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

Great service, staff and optometrist! Made an appointment wobbly and easily. I came in with a sad pair of broken glasses and I wanted to transition to contacts and get a back-up pair of glasses. I mentioned my instead in Lasik and received information on new Lasik technology. I left with new information, ordered new glasses, and new contacts helped me see clearly for the clearly first time in a year. read more

Went in for a contact exam. The employees were very nice, and the wait was very short. Dr. Chavez was great. He's very funny and nice. Definitely use the $45 for $75 yelp deal. This is the best eye doctor I've been to so far! read more

Went in for an eye exam and contact lenses, super friendly and patient staff! I'll definitely be coming back. read more

Eye Capitol - Optometrists Near Me - Austin, Texas

I've been wearing glasses for several years now so I have quite the experience when it comes to optometrists. Of all the places I've been to, I think this place has the best quality of service. I haven't gone in yet to pick up my contact lenses/glasses so I can't comment on the price but from what I heard the prices are reasonable and cheaper than most. I actually came here because I was comparing contact/glasses examination costs for out of pocket patients (fortunately they DO take UT STUDENT health insurance) and this place was the cheapest. Dr. Chavez is very friendly and has no problem explaining the process or the way the eye works. He's very professional and even allows you to participate in the prescription process by letting you work with the dials during the eye exam. It kind of helps you understand the eye exam process and he's great at explaining how the eye works. Overall great experience and HIGHLY recommended. read more

What a great practice! A few months ago, I had a persistent eye infection. (TMI? What, I work with kids sometimes and have allergies, eyes are weird). I saw my usual HMO-approved doctor option and this random doctor at the mega-clinic handed me fancy visine. Almost useless. Fast forward a few days and I'm stuck at work, feeling lousy. I made a few calls and Dr. Chavez could see me the same day! His cash rate was super affordable. His staff are funny. And there's ample parking. I've been to a lot of the "cheaper" places - the doctors tacked onto a Target, a Wal-Mart, the Pearle Visions of the world - and while all have been fine, none of them have made me feel like a welcome guest. Dr. Chavez's crew are the best, really approachable, went over my options and made sure cash was the best choice. As for the Doctor himself? Hilarious and sweet and very gentle when basically saying "oh my gawd, that looks awful!" He got me some stronger drops, made sure I used them correctly, then proceeded to conduct a mini-eye exam. The best part was when he became fidgety and worried about something but wouldn't say it right away - turns out he was worried my long crazy eyelashes might irritate my eye. I have curly hair, it's a concept I'm familiar with handling. He was such a pro about wanting to fix this side issue, which women can be quite vain about, that it made me laugh. He never mansplained about how maybe I shouldn't be putting a bunch of mascara on big lashes. Hilarious. Anyhow, totally recommended. read more

My experience here was great, start to finish. The coupon really helped me get my new prescription, the doctor was nice and took his time to really explain things to me about my prescription and anything to look out for in the future. I'd say the best part was that there was no pressure to buy glasses from them. They asked if I wanted to and when I said no, it was totally cool. Before going I was half expecting a hard sale but never experienced that which is super duper great! I bought my glasses from Coastal and was happy with the whole process. It's REALLY nice to now get several pairs of glasses and an exam for the price of what used to get one pair of glasses, exam not included. It makes me want to go more. Several years ago I went into an a large glasses place with broken glasses that I'd tried to repair myself with super glue. It was all over the lenses, completely ridiculous. I was really poor (organic farming at the time) and the guy there gave me all the discounts he could think of and it still came out more than what I just paid for exams, two pairs of glasses and prescription sunglasses. It was kind of a traumatic experience so this was a great relief! Whoo, I feel better. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest, yelp. Lol. read more

Excellent eye doctor! Dr. Chavez is super nice and friendly and helpful and thorough! His staff is friendly, efficient, and helpful as well. I've been to his office for 2 different eye exams and they were extremely helpful in booking the appointments and reminding me about them (and reminding me to book my second annual exam appointment). They took me on time both times and did a thorough exam. Dr. Chavez also went over a few small things he noticed in my eyes and gave me some tips on how to improve my eye health. The only drawback is the selection of frames in their office is not very big. I, personally, buy my glasses elsewhere, but absolutely recommend Eye Capitol and Dr. Chavez as an optometrist! read more

Yelpers got it right again! I'm new to Austin and I'm trying to keep it local. I am always excited when I can support minority, veteran, and/or women owned, small businesses in my local community. Dr Chavez' office has great hours, plenty of parking and state of the art technology. He took his time and found a solution just for me. He asked all the right questions and was spot on about the concerns of my previous doctor. I've found a new eye doctor for my whole family. read more

I am so happy that I decided to go to Eye Capitol. Dr. Chavez is without a doubt the best optometrist I have been to. He took the time to very clearly explained what was going on with my eyes in a way that I could understand and made sure to answer all of my questions. He is also a really nice guy who is easy to talk to and you get the sense that he really cares about his patients. His staff was also very nice, even though I was a little late to my appointment they were able to fit me in. I definitely recommend Eye Capitol. read more

In addition to being extremely competent and tech-savvy, Dr. Chavez is one of the most patient and caring doctors I've ever met. He truly wants to help patients find the best contact and glasses fit possible. He is happy to take time answering all your questions, as opposed to some doctors who seem to want to rush you out of the office as quickly as possible. His staff is very friendly and careful to clearly present all pricing options before services are rendered. They open really early, which makes getting an appointment before rush hour possible. read more

Dr. Chavez was so nice and explained everything about my condition to me, which had never been done and was very appreciated! I didn't have to wait too long and everyone there was very nice while I did. He offered to help with my insurance and calling to check to see if they would cover my exam. Unfortunately i had already bought the Yelp deal, but I will be back and hope this is something I can figure out in the meantime! He also had a super cute little assistant today! read more

The service is exceptional from calling in, receiving an eye exam, and choosing frames/lenses. The staff is incredibly attentive, responsive, informed and patient. I was REALLY indecisive with which frames I wanted, but the staff supported me in every way until I found the exact frames I wanted. I couldn't be happier or more thankful. Special shoutout to Ruby who was a total saint and superhero throughout the process, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

UPDATE from 4 stars to 5 stars - because the goof-up was apparently from a new employee that time I went in - and because after paying $13 for a pair of reading glasses I have discovered that the "reading glasses" part of my bifocals is of superior quality by FAR. Now I will be checking to see if I can buy full-size reading glasses from them! It was all good and I really liked the warm and professional atmosphere and the decent choice of frames. The eye exam is a very good deal if you purchase the Yelp coupon for $30 off on the $75 exam, though you are still talking over $100 out of pocket expense once you order a pair of glasses even of the least expensive selection. Which is not bad (just not the cheapest ever). On the other hand, I prefer to get glasses from a place where there is someone there to help adjust them to fitting my face, and they did a good job of that. (The cheapest places to buy glasses online leave you without that particular service but cost maybe $30 less.) None of the above caused me to give it 4 stars rather than 5, however. I would have given this business 5 stars if it were not for the fact that we had agreed when I made the appointment that they WOULD dilate my eyes for the exam. (Some people choose not to because they need to drive somewhere right away, etc.) However I had a ride and I let them know I DID want to have my eyes dilated for the best possible exam. The day I came in for the exam they forgot to dilate my eyes (and never asked). My memory in my older age is just bad enough that I did not remember either until after the fact while I was waiting for my ride to pick me up. They should have had it written down with my appointment information that I wanted to have my eyes dilated but apparently didn't (or didn't check their own notes, either or). But I like them. A lot. :) read more

The doctor and office staff are very helpful and I felt well taken care of every time I've gone here. I love the mural in the front with the bats. The doctor explains things well and made me feel more informed than any other eye doctor I've seen. He takes his time and answers all questions happily. Thanks Dr. Chavez! read more

Not sure what else can be said about doc - he's the best. He was able to diagnose a long-term issue I've had with my vision that 4 other doctors have been unable to pinpoint. Further, he was willing to look over my previous medical history - after our appointment had concluded - to help me better understand the progression of the issue as well as it's long-term implications. I plan to continue to come here - my vision is too important to trust with anyone else. read more

I went into Eye Capitol on February 4 to have my eyeglass prescription filled. I went through the whole process, got fitted and given a promise time of 10-14 days. Mind you I have never worn glasses, so quite naturally I have questions. The agent appeared to be very impatient, I was a little reluctant but went through with the process. A week later I receive a call in reference to the color of the tint, which I confirmed. Then a few days later I receive another call, stating that the wrong prescription was filled. At that point, I was like just cancel the order. I go into the office on 2/20/20 to retrieve the eyeglasses and obtain receipt of my refund. No apology whatsoever in reference to the mishap. My time is valuable, and I do certainly understand human error. Now here I am weeks later, still with no glasses to wear. Upon my arrival, I spoke with the same person who placed my order. She gives me the glasses and asks me to try them on. Clearly there is no prescription in the glasses. I'm here for a refund! Then when I ask about my insurance being reversed. She refers me to Bianca. Then Bianca comes and I'm sitting here watching her walk around in circles as if she's scared to come and speak with me. Now, I'm waiting for Eye Capital to reverse the transaction with my insurance so that I may go elsewhere to get the proper service. Thanks Eye Capital, for waisting my time. read more

Went to get an eye exam for contacts after years of using the same glasses and prescription. I only waited a few minutes after I filled out all the paperwork to begin the exam. Dr. Chavez was thorough and explained everything to me regarding my eye health and options. The office staff was super patient with me as I struggled to put in contacts for the first time (now I'm a pro!). Definitely would reccomend! read more

Dr. Chavez and his staff are amazing. My appointment went really well and it was awesome if even a little gross but cool to see examples of the type of condition I had on the big screen in the exam room. Great stuff. Also, they went out of their way to get my glasses back to me when the office was closed, letting me in to get them. Thanks guys!! read more

A++! On Monday I made a Thursday appointment via email, an option that I really appreciate because it means I don't have to make a receptionist suffer on the phone while I flip through my calendar. --They didn't have to dilate my eyes which is always a plus since it makes me nauseous. --Dr. Chavez was super thorough (and friendly!) I love that he let me turn the dials when deciding which of two prescriptions allowed me to see better. --The tutorial on how to put contacts in/take them out was helpful. I put them in on the first try (which is a testament to Rosie's great technique because the last time I thought about wearing contacts, I gave up when it took me 1 hour to put just one in!) --I thought $140 for the exam and $15 for the contacts tutorial (required for first time contact wearers) was pretty fair. --I will say that if you're in the market for new frames, this place might not have as many options as you'd want. That said, this didn't bother me a bit as I always always always by frames when I visit my parents OKC at a magical place (Sam's Optical!), anyway. I don't plan on being in Austin forever, but while I'm here, I'll definitely stick with Eye Capitol for eye care needs! read more

I apparently have the driest eye Dr. Chavez has ever seen in all his years looking at eyeballs. But you know what? That's alright. He was super nice and the staff was super nice. They didn't even care that I was sweaty and had super dry eyes. Thanks! Will def go back when it's time. read more

Today I found the best Optometrist, Dr. Michael Chavez! I found the contact exam to be so informative, interesting, and collaborative! I think this is the most accurate prescription I have ever had and I learned so much about my eyes and contacts! He is affordable and personal and I'm going to be a loyal customer as long as I live in Austin! read more

Eye Capitol - Optometrists Near Me - Austin, Texas

Dr Chavez is a highly personable, knowledgeable & caring professional. He goes above and beyond and treats you with the utmost respect. I've had two exams in the past 2.5 years & have learned a lot regarding my eye health and my options. The staff are friendly, professional and act like a unified team. Highly recommend Capitol Eye. I only wish Dr Chavez was an ophthalmologist as well! read more

Dr Melendez and her staff were amazing! She is very friendly and right away makes you feel comfortable. The staff is very well informed and professional. read more

I highly recommend Eye Capitol! Dr. Chavez is both caring & insightful with his practice. His staff was friendly & helpful. It's not often that you actually have a good experience with health care - but I have nothing but good things to say about my experience at Eye Capitol. read more

AWESOME! All around. Very thorough. They just got a new diagnostic machine that the doctor show us and it really cuts out any guessing that you or the doctor might have. Great staff. Great price... they could charge more at a different location. read more

I visited this place about 3 weeks ago; I'm intentionally delaying the review to not to be biased. It was a kinda good experience but not exceptional at all. Not the best, not the worst. I had to wait for 30 minutes for Dr. Chavez after my appointment time. He seemed a good and helpful person. I liked him. He said his estimate on my PD number is different from computer diagnosis. After getting my prescription, I began looking at the available eyeglasses, they were too small so I could not buy anything; plus they don't have any rimless ones which is my preference. Then the disappointment happened, when I asked the secretary to ask the doctor again about my PD (the number he came up with) she said as I'm not getting my eyeglasses from them, I have to pay 10$ extra to just hear again a single two digit number which I just forgot. Meh, that's against the common courtesy. Then another blunder happened: 10 minutes after I left the place they contacted me and asked me to come back. They gave me the hard copy of someone else's prescription. As a result, I'm leaving a 3 star review. Eye Capitol guys, please respect my decision. I'm not going to change it in return of anything. read more

The doctor is a super nice, genuine person that does his job well. His office staff is less enthusiastic and not nearly as kind. That's the reason for the 4 stars. Price is good, doctor awesome, staff meh. read more

Dr. Chavez at eye capitol is awesome. The whole staff is awesome. Being new to Austin I went straight to Yelp to find a new eye doc - this place looked good so I called and made an appointment ... but before my appt one of my contacts from my last pair actually ripped. I called them and they gave me a sample pair before my first appointment - before I was even a patient of theirs! So I've been wanting to review them ever since but now that I've had my appointment I can't say enough good things about this office and the kindness and professionalism Dr. Chavez displayed. I definitely learned more today than in all my eye appointments ever - and I've been wearing contacts or glasses for 25 years. And the Optomap retinal scan was pretty remarkable. Seeing a 3D inside view of my eye is great to know about glaucoma or other problems as well as seeing the overall health of the eye. I'll be a patient for life here at Eye Capitol. read more

Dr. Chavez is very caring and spends the extra time to explain every little question you may have. One of the best doctors I've ever had. My family has been seeing him for years! read more

Dr. Chavez made my eye exam a fun and learning experience. You can see his passion in what he does. The office was busy, but he did not rush through my exam, and took his time to explain everything to me. I will definitely be back! read more

I recently had an appointment with Dr. Chavez. Being a young adult (and looking even younger than I am) means that a lot of professionals don't exactly treat me like I'm competent. Dr. Chavez explained everything that he was doing during the entire exam, was patient with me, and answered all of my questions and concerns sincerely. He (and the rest of the staff) did not try to push add-ons and expenses; when something was optional, I was told how much more it would cost and the pros and cons of whatever it was. I was given a clear diagnosis and now I understand so much more about my eyesight and why my eyes work (or don't work!) the way that they do. I highly recommend Eye Capitol; you won't regret it! read more

I decided to go to Eye Capitol after reading all of the glowing reviews on both google and yelp. I'm so glad I decided to become a patient here. All of the staff is so warm and welcoming and very helpful. Dr. Michael is amazing. He brought an issue to my attention that I was previously unaware of and was very informative, yet helped me feel at ease. Everyone there is extremely knowledgeable and I would definitely recommend them to anyone. read more

I had a great experience here! The staff was extremely helpful from the get-go! I had questions and they were answering/helping via email weeks before my appointment. I was seen on time and were all very pleasant. Dr. Chavez also attempted to explain to me my insurance and my options which is great! Most doctors finish what they are supposed to do and hand you off to other staff but he made sure he walked us all the way to the front and did as much as possible. Everyone is so friendly and I would recommend them to anyone. I was really happy with the service. Even picking up my glasses was awesome. They had me try them on make sure they fit well, they complemented my choice and wanted to make sure I was pleased and comfortable with my new glasses. Do not hesitate--go to them. :) read more

I just finished my third annual appointment with Dr. Chavez and as always, I could not be happier. He is the most personably and informative Optometrist I have ever seen. And with wearing contacts for over 30 years, I've seen a lot of them over the years. Each visit is an eye opening experience with Dr Chavez. That being said he does not deserve all the praise. His staff is just as top shelf. Everyone one of them, professional and helpful, they all exceed expectations everytime. read more

You can't get any better than Dr. Chavez and his staff. Friendly. Knowledgeable. Efficient. Great toys. He explains everything that's going with your eyes. I don't have vision insurance, but I feel the prices are reasonable for a yearly visit. He's been the best Optometrist I've seen. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Chavez for 3 years and I must say he and his team are the most professional I've ever encountered. They are early adopters of the latest technology which enhances the exam experience and results in quickly accurate results. Also, Dr. Chavez is a very friendly person who clearly enjoys what he does. He is excellent with answering questions and providing important information. His staff is wonderful and responsive and I also love that they are conveniently located on the East Side. Although I don't think they need improving, I'm greatly impressed each time I visit and they're better and better! These 5 stars are accurate and well earned. Thank you Eye Capitol! read more

Dr. Chavez is superb - truly a kind and thorough caregiver - and his staff is also great. Only drawback here is the selection of frames, which isn't particularly varied. Otherwise, I would have bought frames here, too. But I'll definitely come back for exams! read more

This is long, and you might want to be aware of that if you get there to do an eye exam. It was my first time doing an eye exam in Austin, so I read many reviews of different places on Yelp. Then I contacted two places including Eye Capitol. I was told by Eye Capitol's staff that the exam would cost $80; the other place told me that the copay for an eye exam is $40 and a retinal examination is required, but I have two options. One option which is free is that I can do the traditional retinal exam using eye drops to dilate my eyes; the other one that costs $35 is using some machine to do the exam and it takes just a few minutes to finish whereas the traditional method would take me a few hours. Eye Capitol did not told me about this or they make this information unclear when I contacted them. I looked up some information about retinal exam online, and I think my health condition is good so there is no need to do the retinal exam which might cause some harm to my eyes. The other place has some bad reviews saying that they charged you for some services that patients were not provided, while Eye Capitol has little comments like this. And I honestly do not like doing the retinal exam, so I made an appointment with Eye Capitol. When I got there, I was told that I had to do an retinal exam. Okay, fine since I was already there and I really need a new pair of glasses. After all the exams, they charged me for $119. What?!! Why is there an extra $39? They told me that a test called Refreshing was provided. What?! I did not even know such a test was done to me, and nobody told me that they would do a test that costs extra $39 to me!! I did not argue with them, because I believed that there was little chance to get any positive result at their place, and I had to pay for it before I can get the report! Even worse, the report shows that the Cylinder and Axis of my eyes are both 0, but I definitely have astigmatism because I can tell the feeling when I do not have my glasses and all my previous doctors told me that I have astigmatism so Cylinder and Axis should not be 0! How can I trust this report? PS: I asked them for my PD (pupil distance) so they knew that I would not buy a pair of new glasses at their store. read more

For an eye exam, which is probably one of my least favorite body parts to have things close to, the staff made this basically painless. From the front desk, to the lady who took time to help me try on frames to find the perfect match, to the lady who did my eye tests, to dr Chavez, everyone was wonderful and made my stressful time easy! Very comfortable environment! It was my first time and now I know I've found an eye doctor that I will not dread and put off going to. Thanks! read more