About my LASIK surgery in Korea
Ed Wen
10 days ago
Korea SMILE Laser Eye Surgery, A Real Review, Saying Goodbye to Over 10 Years of Nearsightedness, My Vision Hit 1.2 the Very Next Day!
Laser vision correction has always been on my life bucket list. After being nearsighted for more than 10 years, I really hoped that one day I could ditch my glasses and experience what it feels like to see the world clearly without them!
This time I got really lucky, when I was arranging my appointment, it happened to be the last day of a Creatrip platform promo. The soonest opening only required booking three days in advance, so right after buying my flight, I immediately made my reservation and got ready to head to Korea to finally make this long-awaited wish come true!
1. Arriving at the Clinic, My First Time in Korea, Thank Goodness There Was Chinese Support!
Because it was my first time in Korea, I followed NAVER Maps and the instructions in the appointment confirmation email and found my way to the B&VIIT clinic on B2. Once I arrived smoothly, I felt so much more at ease!
The clinic was very clean and comfortable, my first impression was great. That said, at first I really couldn’t communicate smoothly with the staff because of the language barrier. Thankfully, the front desk staff proactively came over to ask if I needed help, and I was able to check in without issues.
After confirming my reservation details and signing the consent forms, a Chinese-speaking assistant came to greet me. From then on, all the exams, the surgery, and the post-op explanation had Chinese support throughout, which honestly made me feel much more reassured. Since this was eye surgery in a foreign country, being able to clearly understand every step was really important.
2. Pre-Op Tests, From DNA Testing to a Full Eye Evaluation
Once the program officially started, the first item was a DNA test. They collected oral mucosa cells for the test, and the results take about three hours.
While waiting, they do other eye exams first, including corneal thickness, myopia and astigmatism prescription, pupil size, and more. Most of the equipment used was from the international brand ZEISS.
The whole exam process just required following the staff’s instructions. Midway through the exam, they also put in eye drops similar to dilation drops, then I moved into a dimmer room to finish the remaining tests.
After all tests were completed, the director personally checked things like the optic nerve. After waiting about ten minutes, the results were organized, and the clinic explained my current eye condition in detail with a beautifully prepared presentation, along with which types of laser vision correction would be suitable.
However, at that point the DNA results still weren’t out yet, so it was mainly an initial evaluation and confirming whether I wanted to proceed with surgery.
After the morning exams ended, it was lunchtime. The clinic arranged about an hour break, so I could go out to eat, then come back to continue the remaining steps.
#3. Confirming Eligibility, I Could Finally Do SMILE!
After lunch, I went to the surgical center to wait for the DNA test results.
Honestly, I was still a bit nervous at that moment. After all, the whole reason I came to Korea specifically was for laser vision correction. If I ended up not being able to have the surgery, I would have been extremely disappointed.
Thankfully, the final test results confirmed there were no issues! I seriously felt a huge wave of relief!
Next was confirming the procedure and making payment, in the end I chose the **SMILE laser vision correction procedure**.
After paying by card, I changed into clinic shoes and put on the surgical gown, then officially entered the surgical center.
Also, because of the Creatrip platform promo this time, I could get PRP for free! The clinic arranged the number of vials based on how many days I was staying in Korea. If I remember correctly, the promo provided two vials, but for my schedule, using one vial and discarding it before returning home was the most convenient option.
To prepare the serum, they first needed to draw blood. Once that was done, it was time for the most important part of the whole trip!
4. The SMILE Procedure, The Laser Really Only Takes This Little Time!
After entering the operating area, the staff first put anesthetic eye drops in my eyes. While waiting for the anesthesia to take effect, I tried to keep my eyes closed and rest as much as possible.
If I needed to move at any point, staff were by my side to support and guide me, so there wasn’t much to worry about.
When I actually lay down on the operating table, I wasn’t as nervous as I had imagined.
First, a lid speculum was placed to keep me from blinking during the procedure. Then, when the device touched my eye, I definitely felt pressure on the eyeball.
At that moment, a green dot appeared above my eye. All I needed to do was stare at the green light and follow the doctor’s instructions for about 30 seconds!
After the first eye was finished, they moved on to the other eye, also about 30 seconds, and the laser step for both eyes was done!
However, there was still one last step. The doctor removes the corneal tissue that was separated by the laser. In my experience, it took about one minute per eye.
And just like that, the entire SMILE procedure was completed smoothly!
It was even faster than I expected. Although I could feel the pressure on my eye during the process, overall it was nowhere near as scary as I had imagined.
5. The Day of Surgery, I Really Couldn’t Keep My Eyes Open
After the surgery, the clinic explained in detail how to use the post-op eye drops, and also provided printed instructions so I wouldn’t forget after going back.
Also, you must come back the next day for a follow-up! This is extremely important!
As for recovery on the day of surgery, I have to say it wasn’t as easy as I imagined.
Right after the procedure, I honestly couldn’t open my eyes very well. On the way back to the hotel, I was basically relying on my friend to support and guide me so I could get back and rest.
So if you’re like me and traveling to Korea specifically for laser vision correction, I really recommend coming with a friend. At least on the surgery day, having someone to help makes things much easier.
After returning to the hotel, I used the eye drops as instructed, then slept well.
And that’s how an exciting, nerve-wracking, and unbelievable day came to an end!
6. Next-Day Follow-Up, My Vision Actually Recovered to 1.2!
When I went back to the clinic the next day for my follow-up, they first did a post-op vision test.
This is when you have to show what you’ve got, see how clearly you can actually read!
Even though my vision was still a little blurry then, I could clearly feel that things in the distance were much sharper than before.
And the biggest surprise for me was the vision test result!
My post-op vision actually reached 1.2!
I was seriously so happy.
I’ve been nearsighted for more than 10 years, and I never imagined I’d ever have vision better than 1.0!
After that, the director also confirmed my recovery was going well, and there were no issues found with checks like the optic nerve. Hearing those results really put my mind at ease.
After the follow-up, the Chinese-speaking assistant once again went over how to use the post-op eye drops in detail. I thought that was very thoughtful, because on the surgery day when your eyes feel uncomfortable, you might not be able to remember every precaution.
Also, I was initially a little worried about whether I would have to fly back to Korea for follow-ups, but fortunately, the one-week, one-month, three-month, and six-month follow-ups can basically be done at an ophthalmology clinic in Taiwan. It’s not necessarily required to return to the original clinic, which is much more convenient!
## 7. Overall Thoughts, I Finally Checked Off a Major Life Goal!
Looking back, this Korea laser vision correction trip was truly special.
From my first time in Korea, finding the clinic, doing a full pre-op evaluation, waiting for the DNA results, officially going through SMILE surgery, and then seeing my vision reach 1.2 at the next-day follow-up, the entire experience left a deep impression on me.
What I was most satisfied with, besides the thorough exam process and the surgery being faster than expected, was having Chinese-language support throughout. It made it much easier to feel reassured and complete the entire treatment even in a country where I wasn’t comfortable with the language.
Of course, not being able to open my eyes well on the surgery day was something I didn’t anticipate, so I still recommend arranging for a friend to accompany you and leaving enough time to rest.
Everyone’s eye condition and recovery speed are different, and the best procedure type should be fully evaluated by a doctor. Everything above is simply my personal, real-life experience.
But for me, the happiest thing is that I finally completed laser vision correction, something that had been on my life plan for a long time!
Especially the moment I saw 1.2 on the vision chart the next day, it truly felt like more than a decade of nearsightedness was finally turning a corner!
Even though ongoing care and regular follow-ups are still necessary, my recovery so far has already made me very satisfied.
I hope this first-hand experience helps anyone who’s considering coming to Korea for laser vision correction, or is curious about the SMILE procedure process!
One last reminder, be sure to use your eye drops exactly as prescribed, and don’t forget the next-day follow-up appointment!
