With more than 50 years of experience in the field, our doctors do not simply provide the highest level of vision correction. Drs. Helen, Neil, Margaret, Nelly, and Nimi have all worked hand in hand with some of the most respected eye surgeons in Chicago and the Midwest. Each doctor is trained and licensed to manage difficult medical issues that may be affecting the eyes. We value a great pair of glasses and the safest, most comfortable contact lenses. But our singular, the most paramount focus will always be your eyes. Definitely most friendly eye doctors in Chicago, Illinois!
Eye doctors in Chicago, Illinois
Meet our Doctors and Staff
Education: University of Wisconsin – Madison, Illinois College of Optometry
Since moving to Illinois from Wisconsin over 20 years ago, Neil Boldus has proudly adapted to becoming a Chicagoan. When he’s not busy bringing vision to the masses, Neil works on his golf game, but never seems to improve. As a Doctor of Optometry, Neil has a knack for difficult contact lens fits, taking the time and care to improve your vision. He realizes that not all eyes are created equal and will faithfully match your eyes with the correct product. His best tip for your eyes? Wear sunglasses. They protect your eyes and the face around them from damaging UV rays. They’re not just for being cool.
Education: Loyola University – Chicago, Illinois College of Optometry
Helen Tzanetakos has called Chicago home for over 20 years and always made it her goal provide eye care here. Helen wants the world to see you as clearly as you’ll see the world. It’s her ability to connect with patients and to form lasting relationships that she excels in as a Doctor of Optometry. At Vision Boutique, it is Helen’s personal mission to keep your eyes as fashionable as they are clear-sighted. Her best tip for your eyes? Computers cause most contact lens wearers dryness and discomfort. Get your eyes checked every year to make sure you have the best contacts and glasses for the job.
Education: Loyola University – Chicago, Illinois College of Optometry
Born and raised in Krakow, Poland, Malgorzata Kiwacz has made Chicago her home since she was 13. Now, if she isn’t out biking, she’s busy making sure Chicagoans get a picture perfect view of the world. Margaret became a Doctor of Optometry because, in part, she enjoys Pediatrics and working with children. Her best advice is to get kids to have their first eye exam when they can reliably read the alphabet. Being proactive with children will help them be better prepared for the stress their eyes will endure as they enter the wired classroom and beyond.
Education: DePaul University, Illinois College of Optometry
Dr. Nelly has spent the last 20 years living in the Chicagoland area. Providing high-quality, comprehensive eye care is her priority. At the same time, Nelly enjoys helping patients achieve a fashionable look with trendy frames. She believes in individualizing care to meet the unique needs of each patient. Nelly is a strong proponent of preventative care and takes great pride in educating patients about their ocular health. Outside of the office, Nelly enjoys traveling, exploring Chicago’s diverse culinary scene, and spending time with her husband and two children.
Education: Ohio State University
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Namrata (Nimi) Shah earned her Bachelor’s and Doctorate of Optometry degree at Ohio State University. With a passion for learning, she went on to complete a residency specializing in ocular disease at the Cleveland VA Medical Center. In her spare time, when she’s not perfecting vision, she likes to check out Chicago’s food festivals, go for a run on the lake, and travel the world.
Dr. Amy Cartwright was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from The University of Akron, moving to Chicago to complete her Doctorate of Optometry Degree from the Illinois College of Optometry. She prioritizes providing exceptional ophthalmic care for her patients in a comfortable environment. She enjoys helping her patients find the best correction for their individual needs, whether that be a fashionable pair of glasses or comfortable contact lenses. When she is not at the office she enjoys practicing yoga, reading, and exploring the city.
Tiffany has been in the optical industry for 20 years now, with an ABO Certification to add to her hands-on experience. She has been a part of Vision Boutique from the time it all started: 2004. Tiffany’s favorite part of being an optician is helping patients select the perfect frames that highlight their personality. She’s seen that if the frames make them look great, then it makes them feel great! Tiffany likes pushing the limit and getting patients to love frames they normally wouldn't have even tried on.
Tiffany is passionate about sports and all Chicago teams... except the White Sox! She loves being from Chicago because of all the great food, giving her the opportunity to explore the city and try new restaurants. Tiffany loves bowling whether it's Monday night league or traveling to different places for the national tournament every year. High game is 279.
Often mistaken to be from the Philippines, but actually born and raised in India, Zuala, or more commonly referred to as "Z", started his optical career almost a decade and a half ago. He joined the Vision Boutique family in early 2011, while still managing a different optical store. He came on board full-time later that year as the manager of our then newest location in Lakeview.
Z has been a board certified optician since 2007. His love for the field stems beyond just styling his patients with the latest trends and technology in lenses; he loves the theoretical components of optics, and the manufacturing process as well. He heads our 3 labs, training any and all interested staff to be able to produce patient's glasses. Combine all that with his managerial skills, you could very well say he is a jack of all trades!
With his very down-to-earth personality and laid-back style, you can always count on Z to make you laugh, or reel you into some silliness (when appropriate!). It is no wonder the staff confide in Z, and feel he is a great advocate for them. Outside of work, he likes long walks on the beach with his wife and dog....OK, maybe not, but he is pretty much down to do almost anything.
As a Chicago native, Fernando loves the city and the entertainment that can be enjoyed in the area. He’s been an Optician for 8 years, is ABO certified, and has 2 years of experience manufacturing lenses. Fernando always provides excellent service with a smile! When not fitting people for glasses, Fernando works as sound engineer and travels to Mexico every year to visit family.
Matthew was born and raised in Muncie, IN, until he moved to Chicago in 2006. He has a keen eye for design and studied fashion merchandising at the Academy of Design. Matthew has been an Optician for 3 years and is a Board Certified Optician. He’s a board game enthusiast and enjoys spending time with friends. It’s easy to see that he’s passionate about customer service, with a goal to provide an amazing experience for every patient.
For the past few years, Dominique has enjoyed being part of the West Loop Eye Care/Vision Boutique team as a Lead Optometric Technician. She brings over twenty years of customer service experience, and takes great pleasure in assisting patients with scheduling appointment and preliminary testing. Outside the office, Dominique enjoys living a healthy lifestyle. She spends much of her free time pursuing various fitness goals in bodybuilding. She loves spending time with her family; including her fur baby Z2.
Like a true California native, Dina enjoys spending warm summer days at the beach with her friends and family. While at work, she loves helping patients pick out the perfect pair of specs and showing them cool pictures of their retina! Outside of Vision Boutique, Dina is studying to become a radiology technician at Resurrection University.
Danny is our Chicago born optical technician. You can always find him with an upbeat attitude when in his workspace! In his free time away from the pre-test room, he likes to spend time mastering his music production and playing basketball. He's currently completing his degree in health services.
Originally from central Illinois, Catherine has called Chicago home for almost 6 years. She began her career in eye care in 2004 and has has experience in optical, hospital settings, and LASIK surgery centers. Wherever she's been, Catherine has always had the same goal: To help patients see, look, and feel their best. In her free time, Catherine enjoys spending time with her husband and 5 year old daughter, Netflix binging, and is always on the quest for the perfect donut.
Jason has 20+ years in the optical business working in both Ophthalmology and Optometry practices. He loves finding patients the perfect pair of eyewear. He moved to Chicago in the fall of 2017 and has enjoyed everything the city has to offer. In his spare time, Jason enjoys hanging out with friends and family, traveling, squeezing his Ragdoll cat Moe, and showing Arabian horses.
Chicago raised and born into and optical family. His father an Optometrist and his mother has owned and run opticals for decades, Greg has been called the optical prodigy of his generation. Raised in opticals his whole life even learning how to edge lenses before he could walk, he has been working as an ABO certified optician for the past 6 years. When he is not curing the blind, he spends his free time making music, DJing, and riding his Harley.
Fonz was born and raised in Chicago. He has been working in the optical field since 2016 and has a great knack for helping patients find the perfect eye frame. When he's not punched in, Fonz is outliving the city life. He enjoys great food, discovering new spots throughout the city, and spending time at home with his family and friends.
Born and raised in the Logan Square/ Humboldt Park neighborhoods of Chicago; Cynthia has been working in the optical field in between her breaks during undergrad for the past two years. She enjoys greeting patients with a smile, explaining instruments in the pretest room, and teaching patients how to put on contacts for the first time. Outside of work, Cynthia spends her time attending concerts, checking out neighborhood festivals, and spending time with her family. Cynthia recently earned her degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Go Illini!), she plans on applying to and attending Optometry school.
Jackson is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina where he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. Jackson has worked in the customer service industry for over seven years and loves using his experiences to help patients. Styling patients in the perfect eyewear that they absolutely love is Jackson's favorite part of working with Vision Boutique. When not at work, Jackson loves singing and shopping. Interesting fun fact about Jackson is that he loves gymnastics and competed in Power Tumbling for the United States National Team for 4 years and earned a bronze medal at the 2015 World Trampoline and Tumbling Gymnastics Championships in Denmark. Jackson is also a father to two adorable Chihuahua Maltese puppies.
Ariele was born and raised in Northwest Indiana and is excited to bring her knowledge of the region community into the Saint John, IN location. She graduated from Purdue University Northwest in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in English. She has dabbled in many industries including teaching, customer service, and finances. This is her first opportunity to work in the optical field, and she is currently studying to obtain her certification through the American Board of Opticianry. Her favorite part about being an optician is encouraging patients to be open to trying new styles. She loves watching patients’ faces light up when they find the pair of glasses that works for them! In her spare time, she enjoys keeping up with her favorite shows on Netflix and Hulu and expressing her creativity through painting, drawing, and photography.
Angela is a certified paraoptometric technician who is dedicated to the best possible eye health for our patients. When not helping patients with their eyecare and eyewear needs, she is chasing her son around and learning that the terrible two’s are giving way to the tantrum three’s. She is a Northwest Indiana native and a self-avowed foodie.
Veronica joined the vision boutique family in 2020. Born and raised in Chicago she has 20 years of customer service experience and loves working with people. She Enjoys outdoor activities, Art and Halloween. She loves to travel to one new state every year, and also discovering new places in Illinois. She has 2 Fur babies, Theodore and Hobleston and loves cuddling with them when at home.
Cole is from a small town in northern Minnesota where he lived until moving to Minneapolis for college. Cole has been in the optical industry since 2012 working in a variety of roles.
In his free time, Cole enjoys traveling, volunteering, and fostering through PAWS Chicago. Cole loves cats and currently has one cat named Sebastian who is quite spoiled.
Bre is one of our newest opticians. She exudes with personality, and enjoys making every day something to smile about. In her free time, Bre likes to spend time with family and friends creating new memories.
Chandni is an Illinois native and has a passion for all aspects involving eyecare. She has a multitude of experience over the last 5 years with being a previous optical lab technician, medical assistant at an oculoplastic surgery center and also at a general optometry clinic. She has a passion for making sure patients get the best care and find the perfect pair of glasses to emphasize their personality and tastes. Her interests include supporting Chicago sports teams, trying new cuisines and traveling around the world. Ultimately she would like to create a non-profit organization to help with providing education and healthcare in resource-poor areas across the world.
Brooke has been in the optical business for 10 + years working with both ophthalmology and optometry practices. She feels the right pair of glasses not only changes how you see, but can boost your self confidence and improve how you feel. Brooke is a Chicago native. She loves spending time outdoors hiking and kayaking with her family and friends.
Yaxeni really enjoys traveling and seeing what memories different cities have to bring. She was born and raised in Chicago and began her 1+ years of optical experience in San Diego. She then transitioned her move from sunny SoCal, to upstate NY. Yaxeni is really good at styling patients into pairs of glasses that can bring out their confidence and best selves. She is excited to continue in the industry of optical work and cannot wait for what the future holds!
When she isn't immersing herself in her optical work, she loves diving into her passion for real estate, running, and enjoying a good eat out with friends. She is currently in the process of getting her real estate license and hopes to one day be able to rebuild the neighborhoods in the Southside of Chicago and donate to Chicago Public Schools.
