After graduating from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis in 1999, Dr. Nelson began his career as a Naval Officer, where he led optometry services and helped establish off-site clinics serving active duty service members, retirees, and their families.
Following his military service, he opened a private practice in Corpus Christi and later expanded care to include mobile services for nursing home residents beginning in 2010. As demand grew, he transitioned to providing full-time on-site care for elderly and medically complex patients, a role he continues today.
With decades of experience diagnosing and managing eye disease, Dr. Nelson founded Hill Country Dry Eye and Specialty Care in Fredericksburg to bring advanced technology and specialized treatment options to the Hill Country community that were not previously available in the region.
After graduating from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis in 1999, Dr. Nelson began his career as a Naval Officer, where he led optometry services and helped establish off-site clinics serving active duty service members, retirees, and their families.
Following his military service, he opened a private practice in Corpus Christi and later expanded care to include mobile services for nursing home residents beginning in 2010. As demand grew, he transitioned to providing full-time on-site care for elderly and medically complex patients, a role he continues today.
With decades of experience diagnosing and managing eye disease, Dr. Nelson founded Hill Country Dry Eye and Specialty Care in Fredericksburg to bring advanced technology and specialized treatment options to the Hill Country community that were not previously available in the region.
Over the years, his practice has become a trusted second-opinion destination, with patients traveling hours from across Texas for his evaluation. He has cared for multiple generations of families, grandparents, their children, and now their grandchildren, reflecting the long-standing trust he has built within the community.
Despite his extensive experience, Dr. Nelson remains approachable and accessible. It is not uncommon for patients to recognize him at the grocery store or around town and ask, “Hey Doc, do you have a minute?” That familiarity reflects the kind of doctor he has always aimed to be: knowledgeable, steady, and part of the community he serves.
Dr. Nelson has practiced in nearly every setting eye care offers and regularly contributes to professional discussions, publications, and continuing education programs at the local, state, and national levels. He also served as an FDA development investigator for one of the most widely used contact lenses on the market and even wrote a book on practice management.
He lives in Fredericksburg with his wife, Dawnette, and around town he is often better known as “Dawnette’s husband.” They have two sons, one at Fredericksburg High School and the other a member of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M in College Station. Outside the clinic, you will likely find him outdoors hunting, fishing, enjoying shooting sports, wine tasting in our beautiful community or keeping a close eye on whatever is on the smoker.
