Dr. Ekta Patel, OD, FOVDRA | Board-Certified Developmental Optometrist & Vision Therapy Specialist

Dr. Ekta Patel, OD, FOVDRA, is a board-certified developmental optometrist specializing exclusively in neuro-optometric rehabilitation and functional vision therapy at Cook Vision Therapy Center Inc. in Marietta, Georgia. As a full partner alongside Dr. David Cook, she brings over 23 years of clinical experience to the practice and co-consults on all patient evaluations to deliver a collaborative, dual-doctor approach to care.

Dr. Patel launched her career in 2003 before moving to the United States to complete her advanced doctoral training. She earned her Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree in 2009 from the New England College of Optometry, where she completed an accelerated doctoral track and graduated first in her class with highest honors. For her outstanding academic and clinical performance, she received the prestigious William C. Barrett Scholarship Award. She was also honored with the Advanced Standing International Program Award.

Prior to becoming a full partner at the center, Dr. Patel spent 15 years optimizing complex visual systems and visual function. Her career path changed permanently when her own intelligent child began struggling deeply with reading and developed a visible eye turn. Driven by the life-changing results of her son’s subsequent vision therapy program, she chose to focus exclusively on therapeutic intervention, completing an intensive two-year fellowship in clinical vision therapy directly under Dr. David Cook.

Today, Dr. Patel combines her personal empathy with a distinct clinical knack for resolving complex diagnostic puzzles, dedicating 100% of her time to helping families and adult patients uncover and treat hidden, tough-to-diagnose tracking and eye-teaming barriers. Reflecting her diverse international foundations, she is fully trilingual and provides comprehensive therapeutic care fluently in English, Afrikaans, and Gujarati—offering deep comfort and clear communication to a broad spectrum of local and international families.

Clinical Specializations & Areas of Expertise

Neuro-Optometric Vision Therapy: Remediation for eye-tracking delays and visual-vestibular mismatch.
Visual Processing & Learning-Related Vision Issues: Retraining hidden visual perceptual delays, tracking bugs, and visual-memory blocks that cause bright children to fall behind in reading or classroom focus.
Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD): Non-surgical corrective care for convergence insufficiency and eye-teaming problems.
Advanced Strabismus & Amblyopia Therapy: Specialized retraining for crossed, turned, or lazy eyes in both children and adults.
Post-Concussion Visual Rehabilitation: Targeted neural rebuilding for patients recovering from traumatic brain injuries or stroke.

Professional Board Certifications & Language Fluency

Fellow (FOVDRA) of the Optometric Vision Development and Rehabilitation Association
*Requires over 150 hours of postgraduate clinical study, specialized clinical residency/mentorship tracking, and successful completion of written and oral board examinations.
Languages Spoken Natively: Fluent in English, Afrikaans, and Gujarati.

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Check Out Our Resources

Dr. Cook’s Publications:

Authored books VISUAL FITNESS and WHEN YOUR CHILD STRUGGLES.
Published articles in top optometric journals.
His article “Eyesight, infinity and the human heart” was voted “Best Non-Technical Article” by the Association of Optometric Editors.