I just moved to the area and went to Vestavia Eye Care for the first time today. I was seen by Taylor and Dr. Essinger and they were both amazing! They were both warm and knowledgeable, making it a great experience. I highly recommend this office and will be back! read more

Let me start by saying I was prescribed glasses for the first time in fourth grade. Needless to say, for the past 19 years, I have been in optometrist's offices 1-4 times per year. Dr. Essinger is hands down the best optometrist I have ever seen. The staff at Vestavia Eye Care was friendly and helpful from the moment I reached the front counter. The initial tests and evaluations were thorough, especially when I told them some recurring issues I was having. (Note: make sure you have at least an hour for your exam if you have an issue.) When I told Dr. Essinger the issues I had been having for two years that were unsolved mysteries for every doctor I saw, he was the first to care. He ran texts on me I had never seen and he came up with two theories for me to test. In fact, he was so concerned that he told me to text him as soon as I had progress. His caring concern brought tears to my eyes! Birmingham- We are so fortunate to have this office here! If you need a reliable optometrist for your family, look no further! I was also told they have a pediatric optometrist on staff for those of you with little ones. read more

I am from Jasper and work here in bham, and I have officially found my new bham eye dr in Dr. Ray. So down to earth, friendly and just really really kind, everyone at the office. I had the BEST experience today that anyone can ask for. read more

Everybody at Vestavia Eye Care has been nothing short of wonderful to me since I became a patient. The staff is so welcoming and kind, and they always have answers to any questions I have about my orders or insurance. The doctors are phenomenal and are always willing to explain anything I don't understand. The facility is clean and they are taking extra precautions on cleaning every surface due to Covid-19. I have been seeing them for almost 20 years and they have been nothing but dependable and thorough. read more

These are very caring and friendly professionals. They got me glasses that will fix the effects of aging on my distance and night vision, and that are covered by my insurance (Medicaid.) They were even helpful with last-minute rescheduling. read more

I am totally satisfied with Vestavia Eye Care. I was totally thrilled with my exam, glass selection, and fitting. Very happy with my new glasses. read more

Great place and reasonable charges. Left the Schaffer juggernaut and came here two years ago and never looked back. Dr. Fisk is great and reasonable charges for the services. Otm this is the place to go. read more

I have been a patient at Vestavia Eye Care for over 5 years now, and have referred many others. The staff is incredibly helpful and informative. Every appointment is laid back, not rushed, and thorough. Dr. Essinger is great--communicates everything very well and you can tell he and all staff genuinely care about you as a patient. Wouldn't look any further for an eye doctor, this is the place. read more

Vestavia Eye Care - Optometrists Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

I've gone here for my last two yearly(ish) eye exams just to update my prescription, but I don't think I'll continue going here. Dr. Essinger made a couple of jokes about mental illness that left me uncomfortable, and I couldn't tell if he was asking about my family's mental health history as a joke or for medical purposes, but he asked the "joking" question at least twice until I answered. I feel like the equipment and building are very nice and modern, however some of it felt excessive, and the updated technology reflected in the overall cost of the exam and products. Also, I've had issues the past two years with getting my contacts in a timely manner with ineffective communication. Overall, I think I could get a more comfortable experience at a lesser cost elsewhere. read more

After moving to birmingham and having a bad experience at anothereye clinic I was relieved upon walking into Vestavia Eye Care. The atmosphere was great upon entering and the staff was super friendly. Everyone was welcoming and in great spirits. The technicians were excellent and the my doctor was amazing. He asked questions and explained everything very well. I will definitely be returning and making Vestavia eye care my home for routine exams. If you are new to the area or just looking for a new Eye Care home I would highly recommend this practice. read more

I have just recently moved to the Birmingham area. After doing some research I decided to see Dr. Fisk at Vestavia Eye Care. I am so very, very pleased and definitely recommend Vestavia Eye Care!!! The staff were all extremely friendly! All my questions were answered thoroughly, with zero irritation, and in laymen's terms so I could understand. (I always have a lot of questions because I'm one of those nosy patients who likes to understand everything that's going on with the process.) They also picked up on the fact that my contacts, although comfortable, did not fit my eyes properly which I thought it was normal for contacts to move around a lot because no other doctor has taken the time to check the fit of my lenses before. I'm so very, very happy with my services and will definitely be a regular patient! read more

I have been going to Vestavia Eye Care for over 5 years. They are always professional and thorough. They pinpoint areas where you eye health could be improved and then suggest ways to do so. Dr. Fisk is very friendly and a joy to see. read more

Don't go see Dr. Essinger at Vestavia Eye Care. He is rude and prideful. He made a mistake on my husband's prescription and when he came back in to let him know he couldn't see well with the new glasses, he charged him again for the second visit and basically blamed my husband. He had terrible customer service, despite the mistake being on his end. He then mailed us a letter essentially "firing" us from his practice due to this disagreement. It's really too bad because we enjoyed the services provided thus far by Dr. Ray and Dr. Fisk to the rest of our family. Unfortunately for their practice, our 5 person family will be taking our business elsewhere now. read more

Everyone in my family goes to Vestavia Eye Care to see John Essinger. He is great! He takes his time with each patient and schedules appointments so that he can do that without making others wait. The staff is all super nice as well. read more

I have been a patient at Vestavia Eye Care for around 7 years. I have seen Dr. Fisk for all my appointments. What is nice is that he actually remembers me from appointment to appointment, even though they are usually at least a year apart. He is very personable, but also very professional, prompt and thorough. I also have twin daughters who are six and a half and they see Dr. Ray. She is fabulous with the kids and they love her! She makes their exams fun and she is FAST!!! The staff is always accommodating and courteous. I have never had to wait for any extended period, and that, in and of itself, is reason enough to LOVE VEC over other providers I have used. There is never any pressure to purchase glasses or contacts from them and they gladly provide prescriptions for purchase of those items elsewhere. I can't say enough good things about Vestavia Eye Care. I have referred several friends, who have had the same types of experiences I have had at other eyecare professionals. All of them have expressed their satisfaction with VEC over other places. read more

Our long time optometrist retired from private practice and recommended Vestavia Eye Care. My whole family has been to see Dr. Fisk and his team. We have found the care to be excellent, the staff very friendly, and the practice to be an overall great experience. I was especially glad to learn that Dr. Fisk has spent many years working with the Veterans Administration and as a result, has a special expertise in the more complex eye problems of older patients. He specializes in helping patients with glaucoma, diabetes, and other normal issues of aging. At the same time, my college age daughter really liked the practice and was especially appreciative of the great selection of stylish frames! We recommend them highly! read more

The staff were very friendly. Even though they were short staffed for the day, I was seen very quickly. I was given a very thorough examination. The staff and doctor gave great explanations for each procedure and the results that they reviewed. I will definitely recommend Vestavia Eye Care to anyone who needs a new eye doctor! read more

I have known Dr. Essinger for a number of years and have been a regular patient for the past 6 years. I have seen then for an eye emergency to regular visit to choosing eyewear. In every area the are fantastic. I have gotten to know Dr. Ray and she is an awesome young lady! You have got to "see" them to believe how great the service is. read more

Dr. Essinger has examined my eyes, my wife's and my son's. He does a thorough, unhurried examination with more than one method. He works well with children, having them of the same age as my boy. I have never seen so well as after his refraction/examination. His support personel are likewise very professional, helpful & friendly. p.s. he is a world-class disk-golf player. read more

Both of my children see Dr. Calah Ray and she is fantastic with them! She and her staff took their time, were very patient and provided excellent care. I would highly recommend Dr. Ray and Vestavia Eye Care. My children cannot wait to go back to the eye doctor! read more

Dr. Calah Ray is an EXCELLENT pediatric optrician! She is very thorough in her exams, child friendly, and exhibits the ability to explain medical conditions layman terminology. She has EXCELLENT bedside manners and our family recommends her HIGHLY for you children's eye care needs!!! read more

As a resident of Vestavia, I looked for a practice that was in Vestavia to support our local community. In February, I met Dr. Essinger. I was very impressed with Dr. Essinger's knowledge of inflammation of the eye as I suffer frequently from this problem. Another aspect I was impressed with is the practice has many interns and learning is abundant in this practice. On April 13, I went with a friend to purchase glasses. We chose a pair and I paid. When I went to pick up the glasses, I hurried in and out not looking at the glasses. When I arrived home, I noticed the glasses were not the ones I ordered. I called and told them I would bring the glasses back. When I arrived to talk about the situation, the lady who fitted the glasses told me these were the glasses I ordered. I informed her I came with a friend, and they are not the glasses. I wanted to know what the value of these glasses were. She went into a room and shut the door with another lady in the practice. I scanned all the Kate Spade glasses which were similar glasses to the ones they gave me. The prices were $205 to $225. I paid $255. She emerged from the back and stated these glasses cost $255. Then I asked for a refund. Their first offer was nothing because they had waivers. I countered with I did not get what I purchased because I have a witness. Second offer was they could give me store credit. After she lied to me, I informed the lady I would never be back, and I request a full refund that day. They finally consented and gave me a full refund. As I was sitting waiting for my refund and paperwork, a doctor, who was not Dr. Essinger, came out and said, "Is the problem child gone?" And I replied, "No! I am still here." For the business and the doctor with the rude comment, I actually am not a child. I am a valued member of the community who teaches at the local elementary school. When a parent comes to ask for a referral, I will be glad to say, "I would not go to Vestavia Eye Care. Let me tell you my story." Sincerely, Jennifer Ratliff read more

I have been a long time customer of VEC. Dr. Essinger is easy to talk to. He seems to truly care about me and makes sure I understand what is happening to my eyes. He helped me deal with a severe dry eye problem. I can now wear my contact lenses again. The staff was very helpful when I needed new frames. Dorinda's advice on the frame selection ensured I got the one that were best for me. read more

I recently moved to the area and had to pick a new optometrist. I had the same contact prescription for over 20 years until I visited this doctor. Dr. Essinger changed my prescription and contact brands even though I brought my previous box and made clear I was very happy with them. They assured me all was the same, so I bought a year supply at checkout because I almost always pay with credit and I have always done it like this because our health care system is garbage and sometimes I literally can't afford to see. After wearing the new contacts with the new prescription for a few days I started to dislike the feel of them, but tried to give them a chance so I stuck out the uncomfortable feeling until it was time to change out. After opening 1 of the 4 boxes I bought, and trying a new pair, I realized these were not the same as my previous brand. Long story short, after a few weeks and several calls to office, the best I could manage to get was 2 of the 4 boxes switched out to my old brand I had been using. I'm stuck with $100 worth of useless contact lenses and will have to go to a new optometrist before a year is up to redo eye exam, get my old prescription, and pay more money. Being able to see shouldn't be this hard, and it wasn't for 25 years, but it was obvious they were pushing a brand that they were getting some kind of kickbacks on and I paid the price. Nice place, very friendly people. Just don't like the fact they caused a problem for me and then did not see fit to correct the error to take care of their customer. They obviously didn't want me coming back anyways for some reason. read more

Dr. Ray went over and beyond to explain the exam results to our son. We chose to see her in order to get a second opinion on a previous exam in our home town. The 1 hr drive was worth it! read more

We had a great experience with Dr. Ray. She was informative and helpful and put my children at ease. The office staff was friendly and helpful. We had an overall excellent experience! read more