When you choose Bauer & Clausen Optometry for your eye care needs, you receive care from passionate doctors and their dedicated team. Experience the difference today!
Dr. David Bauer
Born and raised in Montana, Dr. David Bauer attended college in North Dakota and Montana prior to earning his Doctor of Optometry degree from Pacific University in 2004. There, he also met his wife, Dr. Robyn Clausen.
Dr. Bauer is passionate about vision and eye health. His dedication to delivering exceptional vision care begins the moment a patient walks into the clinic. All patients are warmly greeted, and new patients are given a brief tour of the clinic to help them feel comfortable and get to know the care team.
During the exam, Dr. Bauer takes time to get to know each patient and answers any questions or concerns. He thoroughly examines the health of the eyes, then makes certain that men, women, and children are properly fitted for glasses, contacts, or both. In some cases, Dr. Bauer may diagnose an eye infection or manage ongoing conditions such as glaucoma or macular degeneration.
Dr. Bauer credits the entire Bauer & Clausen Optometry team for their dedication to providing the highest quality vision care for every patient.
When not working with patients, Dr. Bauer enjoys life with his wife, Robyn, and two children. He’s also a self-described technology enthusiast who loves to research the latest gadgets and is known by family and friends as the go-to resource for car problems and car shopping.
Dr. Robyn Clausen
Dr. Robyn Clausen has always been interested in healthcare, and she excelled in math and science in school. She received a biology degree from South Dakota State University, where she worked in a research lab. Dr. Clausen’s passion for positively impacting others led to her decision to pursue optometry as a career. She earned a Doctor of Optometry from Pacific University, where she also met her husband, Dr. David Bauer.
Dr. Clausen practiced in Billings for two years before co-founding Bauer & Clausen Optometry in 2008. Since then, the practice has become known for providing individualized care for each patient while finding the best solution for each person’s unique visual needs.
According to Dr. Clausen, the best thing about being an optometrist is the opportunity to help connect with a patient and have an impact on their daily life, whether it’s helping a child to see clearly for the first time, improving a teen’s self-esteem with contacts, or helping patients to understand their vision correction options and eye health.
Outside the clinic, Dr. Clausen loves to spend time with her family and play the marimba. She visited El Salvador while in optometry school and looks forward to traveling more in the future.
Dr. Jessica Forsch
Dr. Jessica Forsch comes from a long line of healthcare providers, and she knew early on that she wanted to pursue medicine. In middle school she decided to become an optometrist.
While completing her bachelor’s degree at Dickinson University, Dr. Forsch worked as a receptionist, optician and paraoptometric technician. Afterward she attended the UC Berkeley School of Optometry earning her Doctor of Optometry. Clinical rotations took her across the United States before she joined Bauer & Clausen Optometry in early 2017.
For Dr. Forsch, the practice of optometry is a bit like solving a puzzle. She loves learning about each patient’s lifestyle and visual needs, then finding the right solutions to help them maintain optimal eye health, comfort and sight. Dr. Forsch is proud to be part of a team committed to using the latest technology and best diagnostic tools, and she values each and every patient.
Dr. Forsch enjoys baking, cooking, reading, and spending time with family. Never one to sit still, she’s also learning ballroom dancing, studying two languages and has recently taken up running. She also hopes to travel the world more extensively in the future.
Dr. Rachel Warner
Dr. Rachel Warner joined Bauer & Clausen Optometry in August 2022. A Montana native, Dr. Warner earned undergraduate degrees in science and Spanish from the University of Montana, and a Doctor of Optometry degree from University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry. In 2022, Dr. Warner completed her residency in Ocular Disease at Gundersen Healthcare System.
Dr. Warner’s deep interest in eyes and eye health made optometry a natural career choice. She says that seeing the happiness and relief patients feel when she is able to improve their vision and eye comfort is extremely rewarding.
In addition to Montana, Dr. Warner has lived in Texas, Wisconsin, and Argentina. While she enjoyed the various locales, she says Montana is her favorite. Dr. Warner’s interests include hiking, writing fiction, playing the piano, and watching football and soccer.
Dr. James Nguyen
At a very young age Dr. James Nguyen was diagnosed with strabismus, or eye turn, a condition where the person is unable to align both eyes to look in the same direction. He spent several years in the care of trained optometrists and ophthalmologists who worked to correct his vision. The experience strongly influenced Dr. Nguyen’s decision to pursue a career in optometry.
Before joining Bauer & Clausen Optometry in 2024, Dr. Nguyen earned a degree in microbiology from the University of Washington and his Doctor of Optometry degree from Pacific University where he served as president of the Ocular Disease Club. His clinical rotations included Ocshner Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana for pediatrics, ICON Eyecare in Denver, Colorado for cataract and LASIK, Eyecare Group of Southern Oregon in Grants Pass, Oregon for primary care, and Cooweescoowee Health Center – Cherokee Nation in Ochelata, Oklahoma for ocular disease.
An exceptional listener, Dr. Nguyen appreciates Bauer & Clausen Optometry’s commitment to a personalized patient experience. As someone who has worn glasses most of his life and struggled with eye problems, he loves being able to educate and help treat various conditions for his patients.
Originally from Ridgefield, Washington, Dr. Nguyen grew up with five older brothers and one younger sister. He has a passion for music and enjoys playing the trombone, guitar, and alto saxophone. In his spare time, you can also find him PC gaming or cooking his favorite meal, hot pot.
