helped me with insurance processing, picking out just the right frames, and getting me all the bells and whistles without any hardcore upselling (I despise going to places for an eye exam where they make you feel almost forced to buy frames from them). I've never felt more at home or been out more at ease. I had some concerns about my right eye and Dr. S. astounded me with her knowledge and again, care. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again when my new glasses arrive. read more

Dr. Shah is truly amazing! She is extremely smart, thorough, and takes her time to explain things to you in language you can understand. The administrative staff is also on point. I highly recommend this practice. read more

Very unprofessional. I scheduled an appointment with them on a specific date and time. They told me my regular doctor couldn't see me because she wasn't taking any appointments. No further information on that. So I scheduled an appointment with another doctor I've never met before. However, they later reached out to tell me they couldn't honor the appointment because the doctor had to leave early that day and wanted me to reschedule. As if it was my responsibility to accommodate for her. I specifically requested an evening time because of my work. I, unlike them, do not like to be unprofessional and change my work schedule on such short notice. For years I have gone out of my way to come all the way here because I loved this place and Dr. Meléndez. It's very upsetting having to now find somewhere else. read more

I wouldn't go anywhere else for my eye exams. The doctors truly care about your specific needs. They listen and they go the extra distance to make sure your prescription is perfect. I've been to optometrists who told me I didn't need glasses and to wear my old ones. Like what?!? They helped me allocate for my stigmatism which really helped my vision with glasses on. Please go see them for all your eye needs!!! They also helped me get my blepharitis under control. read more

Had my first annual exam here today. I've worn contacts and glasses since I was 8 years old. The process at Eye Capitol felt easy and efficient with each staff member - from the employee who checked me in to the tech who guided me through the machines. Dr. Melendez was polite and attentive. She offered tips for mitigating strain on my eyes throughout the day and reviewed my eye images with me to demonstrate what she looks for in a healthy eye. Overall, I have been to many eye doctors in the past, and this smaller, hassle-free practice was just what I needed. Within an hour, my exam was complete and contacts ordered. Definitely recommend! read more

I have been coming here for the past 5 or so years and have always gotten the best service. Dr. Shah is incredibly thorough with her exams, explaining everything during the process. She is friendly, knowledgeable, and answers any and all questions you may have. I didn't happen to catch the name of the assistant but she was also incredibly friendly and thorough through the imaging process. I will continue to visit this office in the years to come! read more

Dr Shaw is incredible. I have aging eyes which don't function as they used to at any distance :) and Dr Shaw GETS IT. She spent so much time helping me tweak my progressive prescription, patiently adjusting, working with the variations in different lighting, and explaining things to me. The end result was the RIGHT prescription for my progressives in both glasses and contacts (I've had three not ideal prescriptions before this) and better understanding of what is happening the eyes as they age, and how to best manage it. Everyone else in the office is so sweet and welcoming too. HIGHLY recommend for their thorough and kind service. read more

Dr. Komal Shah and the team (Rubi, April, & Amy) at Eye Capitol are the greatest! I finally have vision coverage through my employer and I made an appointment with Eye Capitol after seeing the great reviews. I had a tremendous experience at Eye Capitol with a friendly greeting, quick processing, ability to fill out forms online ahead of time, and a nice waiting area with lots of frame choices to browse. Dr. Shah and her team made my eye exam quick and painless with their amazing equipment and they were able to make the results very straightforward to understand. They genuinely cared about my eye/vision health and made sure all of my questions were answered. I now understand more about my vision health and the team was able to help with my concerns about driving at night. I didn't feel any pressure at all and April was exceedingly helpful with helping me choose the right pair of frames and lens features that were covered by my insurance plan. I highly recommend Eye Capitol to all and will look forward to getting my new glasses in a couple weeks! read more

I went for what I thought was a standard eye exam and found out the blurriness in one eye was a bit more serious than I realized. Dr. Shah was very knowledgable and patient. She went above and beyond to get me connected with a specialist to confirm her diagnosis, and perform the corrective procedure. Very happy with Eye Capitol. read more

I originally went to Eye Capitol last year to visit Dr. Melendez as she is spoken so highly of, and she was great, the overall experience was just okay enough for me to come back this year. Although when I tried to contact the office, no one ever answered. I called several different days and hours and could never get anyone on the phone. Online it wasn't available to book Dr. Melendez and that is why I was attempting to get ahold of the front office. There was also a note added online that the comprehensive exam required Optomap retinal imaging which is an additional $39 if not covered by insurance. Last year I opted out and had my eyes dilated for a normal eye exam so I wanted confirmation that this had changed since last year. I received a reminder text from the office to schedule an appt. by calling the office, oh the irony. So I texted the number asking my questions. I was told Dr. Melendez is on leave and said I could request a call to schedule an appt. When I asked about the Optomap requirement it was confirmed it was a requirement. To be honest, this feel very shady to me. The $39 is not typically covered by insurance, so be prepared to pay it out of pocket if you decide to go to Eye Capitol where they require this and do not give you an option. There are other bad reviews about this too. Even the text communication and lack of overall customer support - no way could I return here. I've booked my annual eye appointment with a reputable company that answers the phone and provides what customers are looking for, including exceptional customer service. read more

the entire practice was professional- understanding and welcoming. I just recently moved to Austin and Eye Capital was a great way to start my medical search. I totally recommend Eye Capital read more

Staff is friendly and doesn't try to upsell you. Love the Dr, would highly recommend going to him. Only reason I'm giving 4/5 is how long it took them to get my glasses in after I ordered and the huge lack of communication. Ordered glass and was told it would arrive in a few weeks. Checked in few weeks later, nothing. Checked in about 1.5 months later, nothing. Checked in almost 2 months later, said it has been sitting there. This entire time, they didn't reach out once. Then again, that wasn't the experience I had the first time I ordered glasses from them but still, enough for me to give them 4/5 EDIT: I've increased it back to 5/5. They reached out to me after the fact, apologized for the delay and offered a new set of glasses for free! read more

I picked this location bcoz of the high reviews and it didn't disappoint me. From the time I walked in, three people who attended me was Priscilla and Dr. Shah. Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the third person with whom I had a brief conversation with. I found them caring, highly knowledgeable, super nice to work with. They answered all my questions and I left content. Now I signed up for my wife as well to go get her eyes checked. read more

This place is the best!! It's opened "late" aka you can make it after work. The ladies at the front are SO NICE. I only went to get frames (and they have a decent amount to select from), so I can't comment on the exam/eye doc part, but I left satisfied with what I came for. Frames took a week to deliver even though they say 2-3 weeks, everything went smooth and I'm happy with my new frames! The only thing is it's kind of out of the way unless you're driving out of town/to the airport/really south on Airport. 4 stars because I literally could not call through a single time to the phone number listed.. and I tried at different times of the morning, leaving voicemail, etc. However they respond via email which is fine as well! read more

I want to give this place 10 stars and write about my experience with Eye Capitol on Airport Blvd. I walked in and the front desk staff on 9/29/2022 went through great lengths to verify that my insurance would cover my appointment for today and they did it in a timely manner. I know it's not easy contacting insurance companies and the insurance companies can make it difficult to get info verified before proceeding with an appointment. The front desk staff knew what they were doing and took care of anything I needed as quickly as possible. Next, I want to say that Eye Capitol uses what I perceived as the latest technology in optometry. I had never experienced using the technology they used and the visuals taken of my eyes were incredible. The staff who worked on taking photos of my eyes had good bedside manner and explained what was going on so I wasn't in the dark or felt clueless as to what was happening next. I met with doctor Komal Shah who was great at explaining, in detail, what she saw in the photos taken of my eyes, why different things occur, and what to watch out for. She was also pretty thorough in analyzing my eyesight when determining what prescription I needed. I am recommending this place to my mom and my partner. It can be tough finding good medical practices with great staff and this place seems to hit the nail on the head. read more

I had an incredible experience today at Eye Capitol! First of all, they have online appointment booking which allows you to see and select from all their available appointments. I booked my appointment only two days in advance! Their online platform also allows you to fill out medical forms/insurance forms online ahead of time which helps eliminate wait time. My wait when I arrived at the appointment was only about two minutes. The front desk staff was very friendly and welcoming. They were very helpful when it came to explaining billing/insurance information. Dr. Melendez was very professional, personable, and took the time to explain my treatment in a way that was understandable. I never felt like she was rushing me out (which unfortunately is common in the medical field). I would recommend her and Eye Capitol to anyone looking for a new eye doctor! read more

I recently had an eye appointment here and everyone was so helpful and knowledgeable. Making an appointment on their website was very easy. If you're looking for a new eye doctor in Austin, check this place out. Everyone here is great! read more

tl; dr. Great doctor; less-than-stellar staff I've been a patient of Michael Chavez. Great doctor. He is so passionate about his work, it is infectious. Love the guy. I saw him about a year ago. I went back recently for another exam and the lady that was getting me started (with the ​contraption​ where you stick your chin on a support and look into the viewfinder) was "telling" me about what it does. "Telling" because it was a ramble at a 1000 words/minute. I tried to tell her about it so she would slow down and have a normal conversation. But, she just continued on in the same way. Absolutely mechanical. She had no interest in conveying the information to me so I would understand. So, I just walked out. Look, Eye Capitol, customers are happy to pay a fair price. Just treat us like humans. Yelpers, if you care about just about the doc, do check out the place. The doc is really good. If you care about the staff + the doc, I recommend you avoid the place. read more

Been going to this place for many years and really don't have any complaints. Everyone I've dealt with has been wonderful, including Dr. Melendez. It's always just about as good an experience as I can imagine having at an eye doctor. read more

I had a wonderful experience here! Dr. Michael Chavez and his staff were simply amazing as well as very professional. I started experiencing double vision which was unexplained after an MRI (we thought it was due to a previous back injury.) This was a very awful experience for me. When we came here, Dr. Chavez immediately diagnosed me with Keratitis of the cornea. After treating it and prescribing an eye drop/ lubricant regimen, I've finally been able to live life normally again. The staff was patient, professional, and very understanding. They successfully made the examination very comfortable for me and I'm thankful for this being an anxious individual. No matter where I'm located in Austin, I'm making Dr. Chavez my permanent optometrist. Great place to come and I absolutely recommend! read more

Eye Capitol - I had a wonderful experience here! Dr. Michael Chavez and his staff were simply amazing as well as very professional. - Optometrists Near Me - Austin, Texas

Please be aware of hidden fees! This location received such great reviews and I was very excited to support a family owned company. I received my intake documents and reviewed the associated costs for my appointment as well as the 24 hour cancellation fee. On the day of my appointment I received a new text messages stating that the mandatory Optomap scan was an additional $39 fee, not covered by insurance and is required. This is not listed on any of the documents and if you cancel with this information, you are now charged $50 for a no show fee. This is omission of information was unethical and very dishonest and with the new No Surprise Act passed it is also illegal. Please note this before your appointment as for those who may be financially struggling this is predatory. read more

My experience at Eye Capital was nothing short of amazing! I recently moved to Austin and was looking for a new eye doctor. After doing some research and reading previous reviews I decided to try this office out. The first thing that stood out to me was how fast and efficient the service was. I was seen promptly and even between the eye dilation and browsing glasses I hardly had any down time which is rare to find at any office. The staff was also super helpful and friendly clearly explaining my financial options and breaking down everything to me so I didn't feel pressured into buying more or being up sold on products. Lastly but certainly not least was Dr. Chavez. He was very professional and understanding of my individual needs and clearly communicated my exam results to me. I'm happy I stumbled across this eye doctor and I'll be sure to come back for all my future visits. read more

I found this place through yelp and was impressed with the reviews and let me say, every positive review is right on par. I actually had to come back and check if it was possible they had any bad reviews and of course, only two are 3 stars or lower. The staff was so incredibly friendly and helpful, I didn't have to wait at all to be seen. Dr. Melendez was fantastically friendly and explained all the results and what they meant, which other doctors have never done for me. She asked many times to make sure I didn't have any questions or concerns. After my appointment, I browsed the glasses selections and had the staff check on me to make sure everything was good. Excellent customer service skills all around. Coming here actually made my day because of how kind and helpful everyone was. Look no further for a new eye doctor, GO HERE!!!!!!!!!! read more

Eye Capitol 1144 Airport Blvd, Are. 235 Austin, TX. 78702 This was my first office visit and it was a great experience. The staff was very nice and informative about every part of my eye exam. I'm a blinker and they were extremely patient. Dr. Melendez was awesome. She explained all the pictures about my eye. I've never seen pictures of every area of my eye and shown which parts had a problem. That was extremely important and helpful. Next, Rosy Munoz was absolutely great at helping me to find the right frames for my face and explained exactly where and how big the bifocal area is placed. She even fixed my current glasses when 2 other places said they couldn't be repaired. She also noticed that the nose pad was missing and replaced it. I'm so glad my glasses aren't lopsided now. Thanks Rosy for helping me find the right frames. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit, the professional and friendly staff and the information I learned about my eye health. I will recommend Eye Capitol to my friends and Social Media. Thanks also to Kathy for the recommendation. Candy Bowdry read more

I've been seeing Dr. Chavez for 6 years. I scheduled my appointment in June using their website, since you have to book pretty far in advance. I received a call from their office 3 days before my scheduled appointment, August 1, informing me that they no longer accept my insurance. What?? Are you kidding me?! I asked how long they haven't been accepting my insurance and the woman told me "since June." If you suddenly stop accepting a certain insurance, it seems to me you'd want to let those people know right away so they can make other arrangements as soon as possible. Not to mention when I scheduled the appointment, 2 MONTHS in advance (June), nowhere on their website did it say that they no longer accept Davis Vision. I have nothing against Dr. Chavez personally, he is very personable and I've enjoyed seeing him the past 6 years. But this oversight is unacceptable. They left me scrambling to find another provider at the last minute. UNBELIEVABLE. read more

Dr Chavez is great! I trusted his great Yelp reviews and drove all the way across town for an appt. I was glad I did. I had an optometrist I loved for years in Houston. After moving to Austin, I tried a couple others but they weren't helpful...suggested products that didn't work for me at all...or were factory-type stores with high prices and pushy staff. This place is friendly...local....very helpful...and I see the best I have in years! 5 stars plus! read more

The staff is doing a fantastic job during covid, felt very safe. Process and safety measures are well thought out. This was my second visit, they are friendly, gladly answer questions, and take the time to explain and give information regarding your exam. Overall great customer service. read more

Have been visiting this place for my eye care needs for the past three years about. Most recently my eye doctor here was Dr. Amanda Melendez and I found her service to be extremely great! I can't ever recall a doctor give so much interesting information in such a short time on any subject related to my health. Her pace was not too fast for me to understand what she said but I wondered if she was under pressure to do a lot of appointments or else she just came from New York or Chicago and they speak at maybe 1.25 or 1.5 speed there, like when you speed up YouTube! Anyway, also it was the first time I used new coverages in my health insurance to get a different kind of eye exam, and that was great too, and gave me more information than I'd received before. The reason I can not give it five stars is because their frames and lenses are a rip-off. I am not sure how to describe this really strongly in a very short way without cursing. Here is a link to an article about it: https://www.latimes.com/business/lazarus/la-fi-lazarus-why-are-eyeglasses-so-expensive-20190122-story.html They have various strange things about the way the frames are sold. They have a few real crappy frames priced about $70. I think my vision care plan through work is connected to the same big company that sells the frames and lenses. The vision care plan offers a $150 coverage for the frames. The decent frames all cost about $210+ so I'd be forced to waste at least $60 or $70 to get a pair of frames I wanted. That is pretty normal. The thing they did wrong that made me mad was I asked one of them to write down my ID (interpupillary distance). It is 61mm. It is easy to measure it. They told me it depended on the frames. That is some kind of stupid lie and I'm not sure why they told me it, unless they want me not to be their customer. It is true that I tend to get agitated over all kinds of things and act like I have Asperger's or something, so that could be the reason. When I sit down with them to try to order lenses, I see various rubber mats on the table with descriptions and pictures of various fancy lens types and coatings and marketing words and names, all of which are unexplained, without any prices given. So that is why it is much smarter to order glasses online these days, if at all possible. read more

I've gone to Eye Capitol for several years and I always recommend it to people looking for a quality eye doctor. Dr. Chavez is fantastic, personable, honest, and easy to talk to. Plus, he's generous with his time to explain anything-- I've definitely learned a ton about eyes since coming here. This last visit I was a disappointed to learn I couldn't see him because he's opening up a new location (congratulations, y'all!), but I really enjoyed meeting Dr. Melendez, who was funny and equally as patient and helpful. I appreciate you both and your staff! read more

Pros: Dr. Chavez is easy to talk to, great at explaining both procedures and diagnosis, smart, thorough, friendly and attentive. The office is modern, attractive, clean and bright. The selection if frames is good. The display area is nicely designed and easy to navigate. The pricing is clear and reasonable. The location is easy to get to, safe and convenient. Cons: None read more

If you're looking for a great eye doctor on the east side, look no further than Eye Capitol! I was running out of contacts, so I decided yesterday afternoon to book an appointment with an optometrist. I saw that this place was in my neighborhood and had a Yelp deal to boot, so I gave them a call, thinking I might get an appointment for next week if I was lucky. Dr. Chavez himself answered the phone and booked me an appointment for this morning at 10am! Talk about instant gratification! The office is quite easy to find, and it's an extremely clean and well-furnished facility. The receptionist was a darling, and Dr. Chavez is really fantastic. He's very friendly and knowledgeable, and didn't talk down to me as some other optometrists have done. He let me know exactly why I've been having trouble with my contacts, told me what I can do to solve the problem, advised me on new contacts and wrote me a prescription, and gave me some really good information about Lasik surgery, which I've been thinking about for awhile. And with the Yelp deal, the consultation and two boxes of contacts came in at under $100, such a good deal! I'll definitely be back, and you should go too if you have any eye care needs- this is a new business that could use some support, and Dr. Chavez is definitely worth supporting. read more

Dr. Chavez was very friendly and made me feel comfortable through out the appointment. He also told me that a reason for my headaches could be computer vision syndrome and offered me helpful tips that might help with it. I will be recommending him to my friends. read more

A clean and modern design for the practice. The front desk staff and assistants are really friendly and easy going. They take insurance and discount out of pocket payments, which is what I did. I don't have kids but It seems very kid friendly. I've gone twice for prescription check ups and will continue to go here and recommend them. Dr. Chavez is a fantastic doctor who really cares about what he does. He spent over an hour in my appointment with me, showing me scans of my eyes, using models and photos to explain everything they look for during exams, and focused on the overall health of my eyes and not just my vision. He has great bedside manner and is very funny and enthusiastic. I wish all doctors took as much time and care with his patients as he does! read more

I used a Yelp deal for my new patient appointment here and I was pleased with my visit. I was called back within a few minutes of checking in. I really like that this office uses laminated registration forms that you just write on with a marker. The doctor answered all of my questions and made tons of good recommendations for what I should do to take care of my eyes. He showed me all of the scans of my eyes on the computer and explain what they all meant. The visit was quick and without any discomfort. read more

Dr Chavez and his entire office provided such a wonderful and time efficient eye exam experience. With wait time, paper work filling out, exam and picking out glasses I was in and out in just over an hour. They do all their patient intake forms on laminated reusable forms so that we arent wasting tons and tons of paper, so thumbs up there. Dr. Chavez didnt just come in for the quick exam, he sat with me from beginning, walked me through his process and concerns for my particular case. He provided me with all the knowledge I needed to make my own decisions about where we went with my eye care. They worked with my vision insurance, you can book your appointments online and they are local. I would recommend this office to everyone I know and love. GO TO EYE CAPITOL, you will be happy you did. read more

I love Eye Capitol SO MUCH! Dr. Chavez is so knowledgeable and open to answering questions, and I sure had a lot! I have been going to Eye Capitol for 3 years and gotten 2 pairs of glasses from them. They have a great selection, and really help you take your time and find the right pair. No pressure. I've recommended them to many of my friends. read more

So when was the last time your eye exam caused you to feel.... joy? Mine did -- this morning! I can't believe it took me ten years to end up at this place, but from the first confrontation with graffiti at the entrance, to the symbol cloud behind the front desk to the ocular mural in the back, this place just made me happy (and I am priiiiiimed to be unhappy with *every* interaction with the medical industrial complex)! By the time I was interacting with Dr. Melendez, I totally forgot where I was and just enjoyed the friendly interaction with this East Austin establishment. The examination was thorough, enough to remind me of an eye condition diagnosed twenty years back and totally forgotten by now. You won't be up-sold and you will be given good tips on how to navigate online glasses purchases. Stop looking for a better place, and just go to Eye Capitol. Your eyes will totally thank you for it. read more

I hate to even admit this. I haven't seen an eye doctor ever since more than 6 - 7 years ago. I was in between jobs and I had make sure I had health insurance that covers vision. So I thought this would be a good chance for me to have my vision checked. My glasses were horrible as they seemed to be falling apart and the lenses was cracked. Dr. Michael Chavez was just in awe about my glasses. So yes, I did need new glasses. It seemed my broken glasses were making my vision even worse. Dr. Chavez made sure I had the best experience going to see an optometrist. I mean he even let me experiment with the vision test to see which lenses I can see best. He also had me do some tests for my eyes which he mentioned was covered by my insurance. Eye Capitol is a nice place. I don't need anything to fancy and I didn't mind the place was in a mini-mall. Heaven forbid, I'm glad I found these guys because I was going to go to an upscale place. Of course I chickened out and decided go with Eye Capitol. They had a good selections of frames which I'm eager to get my new pair of glasses. You can go online and make an appointment. Usually they will get back to you within 24 hours. read more

I have a specific frame that I am looking at - RB 7036. Called at least 10 vision care centers within Austin area to see if they have it in stock. None of the stores has it, and the only way to get it is to place a special order. Stephanie from Eye Capitol is the only one who called me back promptly with reasonable offer (Same price as RayBan.com). She is also very transparent - she even told me that she is ordering these from online at rayban.com. Other vision care centers gave me quotes with insanely high mark-up prices, claiming these are "vendor special price." She asks me a lot of questions before I made the appointment: Healthcare insurance, vision insurance etc. She makes sure that I am maximizing my benefits. I'm simply looking forward to my first visit at Eye Capitol! read more

Went to Eye Capitol after my boyfriend went there and loved it. This place is just awesome! Walked in, and was greeted right away by friendly ladies behind the front desk (I'm so ssorry I forgot to get names) who quickly gathered the info they needed from me and then it was on to the main exam. Dr. Chavez is great!! He's funny and easy to talk to, and answered all of my questions in-depth and even went so far as to show me examples that further answered my questions. After my exam, Stephanie Jordan (the optician) helped me understand what my insurance plan covered at the end of my appointment, and broke everything down for me.. Stephanie also actually took the time to take several measurements to ensure that my new glasses would be perfect for me. I could tell right away that she really cares about taking the time to do things right, and I greatly appreciate that! I would absolutely reccommend Eye Capitol!! read more