Our Team of Doctors in Central Texas

Comprehensive Ophthalmologist & Cataract Surgeon

Dr. Jonathan Welch is a board-certified ophthalmologist who has been practicing general ophthalmology in San Marcos since 2008.

Dr. Welch was born and raised in Longview, TX. He received his undergraduate degree with honors in chemical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He obtained his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. After a one-year internship in Austin at Brackenridge Hospital, he completed his three-year ophthalmology residency at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN.

Dr. Welch sees patients in the San Marcos office. He is committed to providing the most advanced medical care possible to his patients, and his interests include cataract evaluation and treatment, glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration, and comprehensive ophthalmology. He specializes in no-stitch cataract surgery, including astigmatism correction lenses and multifocal intraocular lenses. Dr. Welch is also recognized as a Texas Monthly “Super Doctor”.

During his free time, Dr. Welch enjoys traveling, snowboarding, and mountain biking.

Comprehensive Ophthalmologist & Cataract Surgeon

As a Texas Monthly “Super Doctor”, Dr. Joshua Hu is known for his warm bedside manner and dedication to superior eye care. Dr. Hu is a board-certified ophthalmologist who has been practicing general ophthalmology since 2008.

Dr. Hu was born and raised in Tampa, FL. He received his undergraduate degree with distinction in chemistry from Yale University and obtained his medical degree at The University of Florida College of Medicine where he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society for graduating in the top 10% of his class. He then completed a one-year medical internship at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, IN, in association with the Indiana University School of Medicine before completing his residency in ophthalmology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN.

Dr. Hu has a special interest in cataract surgery, as well as the evaluation and treatment of many common eye diseases including dry eye syndrome, glaucoma, macular degeneration, ocular complications in diabetes, and other systemic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and thyroid disease.

Dr. Hu is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Texas Medical Association, and the Tri County Medical Society.

Appointments with Dr. Hu are available in our San Marcos office.

In his free time, Dr. Hu enjoys playing golf, rooting for Florida Gator athletics and his hometown professional sports teams, and spending time with his two French bulldogs, Max and Juliet.

Dr. Smith is excited to return to Texas and join the CTEC team. Dr. Smith grew up in San Antonio, where she graduated from the University of Texas Medical School in 1994, completed her internship, and attended Stanford University to complete her ophthalmology training.

Dr. Smith started off in a refractive surgery practice and did several thousand refractive procedures at that time. Then, the economy crashed after 9/11 and the practice closed at the same time Dr. Smith was having her first daughter. Dr. Smith decided to focus on cataract surgery and general ophthalmology, which she has been doing ever since.

Dr. Smith lived in California for 23 years, where she met her husband, Graham, and raised their 2 girls. Once their girls went to college in Baylor, they thought about moving back to Texas. Dr. Smith and her family made the decision, and they are so glad they did. Dr. Smith is excited for this next chapter in life, and in her spare time, enjoys traveling, gardening, and spending time with family.

Kellen Riccobono, OD, joined Central Texas Eye Center in July 2022. She is a fellowship-trained Therapeutic Optometrist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. She completed her Bachelors in Biology at the University of Texas at Austin followed by her Doctor of Optometry degree at The University of Houston College of Optometry. She then completed a fellowship in which she specialized in contact lenses. Her previous experience includes working as a Clinical Professor at the New England College of Optometry and at the BostonSight PROSE clinic where she helped design and fit custom scleral lenses in patients with advanced corneal disease. 

Dr. Riccobono specializes in Rigid Gas Permeable and Hybrid Lenses, Scleral Lenses, Specialty soft contact lenses (including tinted lenses), and Myopia Management. She is now accepting patients ages 6 years and up. 

During her free time, she enjoys exploring new restaurants and hiking. 

CJ Dale, OD, joined Central Texas Eye Center in August of 2022. Dr. Dale was born and raised along the Puget Sound in Washington State. He received his Bachelors in Biology from Carleton College, a small college in Southeastern Minnesota. Prior to optometry school, he worked in research and development for a small San Antonio based medical device company, while simultaneously pursuing an MPH in Epidemiology from UT Health Science Center School of Public Health. Dr. Dale then received his Therapeutic Optometry degree with honors from the University of Houston.

Dr. Dale welcomes patients for comprehensive eye exams, contact lens fittings, stubborn red eyes, diabetic eye exams as well as the management and detection of common ocular diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. He has special interests in pediatric eye exams, low-vision aids/magnifiers, and myopia management. Dr Dale is now accepting patients ages 4 years old and up.

Dr. Dale is a member of the Texas Optometric Society and the Texas Public Health Association Vision Care Section. He has a passion for improving public health awareness for vision care and tries to exemplify this passion as a clinician by conveying individualized and encouraging education with his patients.

Outside of the office, CJ enjoys staying active and explore the outdoors. He likes to spend quality time and share new experiences with his family and friends. 

Dr. Jeffers, originally from Ogallala, Nebraska, brings a passion for innovation and patient education to Central Texas. He graduated from Harvard College with a degree in human developmental and regenerative biology and a minor in the history of science. He earned his medical doctorate from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Dr. Jeffers completed his residency at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary in Chicago, Illinois.

With a diverse interest in ophthalmology, Dr. Jeffers specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, dry eye, macular degeneration, eyelid abnormalities, and diabetic retinopathy. He offers minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries aimed at slowing the progression of vision loss. Dr. Jeffers is an active member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, staying current with the latest advancements.

After 8 years of relocating from Chicago, Dr. Jeffers is eager to be closer to his family in Central Texas. In his free time, Dr. Jeffers enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and camping with his wife and young daughter. A history enthusiast, he particularly enjoys reading about WW2 military history. He delights in cooking Italian cuisine and exploring new travel destinations.

Dr. Jeffers welcomes new patients at the San Marcos and New Braunfels offices, offering compassionate care and innovative treatments to improve eye health.