<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-10-05</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>false</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000064892</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MENTOR CORP /MN/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MNT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001272758</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BEAUCHAMP KATHLEEN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>201 MENTOR DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA BARBARA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>93111</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>false</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>true</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>false</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>false</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP Sales &amp; Marketing</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-10-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2596</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>51.48</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>37504</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Of the remaining 37,504 shares, 100 are common stock previously held; 5,404 are common stock which converted from restricted stock and 32,000 remain unvested as restricted stock. In addition, Ms. Beauchamp continues to hold 76,900 of vested stock options, 65,300 of unvested stock options and 25,000 of unvested performance stock units which may convert to a maximum of 50,000 direct shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/S/Loren McFarland attorney-in-fact for &quot;the person this form is being filed&quot;</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-10-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
