<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-11</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000868263</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NATIONAL VISION INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NVI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001181069</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MORRISON ANGUS C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Sr. VP &amp; CFO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>13125</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14459</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Grant of restrictetd stock under Restated Stock Option and Incentive Award Plan.  Shares vest in one-third increments on each of the first three anniversaries of the grant date.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Grant of restricted stock for which the reporting person paid no consideration.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Mitchell Goodman for Angus C. Morrison</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-11</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

