Board-certified ophthalmologist Dr. Ralph Chu is a fellowship-trained corneal specialist and a nationally recognized leader in refractive and cataract procedures. His specialty areas include cataract, refractive, cornea, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries. Dr. Chu is a leader in the field of ophthalmology who has played an active role in guiding new advances in surgery and technology. As founder and medical director of Chu Vision Institute and Chu Surgery Center, he helps patients transform their vision and lives through education, advanced treatments, and high-quality, personalized care.
Dr. Chu earned his medical degree from Northwestern University in Chicago where he was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He completed his internship at Evanston Hospital, followed by a residency in ophthalmology at Duke University Eye Center. He furthered his medical training with a one-year fellowship in Minneapolis where he specialized in cornea and external disease, refractive, glaucoma, cataract, and lens implant surgery.
Dr. Chu is a sought-after speaker who has traveled the globe lecturing other physicians on minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries. He is a leading authority on modern innovations in cataract, refractive, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries.
Dr. Chu has participated in more than 100 FDA-monitored clinical trials that have led to new innovations in the vision industry. He has also designed new surgical instruments that are in use today. Dr. Chu has been published in numerous peer-reviewed medical journals and has also been featured in EyeWorld magazine and Review of Ophthalmology.
Additionally, he is proud to be a leader in the Minnesota area for several procedures and techniques. Dr. Chu was the first practitioner in Minnesota to provide SMILE vision correction, a cutting-edge refractive laser surgery, and he was also the first in the state to offer laser-assisted cataract surgery using the VICTUS Femtosecond Laser. He is also proud to be the first surgeon in the Minneapolis/Twin Cities area to provide an innovative solution for reading vision correction with corneal inlays.
Dr. Chu is committed to transforming the lives of individuals in underserved communities through his nonprofit organization, Chu Vision Foundation. He and his team travel to disadvantaged communities both globally and locally to provide education, vision correction surgery, resources, and technology. It brings him great joy to provide access to care to restore each individual’s vision, eye health, and overall well-being.
In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, music, and the arts. He is a member of the boards of the Minnesota Orchestra and Walker Art Center.
