High value-for-money SMILE eye surgery at Gangnam Myeongmok Eye Clinic, Korea
廖兔子
3 hours ago
For years I wanted laser eye surgery to get rid of the inconvenience of wearing glasses and contact lenses and the ongoing expense of having to replace glasses and buy contact lenses, but because laser eye surgery is also a significant expense and I'm afraid of irreversible consequences if the surgery fails, I've only talked about it and never actually gone through with it.
One day I heard from a friend who had already had laser eye surgery in Taiwan that the same procedure in Korea was nearly half the price, so I started searching online for information. Coincidentally, an eye clinic held an information session in Taiwan in mid-November, so I decided to go and listen. After the session they offered a discounted price, so I figured I would reserve it and cancel later if I changed my mind. Unexpectedly, I ended up going to Korea for the laser surgery in mid-December. Sometimes it really just takes an impulse.
But of course you shouldn't take risks just because it's cheap — after all, many people probably get stuck wondering, Is it safe for Korea prices to be that low? Are they professional?
This part takes into account that Korean hospitals handle many more cases than those in Taiwan, and that price there is actually only equivalent to a Korean person's monthly salary. Since Koreans accept it, the professional safety shouldn't be a major concern. What remains is the post-operative follow-up issue. Korean ophthalmology clinics may consider foreigners’ travel schedules and require only one follow-up visit, which is actually my biggest worry — is one visit really enough? I even searched online for shared experiences and asked the original posters related questions, but that didn't fully relieve my concerns. Later I consulted a certain Taiwanese chain eye clinic, and they said that actually two follow-up visits are sufficient. That made me realize not every procedure or clinic requires such frequent visits, which put me more at ease. That crucial ophthalmology consultation alone convinced me I would definitely go to South Korea for the surgery.
I went to an ophthalmology clinic in Korea and after an afternoon check-up and consultation they immediately scheduled the surgery — a “while I’m here, get it done” approach. The operation finished around evening and I left the clinic, then walked about 6 minutes back to my lodging by myself (here I strongly advise not to walk alone after the procedure; it’s better to have someone accompany you or take a taxi, because after the surgery your vision is actually blurry for both near and far). I had to keep my eyes on the pavement and on vague impressions of street scenes to get back to the guesthouse. Crossing a crosswalk was especially risky because I couldn’t see the pedestrian signal countdown; halfway through it turned red and I had to sprint — it was really dangerous.
It's now been five days since the procedure and I'm already back in Taiwan. Apart from occasional dry eyes that require some artificial tears, I basically don't have any discomfort, and being able to see things without wearing glasses is incredibly convenient! I hope my eye condition continues to improve in the days ahead so my trip all the way to Korea for the surgery won't have been in vain.
Note: If you later go to Seoul, South Korea and want a follow-up visit, you can schedule an ophthalmology appointment again (self-pay required).
Avoid rubbing your eyes while sleeping and use the clinic‑provided eye shield
Warm eye mask usable one week after surgery
Artificial tears, eye drops, and sunglasses provided by the ophthalmology department
