Eye on the Industry: Episode 8 – The Growth Mindset Behind Optical Practice Success

Tuesday, January 27 2026 | 12 h 02 min | Podcast

In the latest episode of Eye on the Industry, hosts Isabelle Tremblay and Christine Zeggil welcome a deeply compelling guest: Dr. Vi Tu Banh, optometrist, vision therapy practitioner, and author of the memoir 12 Elephants and a Dragon.

More than a conversation about a book, this episode explores how lived experience, trauma, and healing can profoundly shape leadership, service, and the way care is delivered in optometric practice.

Dr. Banh shares the origins of his remarkable journey, beginning with his birth in Vietnam under a dictatorship and his family’s escape as refugees. After years in refugee camps, his family eventually resettled in Canada, carrying little more than hope and resilience. The title of his memoir reflects that journey. The “twelve elephants” symbolize the quiet ambassadors of kindness who helped his family along the way, while the “dragon” represents the strength and voice he would later find in telling his story.

A defining moment in Dr. Banh’s professional life came when he chose to return to Uxbridge, Ontario, the community that once welcomed him. Despite advice that the move made little sense from a business perspective, he followed an inner calling to serve. More than two decades later, his practice continues to thrive, grounded in deep community connection and purpose-driven care.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Banh reflects on the long process of healing from childhood trauma. He speaks candidly about moving through stages of blame, guilt, and self-protection before arriving at a place of awareness and choice. His perspective is clear and unapologetic: suffering, while real, does not have to define one’s future. Choosing light, responsibility, and growth changes everything.

Writing 12 Elephants and a Dragon became a powerful part of that healing journey. The process unearthed emotional weight he did not realize he was carrying, but it also opened the door to connection. Once the story was told, it became something he felt compelled to share, not for himself, but because others needed to hear it.

That philosophy carries directly into his work as an optometrist and vision therapy practitioner. Dr. Banh explains how service, empathy, and presence guide his patient care. Compassion, he notes, does not mean the absence of boundaries. It means clear communication, honest education, and practicing in a way that allows both practitioner and patient to leave the encounter better than they arrived.

The episode closes with messages of hope and perspective. Dr. Banh reminds listeners that kindness does not require wealth or status, only intention. Even small acts can change the trajectory of someone’s life.

This conversation is a reminder that optometry is not only about vision correction, but about human connection, service, and the lasting impact of care delivered with purpose.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of Eye on the Industry to hear Dr. Vi Tu Banh’s story and reflections in his own words.

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