Vision Care Associates has its roots in family eye care and has developed around this idea that patients become family. Initially, in 1977 Dr. Paul Bell and his son Dr. Gordon Bell partnered their practice of Bell & Bell with Dr. James Olson to form Vision Care Center. Then in 1982, Dr. James Ruch merged with this trio to form the first Vision Care Associates. The first offices were in Aberdeen and Britton, but Mobridge was soon to follow. From there, with the philosophy of bringing exceptional healthcare to rural South Dakota, several other locations were opened around northeastern South Dakota. Vision Care Associates is now South Dakota’s largest independent network of eye care professionals with 20 locations in South Dakota and Nebraska. With the continued addition of new medical technology and with the intellectual arsenal of 19 doctors, Vision Care Associates expects to continue their philosophy of “keeping the patient first” for many years to come.

Vision Care Associates’ doctors are well-known for being primary eye care providers; they encourage systemic disease prevention, promote eye health maintenance, perform patient education, and diagnose and treat acute and chronic eye disease in a variety of settings. All of our doctors have completed undergraduate study as well as four years of a strenuous doctorate program dedicated to learning about ocular structures, visual perception, and the eyes’ role in other systemic diseases. Every year they complete many hours of formal Continuing Education training to maintain and improve their skills in the areas of medical optometry, disease detection and treatment, and optical knowledge. Additionally, each doctor has his or her own special areas of interest. Click on your doctor’s page to learn more about them!