Your Family
Optometrists
Near Austin, TX

Your Family Optometrists Near Austin, TX
Your Family Optometrists Near Austin, TX

The Bristol Family Eyecare Staff
Is Proud to Serve the Austin Metro Area

Bristol Family Eyecare operates on the philosophy that we’re here to enrich the lives of patients of all ages through our eye care. We know that the best way to accomplish this is with outstanding service, and whether we’re implementing new technology, sourcing new glasses for our optical shop, or keeping up with advancements in our field, we do it with our patients in mind.

Our staff is here to make you feel welcomed and that every need you have is being met while you’re here. When you come in for an appointment, you’ll be greeted at the door with a smile. Our optometrists will take the time to make sure you receive the care you deserve, and our opticians will happily help you find the right eyewear for your style, personality, and optical needs.

Our Austin Optometrists

Dan Bristol, O.D.

Dan Bristol, O.D.

Dr. Dan Bristol is the head optometrist at Bristol Family Eyecare, seeing patients at our Bee Cave and Lakeway – 620 locations. Above all else, his mission is to enrich the lives of our patients through education about their eyes and high-quality treatment.

Dr. Bristol is a 1998 graduate of the Southern College of Optometry. He gained further experience and training at a prestigious private practice in Jacksonville, Florida, and later the Corpus Christi Naval Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. His experience gave him a passion for glaucoma management, which culminated in his certification as an Optometric Glaucoma Specialist.

Besides serving on the board of directors for Independent Eye Care Providers of Texas, Dr. Bristol is also a member of multiple other professional societies, including:

  • American Optometric Society
  • Texas Optometric Society
  • Central Texas Optometric Society
  • American Academy of Optometry
  • Optometric Glaucoma Society

Dr. Bristol takes a continued interest in education, and he has lectured as an adjunct instructor for Austin Community College. He is also a member of the Ciba Vision Speakers Bureau and lectures to colleagues in the areas of practice management, coding, glaucoma management, and dry eye syndrome treatment.

In the greater Austin community, Dr. Bristol gives back by donating exams for qualifying Austin residents through the Prevent Blindness Texas program, and contributing to several other organizations. Dr. Bristol is an active runner, sand volleyball player, and billiards player, and even spent time coaching the Lake Travis Wildcats flag football team. In his spare time, Dr. Bristol enjoys playing with his pets: two rescue dogs named Bismarck and Piper, and his cat Lucy.

Lori Palmer, O.D.

Amber Nelson, O.D.

Dr. Amber Nelson is an optometrist at Bristol Family Eyecare’s Bee Cave and Lakeway—620 practices who prides herself on her ability to connect with patients to individualize their care. A Texas native, she completed her early college education at Texas A&M University, graduating with a degree in biomedical sciences. After being inspired to help others see clearly, she went on to earn her Doctor of Optometry from the University of Houston College of Optometry.

Dr. Nelson is passionate about community involvement, and does her part by serving her friends and neighbors with excellent eye care. She’s proven her dedication to her craft starting from when she was a distinguished student, and continuing today. Her achievements include:

  • Magna cum laude graduate — University of Houston College of Optometry

While Dr. Nelson has a passion for all aspects of ocular health, she is especially interested in myopia management because it can help her young patients’ see clearly now, and prevent them from becoming excessively nearsighted in the future. She strives to make eye care fun for her patients because it’s rewarding for her to better their care and their day. Dr. Nelson loves getting to know the people she treats on a deeper level so she can always make their experience easy, comfortable, and engaging.

When she’s not caring for patients, you can find Dr. Nelson playing tennis, snowboarding, or enjoying some spooky fun on ghost tours. Outside the office, she lives with her husband and calico cat, Layla. Dr. Nelson is thrilled to be part of our tight-knit workplace here at Bristol Family Eyecare, and looks forward to serving Lakeway — 620 and Bee Cave patients with personalized eye care that utilizes advanced technology!

Lori Palmer, O.D.

Maha Tufail, O.D.

Dr. Maha Tufail is an experienced optometrist eager to provide quality eye care for patients of all backgrounds at our Georgetown location. She loves to educate her patients about their eye health and use her expertise to manage a variety of eye conditions.

A Houston native, Dr. Tufail received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Houston in 2013, and later her optometry degree from their college of optometry in 2017. She gained further experience in the field working at a private practice in Washington, D.C., where she helped identify a tumor in an unsuspecting patient, helping to save their life. Throughout her extensive training and work experience, she developed an interest in challenging medical cases that affect the eyes. She now specializes in contact lenses and fitting scleral lenses on irregular corneas.

In addition to her compassionate care, Dr. Tufail has earned recognition for her academic excellence, as well as professional certifications in specialty contact lens fittings, such as those for myopia management. Her achievements include:

  • Graduated Magna Cum Laude — University of Houston, 2013
  • Certified — Euclid MAX™ Ortho-K Contact Lens Fitting
  • Certified — Paragon CRT® Contact Lens Fitting
  • Certified — Zenlens® Scleral Lens Fitting

Before joining Bristol Family Eyecare, she volunteered with the Houston Health Foundation’s “See to Succeed” initiative, providing free vision exams and corrective eyewear to children between the ages of six to 18 years old. In addition to taking her time to connect with her patients in English, she also speaks Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi!

Outside of our office, she enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, trying local coffee shops, and spending time with her husband and their baby.

Lori Palmer, O.D.

Allison Orr, O.D.

Dr. Allison Orr is a skilled optometrist who cares for patients of all ages at our Bee Cave location. She aims to improve patients’ lives by providing excellent optometric care using the latest technology and her caring eye.

Originally from Long Beach, CA, Dr. Orr completed her undergrad at Chapman University, earning a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and molecular biology. She went on to earn her Doctor of Optometry at the Southern California College of Optometry at Marshal B. Ketchum University. She completed her optometric residency in pediatrics at the University of Houston.

Dr. Orr’s diverse training has enabled her to work with a variety of people, including patients with binocular vision problems, patients recovering from brain injuries, athletes, veterans, and Air Force pilots. Whether providing routine or specialty care, she’s passionate about helping all of her patients on their path to better vision.

She has received several accolades, including:

  • Excellence in Vision Therapy Award — 2019
  • Eschenbach Optik Low Vision Award — 2019
  • Kiwanis Low Vision Rehabilitation Award — 2019
  • American Academy of Optometry — Fellowship

Dr. Orr has a special interest in providing pediatric care in a comfortable environment, backed by her friendly demeanor and residency experience. She loves the family mindset at Bristol Family Eyecare, and provides efficient, compassionate, and knowledgeable care to each patient she sees.

Dr. Orr stays involved in her community by helping teach Sunday school to three- to five-year-old children. She currently lives in Austin with her husband and two cats. When she’s not at the office, she enjoys spending her free time hiking, painting, and playing volleyball.

Lori Palmer, O.D.

Bea Smith, Au.D., FAAA

Dr. Bea Smith is our audiology provider at our Lakeway and Georgetown locations. She specializes in helping patients make the most of their hearing using the latest technology. She provides services such as hearing exams, hearing aid fittings, and aftercare programs aimed at ensuring optimal hearing aid performance.

Dr. Bea completed her undergraduate degree with honors in speech pathology and audiology, with a minor in special education, from Miami University. She earned her master’s degree and doctorate at Indiana University and went on to work in two of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the nation to help patients with different diseases and abilities. She is licensed to fit hearing aids and practice audiology by the state of Texas.

A highly specialized researcher, Dr. Bea’s findings on genetics, hearing, cancer, and chemotherapy have been published in various journals. Along with her research partner, she has even pioneered a drug that blocks the harmful effects of chemotherapy on hearing, something that occurs in certain brain cancer patients. Previously, Dr. Bea was a former specialist at a hearing aid company where she instructed providers on how to better serve patients across the country. She has also regularly completed speaking engagements at national and international conferences.

In addition to her esteemed work in the field of audiology and beyond, Dr. Bea is part of:

  • American Academy of Audiology — Fellow

Outside of work, Dr. Bea has worked as a volunteer doctor in Honduras and is proficient in American Sign Language. Originally from Ohio, she enjoys making home improvement projects, fostering dogs for a local rescue shelter, traveling, and spending time with her own dogs Hazel and Pfeiffer.

Check Out Our Optical Staff

Andrea

Office Manager

Andrea is a dedicated professional with a passion for healthcare management. Born and raised in Long Island, New York, she brings a strong sense of community and empathy to her role. With a background as a refractive surgery coordinator for two years, Andrea has honed her organizational skills and attention to detail. Outside of work, she cherishes time spent with her family, including her husband and two bonus sons. An avid cat lover, Andrea finds joy in caring for her feline companions. In her free time, she enjoys staying active through regular workouts, balancing her commitment to health and wellness with her devotion to her loved ones.

Elizabeth

Lead Optician

Elizabeth is an integral part of the Bristol Family Eyecare team, serving as our lead optician for the past four years. With her keen eye for fashion and detail, she excels in styling frames to perfectly complement each patient’s unique facial features and personal style preferences. Beyond her professional expertise, Elizabeth finds joy in her passions outside of work. An avid equestrian enthusiast, she spends her free time immersed in the world of horses, finding solace and excitement in riding. Additionally, Elizabeth enjoys the tranquility of paddle boarding and the lively rhythms of country music dancing, embracing a well-rounded lifestyle that reflects her vibrant personality and zest for life.

Shannon

Optician

Hi! I’m Shannon, Bristol Family Eyecare’s resident mascot and glasses enthusiast. I love the work I do with eyecare and styling. Helping my patients feel and look good in the process is a passion of mine. Good vision and style is important for everyone. In my spare time I enjoy artwork of all kinds. I love bright, bold colors and shapes and try to let them flow through all aspects of my life, especially work. A fun fact about me is I’m always expanding my ever growing glasses collection. I’m working on number 19 as we speak! There’s no such thing as too many glasses! If you’re looking to improve your quality of life though vision and style, come and see me! I love to meet new people and I’m looking forward to helping you feel comfortable and confident in your new eyewear!

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REVIEWS

- Charles K.

Dr. Bristol is fantastic. Professional and friendly. Takes time to explain things. Never feels rushed. I've been a patient for about 10 years now, and always a good experience. The staff is super friendly, and the huge selection of frames is great.

- Steve A.

Highly recommend

- Lance O.

Our family of six have been patients and fans of Dr. Bristol’s for 15+ years. I’ve been a CRT user for 14 of those years and love the freedom (without surgery.) My wife’s vision has been a moving target for the last ten years but Dan has patiently kept up. Kids are all happy with the service. Most of all we love Dan’s holistic approach screening for a number of potential health issues that can reveal themselves in the health of your eyes.

- Jeff L.

Super service -- as usual and despite to COVID-19 pandemic. It doesn't get any better than this.

- Marlo U.

Always friendly and professional. The front staff and back staff are equally fantastic! They are extremely helpful and very efficient at getting you in and out in a timely fashion. I have found them to be outstanding with follow up care (i.e. frame adjustments, etc.) as well. Overall, a great choice!

- RayATX

Great facility, staff and service. Dr Bristol and team are fast, friendly and knowledgeable. In my experience they are prepared with the upfront insurance plan info so that you understand your covered options throughout the process (no financial surprises ) which I appreciate . The office also has a good selection of frames on hand to roils out the process.