This was the easiest, fastest eye exam I've ever had! There was no high pressure sales for upgrades, and they even allowed me to price my contacts on my own. The staff was kind and professional, and the doctor was top notch. I absolutely love this place and would recommend it to anyone who wants a hassle free eye care experience. read more

I am so incredibly grateful for River Place Vision Center. Generous, prompt and kind are the words that come to mind. They allowed me to book a last minute appointment, and then I walked out with everything I needed for contacts that day (much of it was complimentary). I thought I would have to wait for my prescription to come in, but they had temporary contacts in house to give me until my shipment arrives. Everyone was so nice and accommodating. I left my dog in the car out front and the ladies at the front desk even kept an eye on her for me. I had an issue with my contact (user error) a few days later and they took me last minute (yet again) with a smile and solved the issue promptly and affordably. I won't go anywhere else for my eye needs now. read more

I found Dr. Smith at River Place Vision to help me with severe allergies and specialty contact lenses. He is great! He is knowledgeable and compassionate. His office staff on the other hand is rude and unhelpful. India is the only nice person in the office. They don't seem to understand how insurance works. I'm sad to leave Dr. Smith because like I said, he's great but don't have the patience for the office staff. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Smith's for 15 years. He's walked me through contacts, multiple pairs of eyeglasses and a lasik referral. Now we are dealing with aging eyes and diabetes complications, I need someone who knows what they are doing and he does. I've always been treated well by the staff and they all followed all the Covid precautions during my visits. read more

Couldn't be any better! Kind, professional, knowledgeable, clean.... Thank you to the awesome front staff, especially!

Amazing experience. The whole staff is extremely kind and welcoming. Dr. Smith was professional and thorough. HIGHLY recommend.

I noticed that there are two other reviews for this place but the spelling of the business is slightly different (River Place is two words not one). Thought I should review them under the name that was on my invoice and receipt so that anyone looking for a review on River Place Vision Center will be able to pull one up. Ok, on to the review, I'm going to keep this short and sour. Do not waste your time. Your better off going to an eye doc at one of the big box stores. It will cost you less and you will not have to deal with stooges. read more

I've been going to Dr. smith for three years now. Dr. Smith is very professional and friendly. He communicates very well and explains things clearly. He's very thorough and extremely patient and always follows through all the services he renders. His staff are also very professional and friendly. The facility is spark clean and well decorated and there're plenty of parking spots available which is a huge plus. I'm sure you all understand that unpleasant extra stress of struggling for parking spots when visiting doctors. read more

Dr Smith and his staff are super friendly, professional, very thorough, and patient with questions. They also have a huge selection of glasses! Overall a fantastic vision center and worth recommending! read more

I injured my eye working in the bushes and went to see Doctor Smith. He was able to see me immediately and did a great job. I received antibiotic eye drops and a temporary contact lens and guidance on how it would go or things to look out for. My eye was hurting a lot before and began to feel better after. He also gave me a temporary pain relief eye drop which helped. On top of all of this because I had a high deductible plan and would be essentially paying out of pocket and coming for a return visit the next day he made an adjustment to the bill which he didn't have to do. Seems like a great guy as well. He mentioned that he does eye treatment for the guys at the local auto shop that get small metal fragments in their eyes so he sees a nUmber of eye injuries. This is obviously on top of his general vision/far sighted/near sighted business. read more

I've been going to Dr Smith for 15 years and he is the only eye doctor who could fit contact lenses that worked for my difficult eye problems! I've moved out of the Austin area and now I make the drive because Dr Smith is that good!!! read more

Always on time, efficient and professional. They take great care and answer any and all questions I have. Highly recommend.

Dr. Smith has the latest tech to take great care of my eyes! I am always 100% confident that he truly cares for my eye health and isn't trying to "up-sell" his business. read more

I have used Dr. Smith since moving to Austin and continue to like him. He is professional and friendly. I would highly recommend him.

Dr. Smith and Brandi are always super friendly and provide excellent patient care and service. My glasses are always excellent quality! I've been a patient with them for over 10 years. It's always easy to get in to see Dr. Smith when I need to been seen. This a great office and an excellent Optometrist. I highly recommend them for your eye care needs. read more

Dr Smith is kind, gentle, efficient and very knowledgeable. He answers questions thoroughly and explains everything during the exam. My family has gone to him for about 7 years and I have never had an issue with glasses or contact lenses. He matches the prices for contacts I could get on-line and is always generous with samples and supplies. His office staff have always been courteous and helpful in working us into his schedule when we have an emergency. Today, they helped my husband and I choose the right glasses for our lifestyles! I highly recommend Dr. Smith and staff! read more

Thank you so much for your help! You guys stayed late because of me. I thank god for leading me here to River place vision center! I lost my glasses so I couldn't drive home to San Antonio. I was in need of help! I was scared that I couldn't get home because I can't see the roads when driving. I came in to River Place Vision Center for help during closing time. They took me in and was being so patient with me. They can easily turn me away but they didn't. They helped me out with a pair of contact. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't make it home safe. Thank you so much for your help! read more

I have been to many optical places over the years and I'm very picky. This is a small office, Dr. Smith is very personable and patient. At first I brought an old pair of rimless frames for updated lenses, this was done professionally and the end product was great. Later I came in for contact lenses, it was also handled very well, and several times I was worked in to their schedule for follow up fittings. On a price note, this is not a "cheap" place, but they seem to be very patient and with such a small office you get personalized service. read more

Our family of four has been going here for several years and had nothing but great service from everyone. We love John and he has tweeked/repaired my daughter's glasses after accidents for us several times with a smile and for no charge. They've also reordered glass parts under our warranty twice with no problem. Dr. Smith is great with adults and kids and goes the extra mile. He's even come in on Saturdays so that we can all have our appointments at the same time. It's also nice that the office is close to home. I would disregard the negative review and give them a chance for yourself and decide. I think you'll be pleased. read more

I've been using Riverplace Vision Center for two, going on three years and I couldn't be happier. I first started having vision problems Jan/Feb 2009 and went to see them because their office is next to my corporate office. In 2009 I wanted contacts but got frustrated because I just couldn't get them in my eyes. In 2010 I tried again and this time, determined I finally got them in and out with no problems. John was there in 2009 and in 2010 and extremely friendly and very patient with me when teaching me how to put my new contact lenses in. The doctor is also very nice as well and answered any question (even the silly ones) professionally. I'm not sure what kind of experience the other reviewer had and perhaps John was having a bad day or perhaps the she is hypersensitive or not too nice herself. read more

I've been going here for about 2 years. I'm a cash pay client and I think their prices are reasonable. All the previous reviews are a bit baffling to me because I've had exactly the opposite experience. The staff is always friendly to me. Sounds more like personal problems, honestly. I had a ulcer in my eyeball one day and he got me in real quick fixed up my eye, gave me an antibiotic script and the amazing gel drops for comfort, and even called to check up on me twice :) I highly recommend them. Now, I will add that the glasses they sell go with the neighborhood they are in. There aren't many broke people in Riverplace and Steiner. Having said that- if I'm going to wear something on my face all day it's gonna say Dior or something equally nice. read more

Love this place. I've been a patient here for 10 years. Perfect customer service. Everyone is friendly and very helpful!

Overall I was pleased with my experience. My contacts are perfect. Dr.Smith was very nice. While, his office staff wasn't over the top with personality. I was very pleased with my general experience at River Place Vision. I will definitely be back! read more

First visit there this afternoon. Front staff was very welcoming and polite. The doctor was informative and got me the prescription I need. Even on a short notice appointment and no previous records transferred, he got the exam spot on. Being that I am a cash patient with no insurance they were able to make it work in my budget. Would recommend to anyone. :) read more

Professional, precise and predictable! If you want somewhere were you know the doc will make sure you leave seeing clearly. Dr. Smith is you guy! I have been going to Riverplace Vision since they opened back in 2006. Dr. Smith is one of the most thorough doctors I've ever gone to. After having kids I started bribing them here as well and with my oldest the doctor found a issue with her vision. My daughter had struggled with reading and often guessed at words while reading. Dr. Smith found that her eyes were not teaming together and based on that finding we were able to get the therapy she needed and she is now reading above grade level. I have taken my prescription and had it filled at Costco and yes it was cheaper but no quality or service if the prescription is not right. RPV always works to get my prescription the best it can be! read more

I have been going to Riverplace Vision since they opened. Dr. Smith is very nice, great with my two kids as they do their yearly eye exams and gentle with our phobias ( I hate, hate, hate eyedrops) . Their eyeglass selection has been awesome for us, conservative for my husband, sporty and sturdy for my son and trendy for me. I have enjoyed compliments many times on my glasses and like having frames that stand out. John is key personnel to us at the office. He has made repairs on my sons glasses when they have been stepped on, has ordered parts for my glasses and always seems to know our styles. He will have frames saved for us when we come in for our appt. And his choices are always the ones we end up with. He has a keen eye and a helpful fun attitude. John is our advocate for the vendors and the insurance companies. I can't imagine having anyone else treat us better. I can't talk to zim d.'s struggles with trading a pair of glasses. I have once traded frames there, but with the same vendor and without issues. I have great interactions with this business that has gone out of it's way to make sure I have a wonderful experiences there and recommend them often to my friends and others who like my frames. read more

Excellent eye exam, very thorough! Dr. Smith and office staff very helpful , friendly and even went out of their way to keep the price of my contacts competitive with the larger stores - so now I don't have to travel so far & wait in line!! I ordered the frameless glasses (hard to find) and toric contacts. No problems with either. read more

This was the worse experience of my life!! Dr. Smith is very nice and my exam went well! The receptionist, Brandy, is very rude and unhelpful! I went in for an exam and eye glasses on 7/30/12 and, as of today, 8/8/12, I still do not have my eye glasses. I was told 7 to 10 days!! The price of the glasses and exam totalled $930.00, yet I still don't have my glasses!! I would not recommend this vision center to anyone I know!! The wait for your glasses is too long and the prices are too high!! read more

I would give a negative rating if I could. I have had nothing but problems at this place. I was sized incorrectly for a pair of glasses by a front desk woman (that was later fired), and when the glasses that I ordered did not fit, they did not do anything to help. We had to almost threaten to at least get a credit for another pair of glasses, and they didn't even give us the majority of the cost of the glasses. Do not go to this place even if it is the ONLY place that your insurance company will allow (which I highly doubt). You would get better service and would be better off just paying out of pocket somewhere. AVOID AVOID AVOID. Oh, and AVOID. read more

Just moved into area and was intending on making this place my local optician. (I spend about $2,500-3,000 per year at opticians.) Walked into this place with a pair of Silhouette frames where the temple piece had broken. I waited for the woman at the front desk to get off the phone and then explained the situation to her. In a very officious/surly tone she told me, "That is a discontinued model so we can't get replacement parts." I told her that it had not been discontinued that long and maybe if she could call the manufacturer/supplier we could find out for sure. She then became slightly aggressive and told me what an expert she was and she knew they did not have the parts. She then told me my only alternative was to buy the newer model of the same frame which would cost $379 and it would take 10 days to get the current lenses changed over to the new frame. I again asked if there were no other alternatives and she told me in a very dismissive tone, "No", and turned to help someone else. So I drove1 mile down the street to Austin Vision Center (who also handle the same make frame) and walked in there. I was not even to the front desk when one of the women said to me, "Looks like you need a new temple piece, let me see the frames and get the style number so I can call and see how much it will cost." She took the glasses; called the supplier; ordered the part and told me to stop in on Tuesday (3 business days away) and they would have it all done - cost $100. Out of curiosity I asked how much the newer model replacement frame would cost and was told $339. The whole conversation was friendly and the woman at River Place could take a lesson in customer relations from these people. Bottom line - Austin Vision Center has a much nicer shop - with far more frames to choose from; it's open more hours per week; they have lower prices for exactly the same item; faster processing times; better parking and MUCH more knowledgeable and MUCH, MUCH MORE helpful staff. Guess who now will be getting my future business? read more

Dr. Smith was kind and efficient. I would definitely recommend him!

Dr. Smith does not care about you as a patient, he only cares about making as much money as he can. The staff is rude, has no respect for you, and has no problem yelling and arguing with you; they don't believe in customer service. I had to wait for 30 minutes before even being helped. I made the mistake of going here instead of a larger vision center and was tricked into paying all sorts of extra fees. I will never go here again. read more

I have used the services of River Place Vision Center twice and I am as pleased now as I was the first time I used them. The staff is professional and courteous and they have a nice selection of frames -- something I haven't often seen in optometrist offices. I have very poor vision and they were able to help me find frames that work well for my prescription and answered any questions I have. I will use their services again. read more

Dr. Smith is a good doctor and I was with this clinic since last two years until last week. I was there with my son who is 12 years. They suggested we get contacts and I was OK with it. But, since the time we entered the office, the staff was pretty rude. They asked if someone else can go before us and as I had another follow up appointment, I said I will have to continue with my spot and that pissed her off. Since then, they intentionally delayed everything and the training she gave to my son was half hearted and absolutely useless. When I called later to complain about how the person left my son while he was trying to put the lens on , not once or twice but many times, the Manager started saying that, that is exactly how they have done for past 11 years and will continue doing so, not a single apology for such a bad behavior and extreme attitude from her as well. I am never going to this place again. As long as it is just a check up with doctor, this place is OK. But, if you need more, be aware of their attitude. read more

My kids and I have been going to this office for over a year now. Dr Smith is very kind, gentle and thorough in his exams. The frame selections are great and it's super easy to get in and out for appointments- no long waiting. We are so grateful that they are so close to where we live and that they are such a great practice. read more

I went here about 9 months ago to get contacts (the cost was about $140 AFTER insurance). The process was fine and simple. Recently I wanted to get glasses and got my prescription from them. When I tried to buy the glasses online my purchase couldn't go through because they didn't give my pupillary distance. I called River Place and they said that they only give me the pupillary distance if I purchase my glasses from them. Are you serious? I already purchased an eye exam from you, and you refuse to give me the information because you want to squeeze more money from me? That is absolutely ridiculous. I have had several different optometrists and have never had the problem. I don't understand how it is legal for them to withhold my own medical information, but apparently its ok if you are trying to get more money out of your patient. Thats like a doctor saying, I can only give you this medicine if you buy it from our pharmacy. Of course, none of this was disclosed when I had my eye appointment. I will not only never come back to this place, I will also make sure that everyone I know stays away. read more

I think this place is WAY OVERPRICED & not very friendly nor helpful!! The doctor was very nice & took the time to answer my questions but the front staff was just not pleasant. I Should have wrote this review months ago as I never wanted to return back after my first encounter with them, but I called again today & as my call was yet again unpleasant when the lady on the phone seemed bothered by the phone call, I decided to go ahead & push forward with this review. I have now found another optometrist who as soon as I called, asked for my insurance, ALL of my insurance as they informed me that my medical could possibly cover! I had the exact insurance when I was at River Place as well, but they never once offered to check that for me. Turns out my medical covered all of the exam except the contact portion. Exam & contacts all less than $200 at this new office. I paid almost $400 at River Place & I was told my vision insurance covered most of the contacts. Not to mention, I was having such difficulty with my contacts after a couple months of wear but when called, the lady said I could come in for an exam but there would be an out of pocket exam fee. So I suffered into the this year just to not pay the additional cost. Finally I recently went to this new Dr, expecting to pay 100% out of pocket, but hoping to find a more pleasant experience. When I showed this new Dr my boxed lenses, she said she couldn't believe another optometrist would give me (someone with astigmatism) that brand of contacts as they do not allow proper oxygen to reach the eyes. I have been using a completely different brand that's actually recommended for astigmatism for the last month & it's amazing the difference that has made. Now that I have 2 unused boxes of contacts, I've been calling around & most offices are telling me this brand is really outdated & no one has used this brand in years & to try to sell back to original Dr. That was my call today, which was pointless as she said there's no way she could help me & when asked to provide another solution her response was "nope, no one will buy those." My long story made short....bad experience & I DO NOT SUGGEST THIS PRACTICE!!!!! read more