David Fissel, OD

Dr. Fissell is a gem — he is easy-​going but very professional, works hard to find the right contact lens or glasses Rx, and is very flexible (do you usually wear contacts for this or glasses? which would you prefer?). I cannot imagine going to anyone else!

Dr. Fissel was absolutely divine. He truly cares about his patients and it’s evident.
After 24 years of life, and horrible Midwestern eye care, I finally learned my eye ailments after 30 minutes with Dr. Fissel.
Hopefully, one day, I’ll be able to see 3D again.
Receptionists are nice.

Dr. Fissel, is a phenomenal optometrist. He genuinely cares for his patients and provides excellent service. I have been a patient for over 20 years and would not trust my eyes to anyone else.
Thank you
VRob

Dr. Fissel is a fantastic eye doc. If I were truly just rating him, I’d give him five stars.
Unfortunatly, after trying to work with his office for the last two years, my wife and I are finished using his services.
Our insurance will reimburse us for the office visit, but only if the provider name and license number appear on the invoice they issue. It doesn’t. On each of four instances of our visits over two years, we’ve been told by the staff that they can either fax it to us or mail it to us. Sorry, scanning and emailing is not an option.
Then, we offer the receptionist our address and she refuses to take it, saying she has it. We wait a week. Nothing. Two weeks. Nothing. Then we call again, go through the same exercise, and recieve nothing in the mail.
I tried calling Dr Fissel to report this problem. He tried calling me but I was on a call so I called back. Receptionist, now on to me for reporting this problem, said she’d let him know I returned the call. I doubt it. Never heard a thing back.
For the love of God, fire your incompetent staff, read user reviews of others at other eye shops, and hire them away so that you have skilled, pleasant, honest people working with you who are reflective of the excellent work you do Dr. Fissel.

Rude and indifferent receptionist. I walked in to schedule an appointment, nobody was there except the receptionist and me. She was on the phone, so I quietly stood in front of her for five minutes… No acknowledgement. I sat down (within view) for 10 minutes more… the phone is ringing, she doesn’t answer. A lady walks in, she gets the same treatment as me. The receptionist never acknowledged us or tried to communicate in any way! I deliberately didn’t initiate conversation just to see if she would do her job… eventually, I got up and left.

I’ve been going to David Fissel for years, and I feel very comfortable with his medical expertise and manner. If I only had to deal with Fissel himself, I’d give the business 4 stars. However I’ve had ups and downs with the office staff — some seem competent and friendly, some are surly or downright rude. The worst, however is the billing department. On my last encounter, the bill was incorrectly submitted to insurance, and my several calls to Wanda were never acknowledged or acted on. When I called the office, I was told that they didn’t have any control or influence over the billing department. REALLY!!! However, after I made an appointment with Fissel for the sole purpose of complaining about the billing issue, somehow something happened and I got a call from Wanda in billing, who turned out to actually know what the problem was, and took action that seems to have resolved the issue. All’s well that ends well, I guess… but it seems like it shouldn’t have taken multiple calls and a threat.

I am only in DC for roughly 4 months for an internship and I got new glasses from back home and had them shipped here. Now, I needed to get them fitted to my face because they are a tad bit too big, but that is very routine when people get glasses anyway. When I went in the person who was supposed to help me knew I was there but did not attend to me right away even though he seemed not to be busy. When he finally did attend to me, he kept on saying how big my glasses were for my face, that I should have got something smaller, etc. etc.
Look, obviously I know how big my glasses are for my face, it is not for you to tell me the style does not fit, you don’t know me. That being said, I am giving them 1 star for the main fact that I was not treated very nicely, y’all need to work on your manners.

I have been going to Eye Central for years. The doctors are great and the staff takes good care of you. If you like the idea of a good old fashion neighborhood Optomitrest and not some chain store poking at your eyes, this is the place for you.

I came in for a routine eye exam, and was fitted for both glasses and contacts. Dr. David Fissel is great — thorough exam, took his time to answer questions in detail, and even went over the most economical way for me to save money on glasses/​contacts! Ron fitted me for glasses and provided excellent service, allowing me to take a look around and try on different pairs with great patience and without annoying me like typical retailers usually do. I have no complaints about the collection of glasses here as I’m sure there is something for everyone, it is abundant with trendy and classic looks. The front desk staffer (I’m sorry, I can’t recall your name but you were awesome) was very kind and took the time to explain my itemized bill to me at the end of my visit. Overall a wonderful visit and I have and will continue to this office to all my friends!

Dr. Foley was nice and provided a competent eye exam. The receptionists were rude, which I expected after I made the appointment over the phone.
My biggest complaint is the «minimum» $ 98 extra fee (they actually charged me $ 108) for a contact lense fitting that I found out about after arriving and insurance does not cover. I’ve worn contacts for 18 years, and I’ve had the same prescription for at least the past three years. I know what contacts I wear and don’t need a special fitting to ensure they fit and I can see out of them. I just moved here from New York and my previous doctor never charged me this ridiculous fee.
Once again, I was prescribed the same contact lenses, and this office charged me an additional $ 108 that I had to pay out of pocket. If it wasn’t so late in the year, I would have canceled and gone somewhere else.
Dr. Foley claims that every «reputable» optometrist charges this fee, but I know this is not true, based on my previous experience. And how an extra 2 minutes in a chair costs them $ 108 is beyond me! This is just another example of doctors nickel and diming their patients and getting as much money as they possibly can. I will be looking elsewhere for my future exams and asking about hidden fees before I go in!

I’ve been a patient of Dr. Foley’s for several years, and I recommend him any time I talk to someone who’s looking for an optometrist. The staff have always been helpful and professional, and Dr. Foley himself is friendly and thorough.

I posted this on what I thought was the correct page – I’m not certain that it is, and this one has more reviews so maybe this page is where the majority of people have left their reviews. My initial post is from April of this year. Update is from today.
INITIAL POST (2 STARS): I have to, first off, give props to Eye Central for working with my crazy schedule. I had to reschedule my appointment 3 times because of work conflicts that kept coming up and every time I called, it was easy and quick to reschedule. I like that I can fill all the forms out online, as well.
My actual appointment was great. The front office staff, though not overly friendly, were not rude to me (shocking that this is a standard). The doctor was great – nice guy, efficient, provided great advice about switching contacts. I was on my way in about 45 minutes with some new contacts to try.
I decided I wanted to buy the contacts he’d recommended I try, so I called a week later and ordered 4 boxes. Here’s where my issues began. I was charged for the entire 4 boxes – there was no reduction for my benefits, and my insurance was not billed. When they called to let me know my contacts were in, I asked just to make certain that my insurance had been billed (for some reason I thought I might be reimbursed and that’s why I had shelled out for the entire 4 boxes up front) – «oh yes, your insurance has been billed» I was reassured. 4 weeks later, I was certain that my insurance hadn’t been billed – my FSA should have been triggered for reimbursement for a portion and there was no indication my FSA had received any billing information. I called and finally someone (a pleasant woman named Wanda) understood what had happened. She told that my credit card would be credited the amount that should have been immediately deducted for my benefits, though made no apology of any kind for the massive mistake and inconvenience. More than one week later, the credit STILL does not show up on my credit card. My bank has no record of a credit coming through, and my insurance does not show a claim for my contacts.
I called just now and Wanda wasn’t in. The man who answered my call made no attempt to help me, though offered to take a message for me (seriously!?).
This is ridiculous. I’m out nearly $ 200 for several months and seemingly no one cares enough to help.
One star for the doctor and his portion of my interaction with this office, half a star for Wanda understanding my billing issue, and half a star for the flexibility in scheduling. But for those things, this office is terrible. I wish I didn’t have to go back, and I suppose I don’t, but they are super convenient for work, and shockingly, better than the My Eye Dr. location in Farragut West I went before. Sigh.
UPDATE (ON STAR): finally got my first issue addressed after I went there IN PERSON and stayed until the issue was fixed. The amount of time I spent talking to rude staff and waiting on hold is outrageous.
Now, a new issue: I called to order new contacts. The woman on the phone was speaking so softly I could barely hear her. When I asked her to speak up, she was incredibly rude to me. I said I wanted 4 boxes of each eye and she quoted me a price that didn’t seem right. I had to tell her 2 more times that because my prescription is different for each eye, I wanted 4 boxes of each prescription. This doesn’t seem too difficult. I asked for them to be shipped to my house. She said they would be shipped in 3 to 5 days.
Of course because I seem to always have problems with these folks, I had to call just now to ask where my order is. I was charged 3 weeks ago and haven’t seen my contacts yet. When I called, I was informed that my contacts were on back order and hadn’t been shipped until 2 weeks after I ordered them. It seems common sense to let a customer know that there would be a delay in shipping goods that had already been paid for.
I’m over this place. I will never go there again. Terrible customer service, terribly rude people. It’s a shame because the doctor seemed really great.

Dr Fissel and Foley are extremely professional, prompt and respect my time. Appointment scheduling, ordering contacts or other items is simple,. I’ve seen both doctors finding them both thoughtful and talented. It’s a pleasure to visit a doctor who isn’t trying to up-​sell you a procedure or rush you through our appointment. Dr Fissel takes the time to explain best eye care practices based on my condition. The bonus — they are close to work. Parking or Metro is available

I’ve been going to Eye Central for about three years now and seeing Dr. Foley. They are fast, efficient, courtesy and centrally located… everything I want in a doctor. Last time I got my appointment times switched and they were still able to accomodate me. I don’t really have any negative feedback.

I was referred to Dr. Fissel approximately 7 months ago and have not regretted my decision to check out his practice ! He is extremely knowledgeable and personable and has been a huge help in my decision to undergo LASIK surgery… The staff at the Capitol Hill office are very friendly and I enjoy talking with them while waiting for my appointment. I would definitely recommend him/​his office, as every experience I’ve had was great !

I’ve been coming here for exams, contacts & glasses for more than 10 years. Dr Fissel is the best optometrist I’ve ever seen; he gives thorough exams and actually remembers you. The front office staff has always been helpful in my experience.

Eye Central is great! From the minute I walked in, everyone was very helpful and friendly. I fell in love with a pair of glasses that Clarence, the eyeglass specialist, picked out — a pair I don’t think I would have ever picked out on my own. My new glasses came in quickly too. I highly recommend going to Eye Central!

I recently had my first examination with Dr. Foley and my first visit to this shop — I was verifying my prescription and completing an order for some contact lens.
My experience was very positive. I found Dr. Foley to be a very professional and knowledgeable optometrist, who patiently answered my questions and discussed different contact lens options with me. I definitely plan on following up with him and using him in the future for my vision needs.
I found the office staff to be patient, polite, and helpful. Having said that, my impression is that this is a fairly busy office, and the office staff do seem to often have to handle several patients at once, so perhaps that explains some of the negative experiences other reviewers have had. This is a Capitol HIll office too, built in an older, historic building, so the waiting area is a bit smaller than more modern offices.
Still, my experience was very positive, even though I had to wait for assistance on a couple of occasions, the staff were very pleasant about it and made sure I was «kept in the loop» as they completed my order.
So I would certainly recommend Dr. Foley and «Eye Central» for those in the Capitol Hill area needing eye glasses or contacts!

While my first visit to Dr. Fissel and Eye Central was positive, unfortunately, after trying to go back as a return patient, I will be looking for a new optometrist. I made an appointment in August and was called two days before to ask to reschedule, which I did for September. In between, they called me and said that if I could come in immediately, I could see the doctor. When I got there, the receptionist had no idea why I was there and told me that the doctor wasn’t available. Leaving frustrated having just left work, I told them that I would be back for my regular appointment. Well, two days before, I got another call saying that the doctor needed to reschedule again. There are plenty of good optometrists in DC that can keep appointments with their patients and I’ll be going to see one of them.

Unilocal, why can we not use ½ stars?
Anyway. Dr. Fissel is great. I had my eye exam with him. He’s very nice and knowledgeable. Eye Central… well, I dunno. They have a policy on contact lens exams– if you wear contacts, you’re supposed to have the exam, even if it’s not for an initial fitting. It’s $ 98 and your insurance doesn’t cover it– they make you sign something regarding this. Maybe I’m cheap, maybe I’m skeptical about health care stuff I might not actually need, but I decided to skip the contact lens portion of the eye exam and I didn’t sign the waiver.
It happens that I my eyeglass prescription didn’t change, so I asked if that meant my contact lens prescription would not change. Dr. Fissel could have been a jerk, and perhaps rightly so, and refused to tell me, or he said that I had to have the contact lens exam, but he gave me a legit answer. I’d definitely see him again, although I did have to ask the receptionist for a copy of the HIPAA agreement I was signing that I’d read/​received a copy of (I’m crazy, I know– I want to actually have a copy of something that I’d said I’d read/​received), and that seemed to cause some friction w/​her. Dr. Fissel was the one who said it wasn’t a problem for them to make a copy.