Dr. Melissa K. Downs O.D.
Dr. Downs grew up on a hobby farm in Northern Wisconsin. She enjoyed music and playing the flute, even into college. She graduated magne cum laude from St. Cloud State University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biomedical Science. She then went on to receive her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Ohio State University in 1996.
An externship in ocular disease was completed during her final year of Optometry school. She is a member of the American Optometric Association and the Minnesota Optometric Association. She is board certified in the treatment and management of ocular disease.
The most rewarding part of practice for Dr. Downs is meeting families and people in the community and having the privilege of providing their eye care over the years.
Dr. Loren Baldus O.D.
Dr. Baldus grew up on a family farm near Grand Meadow, MN. He attended Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA and graduated with a degree in biology. He then attended the Michigan College of Optometry where he earned his doctorate degree. During his time at the Michigan College of Optometry, Dr. Baldus was elected and served as the president of the student body, and was awarded the Daniel Peterson Memorial Outstanding Senior award for outstanding professional and ethical attitude demonstrated through leadership and service. He then completed two ocular disease rotations through the VA Medical system in Minneapolis, MN and Saginaw MI, followed by a rotation in Lee’s Summit Missouri with an emphasis in specialized contact lenses. Dr. Baldus is also a member of the American Optometric Association.
Dr. Baldus thoroughly enjoys the amount of personal interaction with patients that is unique to Rochester Family Eye Clinic. He also appreciates the challenges and intrigue of diagnosing and treating ocular disease. It is the wonderful staff, as well as serving Rochester and the surrounding communities, that keeps Dr. Baldus passionate in his profession.
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When not in clinic, Dr. Baldus enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter. Dr. Baldus still spends time farming with his father around the Grand Meadow area. He also enjoys numerous recreational activities including fishing, playing basketball, and cheering on Minnesota sports teams.
Dr. Daniel F. Marsac O.D.
Dr. Marsac grew up in Clarkston, MI. He attended Ferris State University and received a Bachelors degree in Vision Science. While in school he played collegiate level lacrosse. He received his Doctor of Optometry degree from Michigan College of Optometry. While in school Dr. Marsac volunteered his time with SVOSH (Student Volunteers for Optometric Services to Humanity) and traveled on a mission trip to Honduras to help those in need. His clinical experience includes Henry Ford OptimEyes, Special Needs Vision Clinic, and the Aleda Lutz VA Medical Center in Saginaw, MI.
After graduation Dr. Marsac completed a residency in Ocular Disease and Primary Care at the Dayton, OH VA Medical Center. During his residency he had the opportunity to introduce his case presentation at the American Academy of Optometry Conference in Denver, Colorado. He is also a member of the American Optometric Association, the Minnesota Optometric Association, and the American Academy of Optometry where he is actively pursuing his fellowship.
Dr. Marsac finds the profession both challenging and interesting while working to solve vision problems and manage ocular disease. The friendly patient visits help make the profession rewarding. Dr. Marsac credits the experienced staff of Rochester Family Eye Clinic for providing outstanding service to our patients. Professional interests include Diabetic eye care, management of Glaucoma, fitting of contact lenses, and routine vision exams.
While not in clinic, Dr. Marsac enjoys spending his time outside, playing golf, or working out. He also enjoys watching professional football, hockey, and baseball.
Dr. Mark A. Kidman O.D.
Dr. Kidman grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he spent his youth climbing mountains, skiing, and just about everything else the great outdoors provided. He attended Baylor University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and a Master of Science degree in Geophysics. He also competed at the collegiate level in both soccer and swimming. Dr. Kidman began his professional life as an Exploration Geophysicist in Houston. After 10 years in that industry, Dr. Kidman felt the pull toward Optometry and attended the University of Houston College of Optometry. He was a member of Beta Sigma Kappa Honor society and the Fellowship of Christian Optometrists. Dr. Kidman has special interests in primary eye care, diagnosis and treatment of eye disease, and fitting of contact lenses. He also works part-time providing eye care at the Federal Medical Center in Rochester. When away from work, Dr. Kidman stays busy enjoying life with his wife and three daughters. He is an avid bow hunter and cyclist. He also enjoys time spent on building projects around the house and family farm.
Dr. Vivien (Wing) M. Yip O.D.
Dr. Vivien Yip completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, before pursuing her Doctorate of Optometry degree at the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) in Chicago, Illinois. Upon graduating, Dr. Yip pursued a low vision and ocular disease residency at ICO, where she worked at the Chicago Lighthouse, Illinois Eye Institute, and Spectrios Institute for Low Vision. During her time in optometry school, Dr. Yip earned several awards including the Cribb Scholarship, Wildermuth Foundation Scholarship, and the Optelec Low Vision Excellence Award.
Dr. Yip is board certified by the American Board of Medical Optometry and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. She has presented at national conferences, including the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Optometry. Her research project during residency on the OrCam device, aimed at assisting individuals with low vision, was funded by the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness.
Following her training, Dr. Yip gained valuable clinical experience working at a federally qualified healthcare center in St. Paul, Minnesota. She then was appointed on staff in the ophthalmology department at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota for several years further refining her skills in both ocular disease and low vision.
Outside of her professional career, Dr. Yip enjoys spending time outdoors, particularly biking, and is often seen cycling with her husband and three young children around town in Rochester. She has a passion for crafting, including crocheting and tries to find creative ways to be environmentally sustainable. Dr. Yip enjoys exploring healthy alternatives in cooking and baking, trying new plant based recipes.
Dr. Trevor W. Johnson O.D.
Dr. Johnson grew up right here in Rochester, MN. He attended Winona State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology. He went on to earn his doctorate in Optometry from the Kentucky College of Optometry at the University of Pikeville, graduating with honors. During his time in school, Dr. Johnson gained clinical experience while on rotations and completed externships in primary eye care with an emphasis on dry eye disease and specialized contact lenses in St. Cloud, MN, ocular disease and vision therapy at Heartland Eye Consultants of Omaha, NE, and trained at a vitreoretinal specialty clinic through Retina Associates of Kentucky.
He is currently an active member of the American Optometric Association and Minnesota Optometric Association.
When not seeing patients, Dr. Johnson enjoys staying active outside, going hiking, biking, and is an avid Minnesota sports fan. He is thrilled to serve the eye care needs for patients of all ages in his hometown of Rochester and the great state of Minnesota.