512-329-8900
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The Center for Vision Development

Your Austin Eye Doctor

1001 S. Capital of Texas Hwy, Austin, TX

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About Us

The Center for Vision Development was founded in 2004 and has grown into Austin’s most established Vision Therapy clinic. We are committed to transforming lives through vision therapy by providing individualized, patient-centered care. 

Our practice specializes in vision therapy, neuro-optometric rehabilitation, sports vision training, and myopia management.

Over the past 20 years, we have remained committed to unlocking human potential through personalized vision therapy programs and patient-centered care.

Our core brand values include enhancing visual function to improve quality of life, fostering a welcoming and supportive environment, and applying evidence-based treatments for conditions like learning difficulties, amblyopia, strabismus, and traumatic brain injuries.
  • Vision Therapy
  • Neuro Optometry
  • Myopia Management
  • Pediatric Eye Care
  • Sport Vision
  • Pediatric Eye Exams

Location & Hours

Hours
    512-329-8900 1001 S. Capital of Texas Hwy, Austin, TX

    Convenient Hours

    • Open Evenings

    Access

    • Onsite Parking
    • Free Parking

    Our Team

    Dr. Denise Smith

    Dr. Denise Smith, OD

    Dr. Denise Smith is the Founder and President of The Center for Vision Development. While she is an optometrist by trade, she is an optimist at heart and has devoted her entire career to diagnosing and treating functional visual disorders that... Show More

    Dr. Denise Smith is the Founder and President of The Center for Vision Development.

    While she is an optometrist by trade, she is an optimist at heart and has devoted her entire career to diagnosing and treating functional visual disorders that negatively affect people's lives.

    She believes that no matter how difficult or complex things are, there is always something that can be done to make things better. As a Developmental Optometrist, she gives her patients options that they didn’t have before; that they didn’t even know existed.

    Dr. Smith is a native Texan and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She graduated with honors from Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry and is a member of Beta Sigma Kappa International Optometric Honor Society.

    She completed a post-doctorate clinical residency in Pediatric Optometry and Vision Therapy Rehabilitation at the State University of New York in New York City in 2002 then headed back to Texas with a new outlook on vision. Soon after her return to Austin, her dream of opening a visionary practice dedicated to the specialties of developmental, pediatric, and neuro-optometry became a reality when she founded The Center for Vision Development in 2004, and she has never looked back.

    As such, she received "The Advancement of Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Award" from The Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA) in 2014.

    Dr. Smith has a passion for helping people with special needs and served as the Clinical Director of the Texas Special Olympics Lions Club International Opening Eyes program which allowed her to provide quality eye care to Special Olympics athletes in Texas and Mexico who otherwise may not have received necessary visual aid.

    Dr. Smith is a published author and seasoned lecturer. She is a member of the Optometric Vision Development and Rehabilitation Association (OVDRA), the Optometric Extension Program Foundation, the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA), and the College of Syntonic Optometry (CSO).

    Dr. Smith lives in Austin with her husband, Patrick, and her son, Waterford. Her favorite things (besides vision therapy) include the beach, the spa, Longhorn football, and most of all being a mom!

    How she sees it: “Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible.” - Anonymous

    • Accepting New Patients
    • Family Friendly

    Patient Reviews

    Working with everyone at the center for vision development has been amazing!!! They are all incredibly skilled and have a wonderful way of making the work fun!!! The benefit I... Show More
    Working with everyone at the center for vision development has been amazing!!! They are all incredibly skilled and have a wonderful way of making the work fun!!! The benefit I am seeing 🤪 in everyday life is unimaginable! I really had no idea of the limitations my vision was putting on my daily activities but now as I improve it is so obvious. I only wish I knew all the things I know now when I was a kid!!! School would have been so much easier and less frustrating! I absolutely love the entire team here and strongly recommend them!!!
    - Jennifer K. 1 month ago
    Dr. Brown and Dr. Smith are both great with small kids! My daughter has been going to VT for her amblyopia for the last year. Thankfully we caught it... Show More
    Dr. Brown and Dr. Smith are both great with small kids! My daughter has been going to VT for her amblyopia for the last year. Thankfully we caught it when she was 5 and we’ve seen significant improvement since coming to The Center for Vision Development. She barely had any depth perception and her peripheral vision was terrible when we first started. It’s been incredible to see the progress she’s made since coming here. Her VT, Sophie, is the best! Couldn’t recommend this place more.
    - Erin P. 1 month ago
    I can not say enough about how incredible The Center for Vision Development has been for my daughter! Our whole family has learned that there is much more more to... Show More
    I can not say enough about how incredible The Center for Vision Development has been for my daughter! Our whole family has learned that there is much more more to vision and the eyes than just being able to see 20/20. One day I noticed our daughter's eye turning inwards around the age of 4 and that was how our journey to finding The CVD began. Through therapy and consistent progress checks it has significantly helped her eye teaming and focusing.
    - Melinda N. 2 months ago
    One of my daughter’s biggest challenges has been eye tracking and keeping her eyes from wandering while reading and completing assignments. Although she’s still in the middle of her vision... Show More
    One of my daughter’s biggest challenges has been eye tracking and keeping her eyes from wandering while reading and completing assignments. Although she’s still in the middle of her vision therapy program, I was amazed when, during an unrelated evaluation, her Language Arts evaluator questioned why those concerns had been documented in her previous evaluation since she didn’t see any signs of those symptoms. It was such a powerful reminder of how much progress Luisa has made. She loves her vision therapy sessions, is much more confident, and we’re seeing wonderful improvements in her reading skills.
    - Caterina L. 2 months ago
    Always welcomed by name and a warm smile from Ed. The Center for Vision Development is a truly amazing place. The vision therapists, Sophie, Mitzi, Josh, Anna, Cayman, and more,... Show More
    Always welcomed by name and a warm smile from Ed. The Center for Vision Development is a truly amazing place. The vision therapists, Sophie, Mitzi, Josh, Anna, Cayman, and more, are wonderful, so knowledgeable, positive and encouraging as they lead you through the exercises that will improve your vision. Dr. Brown and Dr. Smith are very thorough and provide easy- to- understand explanations of what they are doing and the progress you are making. As part of my vision therapy journey, I am doing Syntonics (light therapy). Surprisingly, it has helped not only my eyes, but also greatly reduced the neck pain in my left shoulder and arm caused by a bulging disc in my neck. I highly recommend The Center for any vision problems you might be having!
    - Susan B. 2 months ago
    I had a fantastic experience at the Center for Vision Development. Jenna, Cayman, Nicole, Ed, and especially Josh were all incredibly knowledgeable, encouraging, and genuinely great people to work with.... Show More
    I had a fantastic experience at the Center for Vision Development. Jenna, Cayman, Nicole, Ed, and especially Josh were all incredibly knowledgeable, encouraging, and genuinely great people to work with. They pushed me to strengthen my eye muscles and made every session productive and motivating. I highly recommend this team to anyone seeking vision therapy—they’re truly a top notch group!
    - Nando G. 3 months ago
    The Center of Vision Development was not just an important part of my eye journey, but also an important part of my individual journey. By helping me gain strength and... Show More
    The Center of Vision Development was not just an important part of my eye journey, but also an important part of my individual journey. By helping me gain strength and endurance with my eyes, they also allowed me to gain confidence with myself. From having issues with everyday tasks like reading and driving, this organization supported me through the ups and downs and never let me be discouraged. I definitely recommend this for people of all ages as they find fun activities for everyone!
    - Ana E. 3 months ago
    Best experience, makes sure al letters clear, very satisfied.
    - J D. 4 months ago
    Dr. Brown and her team were very kind, compassionate, and thorough. They gave me hope that my vision problems can be corrected! Now I just pray that we... Show More
    Dr. Brown and her team were very kind, compassionate, and thorough. They gave me hope that my vision problems can be corrected! Now I just pray that we can get there..... 🙂
    - James 4 months ago
    Amazing experience. Every staff member is awesome. Go here if you're undecided.
    - Carlos M. 8 months ago