Dr. Truong Cong Minh – A Pioneer in Personalized LASIK Surgery in Vietnam

With over 25 years of experience and more than 160,000 lasik surgeries performed, Dr. Truong Cong Minh remains steadfast in his mission to bring the most advanced vision correction technologies to the people of Vietnam.

An 18-year-old boy once walked into his clinic, clutching a bag containing seven pairs of eyeglasses — results of seven separate prescriptions from seven different clinics. Seven measurements, seven disappointments.

“None of them work for me,” he said, squinting into the blurry space ahead.

Back then, Dr. Truong Cong Minh was a young Specialist Level II ophthalmologist in his twenties, recently graduated. He was stunned — if none of the seven prescriptions worked, the problem wasn’t the glasses. It was the eyes themselves.

After a thorough examination, he diagnosed the boy with a complex combination of high myopia, severe astigmatism, and hidden strabismus — a particularly challenging case. Dr. Minh ordered a pair of customized lenses that could correct all three conditions: nearsightedness, astigmatism, and alignment issues with a built-in prism. He then personally calculated the lens angles, rotational axis, and mounting position so the correction aligned precisely with the patient’s unique eye movements and astigmatism axis.

A few days later, the student returned. As soon as he put on the glasses, he froze for a moment. Through the new lenses, the world appeared clearer than ever before.

While the boy’s face lit up, Dr. Minh remained quietly thoughtful. He knew better than anyone: helping one person see clearly is a joy — but to do it again and again, for countless others, he still had much to learn. Ahead of him were more patients, more complex cases, and many eyes yet to be truly understood.

While pursuing his postgraduate studies at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City, Dr. Truong Cong Minh noticed a gap in medical training: the curriculum focused heavily on diseases, while refractive errors — a field closely tied to prescription lenses and visual acuity — were largely overlooked, despite their significant impact on daily quality of life.

After completing his specialization, Dr. Minh chose to gain hands-on experience at an optical shop — a place few doctors ventured into at the time. Day after day, he manually performed refractions and fitted glasses. And it was there that he came to a realization: sometimes, a single well-fitted pair of glasses could bring a patient immense joy. No medicine, no surgery — just clear vision. And with it, a changed life.

“The human eye is more complex and diverse than any textbook,” he said. It was real-world experiences — those never found in medical school — that inspired him to delve deeper and pursue a path few had taken.

In 2001, the young doctor enrolled in a course on ophthalmic surgery. His first mentor, Professor Dr. Richard S. Kalski (USA), introduced him to Laser Excimer lasik surgery — a cutting-edge field where vision correction was performed using advanced machines, far removed from the manual surgical techniques still common in Vietnam at the time.

In 2004, he traveled to the United States to continue an intensive training program in Laser Excimer surgery under Professor Dr. Keith Williams, a prominent name in the field. Beyond learning surgical techniques, a fateful encounter led him to another professor — a specialist in machinery — who introduced him to the intricate mechanical world behind the cold laser beam. It was at that moment that his two passions, medicine and mechanics, unexpectedly converged. Dr. Minh not only mastered surgical procedures but also took the initiative to understand the technology inside out — disassembling machines, performing maintenance, and troubleshooting even the tiniest technical errors.

He understood that to truly master a surgical procedure and deliver the best outcomes for patients, a deep knowledge of the technology involved was essential. For him, it wasn’t just a responsibility — it became part of his passion.

Upon returning to Vietnam, Dr. Minh brought back more than just an advanced medical degree. He carried with him a wealth of knowledge in the field of lasik surgery — a specialty that, at the time, remained largely unexplored in the country.

In 2004, when Saigon Eye Hospital was established, he was invited to join the founding medical team. Dr. Minh took on a dual role: both as a surgeon and as the specialist responsible for operating, maintaining, and ensuring the precision of the refractive laser systems. At that time, there were no biomedical engineers in Vietnam assigned to this critical task.

His dedication and in-depth understanding of the equipment became a crucial pillar in thousands of successful surgeries, especially in high-pressure situations during those early years. One of the most unforgettable memories he shared was the day he performed lasik surgery on his own daughter.

“Although the machines had gone through the usual rigorous checks, at the very moment the patient — my daughter — was placed on the surgical table, both laser systems simultaneously malfunctioned,” Dr. Minh recalled, his voice steady but filled with emotion. The pressure was immense — this wasn’t just any patient; it was his family.

In that short but intense moment, requiring absolute focus and technical precision, Dr. Minh relied on one of his greatest strengths: his deep technical knowledge of the devices. Staying calm, he swiftly diagnosed and resolved the issue. The surgery proceeded smoothly — and successfully.

“When it comes to operating on someone you love, the first requirement is to understand every possible risk — and have a plan for each one,” he said. “It’s not about trusting emotions. It’s about trusting your skill.”

One morning in 2012, a woman brought her teenage son to see Dr. Minh, hoping to find a solution for his severe myopia—over -5.0 diopters. The young man, around 18 years old, was tall and well-built but had autism. He acted solely on his own impulses, regardless of what anyone said.

Moved by compassion, Dr. Minh agreed to perform the surgery. But the procedure failed within minutes. As soon as the boy’s head was positioned and the surgical tools were ready, he suddenly sat up. The operation had to be halted immediately. Dr. Minh gently explained to the family: if the patient couldn’t remain still, even the slightest movement could result in serious eye injury.

Still, the mother was determined. A few days later, she returned with her son, pleading for another attempt. Unfortunately, the outcome was the same.

Dr. Minh assumed that was the end of the matter. Yet the image of the young man lingered in his mind. A child already disadvantaged in communication due to autism would now also have to struggle with impaired vision. Eventually, Dr. Minh decided to give it one more try—for both himself and the patient.

On the third attempt, he changed his approach. Dr. Minh spent time talking with the boy in a calm, gentle setting, trying to build trust and help him feel safe. This time, the young man listened.

When he entered the operating room, Dr. Minh acted swiftly. Within just five minutes, the procedure was complete—both eyes successfully treated. Every step went smoothly and precisely. As he left the OR, Dr. Minh exhaled with relief.

Years in practice had allowed Dr. Minh to witness dramatic changes in ophthalmology. In the early 2000s, he recalled, surgical rooms were still basic, and blades had to be sterilized after each use. Every incision required absolute precision, as any lapse in sterilization could lead to infection. To master his technique, Dr. Minh practiced relentlessly on pig eyes—starting with basic moves and progressing to complex maneuvers.

In 2004, a quiet revolution arrived in the field: single-use pre-sterilized microkeratome blades. These not only improved surgical accuracy but also significantly reduced the risk of complications.

Eight years later, laser technology emerged, transforming corneal surgery. Instead of cutting corneal flaps manually, lasers could now make ultra-precise incisions down to the micrometer. However, early laser systems lacked eye-tracking capabilities, meaning precise alignment still depended entirely on the surgeon’s skill. If the eye was positioned correctly, the laser would be accurate; if not, the procedure could fail.

By 2016, the SMILE technique received FDA approval, and the Saigon Eye Hospital System began using it to treat patients. About eight years later, they adopted the upgraded SMILE Pro, marking a major advancement in refractive surgery. Unlike LASIK, which requires a large corneal flap, SMILE Pro involves a tiny 2 mm incision to extract the lenticule, making it far less invasive.

After more than 25 years in the profession, the surgery that left the deepest impression on Dr. Minh took place just a few years ago — performed using the cutting-edge SMILE Pro technique.

The patient had a refractive error, and within just a few minutes on the operating table, the issue was swiftly corrected. Mere hours later, they were able to see clearly without the need for glasses.

With this technique, Dr. Minh has successfully performed thousands of quick, effective, and complication-free procedures. SMILE Pro is particularly well-suited for individuals with high physical activity demands — such as athletes or military personnel — who require stable vision and cannot be limited by glasses or the risk of eye trauma.

“The human eye has natural reflexes like blinking, darting, or even slight head movements. In most cases, it can only stay completely still for around 10 seconds. If the intervention takes too long, we often have to stop the surgery or switch to another method,” Dr. Minh explained. “With SMILE Pro, the laser procedure takes exactly 10 seconds, compared to 23 seconds previously. So even if the patient is nervous, the operation is completed before they have time to react.”

However, technology never stops evolving. With the advent of EYESignature, nearly all previous limitations have been overcome.

Behind the doors of the clinic, under the spotlight of ophthalmology conferences, Dr. Truong Cong Minh remains dedicated to a breakthrough he has long championed: personalized refractive surgery. He describes it as a new approach—one where no procedure is simply repeated, but rather custom-designed for each individual eye.

Having worked in the United States in the early 2000s, Dr. Minh was among the first to be exposed to this concept when the technology was still in its infancy.

“Back then, machines capable of mapping tens of thousands of points on the cornea were considered a major leap forward,” he recalls. “But I always believed the potential could go much further.”

Nearly two decades later, in 2025, Saigon Eye Hospital officially introduced this personalized technology under the name EYESignature—a custom vision correction solution capable of analyzing each microscopic point on the cornea. EYESignature is the first personalized refractive surgery technology in Vietnam and remains the only one that corrects vision based on each individual’s unique corneal map.

“Every person’s cornea is as unique as a fingerprint—even the left and right eyes of the same person aren’t identical,” he explains. “That’s why a one-size-fits-all formula simply doesn’t work.”

Unlike previous technologies that relied on average corneal parameters, EYESignature is based on a 3D map unique to each eye, allowing surgeons to intervene with remarkable precision. The system uses AI to scan over 150,000 data points across both the front and back surfaces of the cornea, detecting even the tiniest refractive aberrations that would otherwise go unnoticed.

As a result, the procedure is gentle, accurate, and swift, with laser time averaging just 1.3 seconds per diopter. Most patients experience a dramatic improvement in vision within 24 hours. Issues like glare while driving at night are significantly reduced, and overall clarity is noticeably sharper.

Still, achieving optimal results demands meticulous preparation.

“The laser itself only takes a few seconds, but we can spend up to two hours capturing images, analyzing scans, and calibrating the system for a single procedure,” says Dr. Minh.

To master this technology, Dr. Minh—now CEO of the hospital, Saigon Eye – Le Thi Rieng traveled to Germany to study system operation, data interpretation, and how to tailor parameters for each individual case.

“My goal is for Vietnamese patients to receive treatment on par with the world’s most advanced countries—without having to fly overseas,” he emphasizes.

Just a few months after the launch of this technique, Dr. Minh encountered several rare corneal maps—cases involving high-order aberrations that previous technologies could not address. If left untreated, such conditions could cause debilitating nighttime glare and impair daily life. But with EYESignature, those ‘blind spots’ can now be effectively corrected.

“This is more than a technological leap—it’s a promise of safe, precise, and truly personalized vision correction,” Dr. Minh affirms.

With more than two decades dedicated to ophthalmology, Dr. Truong Cong Minh, a Level II Specialist, has personally performed over 160,000 surgeries. Yet for him, every pair of eyes represents a distinct journey—and every step forward in his career stems from a simple desire: to ensure Vietnamese patients can access world-class vision correction technology without having to go abroad.

More than passing on surgical techniques, Dr. Minh emphasizes a proactive mindset—continually updating new technologies, never relying solely on past experience, and avoiding mechanical, routine practices. At the hospital, Saigon Eye – Le Thi Rieng, this spirit of transparency and open sharing is embraced by him and his colleagues. According to Dr. Minh, sharing knowledge and skills is essential to ensuring consistent quality across the entire network. This philosophy has helped Saigon Eye Hospital System become the largest network of ophthalmology hospitals in Vietnam.

In addition to his strong professional expertise, Dr. Minh and his team regularly take part in major ophthalmology conferences, including “Advancing Ophthalmology in the Digital Era,” an annual scientific event that gathers hundreds of domestic and international experts.

These conferences are more than learning opportunities. Vietnamese doctors not only explore the latest advancements in global ophthalmic technology, but also present clinical findings and share their own experiences. Their active contributions underscore the growing role of Vietnamese professionals—particularly those from the Saigon Eye Hospital System—in the global development of ophthalmology.

For Dr. Minh, patient confidence is always the top priority, especially when operating on a delicate organ like the eye. The stakes are even higher with younger patients—those who can still study and work well without surgery. If post-operative results fall short of expectations, it directly impacts their quality of life and trust.

This is why today’s refractive surgeons must not only possess excellent skills but also deliver stable, consistent, and long-lasting outcomes—not merely treating a condition, but earning and preserving patient trust.

Looking ahead, the Executive Director of the hospital, Saigon Eye – Le Thi Rieng, revealed that personalized vision correction technologies are first being introduced at Saigon Eye Hospital branches in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Once stable operations are established in these two major cities, the model will gradually expand to other locations. However, he emphasized that this expansion must follow a clear roadmap: train the people first, then invest in equipment.

“I chose light,” Dr. Truong Cong Minh said, eyes gleaming. “Because for many people, happiness lies not only in clear vision—but in confidence, and in truly enjoying each precious moment of life.”