"When I visited the eye clinic for an examination, they suggested that getting SMILE LASIK would be beneficial and asked for an additional 300,000 KRW.
I'm wondering if this is just a sales tactic..."
You must be going through a lot of deliberation and concern.
While you are in the process of discussing the price for the surgery, they suddenly bring up various additional options, which may leave you feeling uneasy.
However, you might not feel comfortable openly asking the doctor about your doubts, so it seems like you're searching the internet for information when you get home.
Therefore, today I would like to share my honest thoughts on the topic of "Is getting SMILE LASIK really worth it?" to help individuals like you.
Finding reliable information on this matter might not be easy elsewhere, so I hope you read my response carefully (^^)
By the way, let me briefly introduce myself. I am the head ophthalmologist and a specialist at an eye clinic located in Gangnam. I have also served as a clinical professor at 'Catholic University St. Mary's Hospital,' which is one of the top university hospitals in ophthalmology in Korea. So, you can trust my words confidently.^^"
Is it really advisable to get SMILE LASIK?
As someone who performs LASIK, LASEK, and SMILE surgeries on dozens of patients every day, personally, I recommend undergoing the procedure.
Are you aware of a potential side effect called corneal ectasia?
This refers to the gradual bulging of the front part of the cornea due to intraocular pressure within the eye.
When this phenomenon occurs, it naturally leads to a decline in visual acuity and can also cause other symptoms such as glare, halos, and distorted vision.
In severe cases, it can result in permanent vision impairment, making it a serious and concerning side effect.
Although such side effects occasionally occur in the general population,
they are more commonly observed in individuals who have undergone LASIK, LASEK, or SMILE surgeries.
(Even with successful surgeries, approximately 1-5% of patients may experience these side effects depending on their lifestyle habits and genetics.)
Since our eyes are extremely precious, I hope you approach the decision for surgery with great caution.
It would be disheartening if you invested a significant amount of money into the surgery, only to experience a sudden decline in vision and require a secondary procedure.
That's why undergoing "corneal reinforcement surgery" is aimed at preventing such side effects.
What is corneal reinforcement surgery? It is a treatment that strengthens the bonding of the thinned cornea, effectively preventing corneal ectasia.
It can be described as a treatment where tiny cells within the cornea lock arms tightly with each other. ^^
Sometimes, people have these thoughts as well:
"But the probability isn't significantly high at 1%,
right? Surely, I wouldn't fall into that category, would I?"
I think of corneal reinforcement surgery like a phone case.
If you carry around a million-won phone in your pocket, what are the chances of dropping it on the street? (Very rare, right?)
But we still use a ten-thousand-won case to protect it, don't we?
The reason is well-known. Just dropping it by mistake and breaking the camera or screen could cost us hundreds of thousands of won for repairs.
However, I hope you understand that eye repairs are much more challenging.
Even if the chances of side effects aren't very high, it's like having an "insurance" to prepare for that slight 1-5% probability.
Sometimes, we see patients who come to us for a secondary procedure after getting surgery elsewhere.
Interestingly, more than half of them were not recipients of corneal reinforcement surgery during their initial surgery.
Seeing those patients, I can't help but feel a deep sense of regret.
That's why, unless there are compelling reasons, I generally recommend corneal reinforcement surgery to patients undergoing surgery with us.
So, if you're considering SMILE LASIK and reading this article, I strongly encourage you to consider receiving corneal reinforcement surgery as well.^^
So far, I have shared the opinions of a current ophthalmologist on the topic of "Is it really beneficial to undergo SMILE LASIK corneal reinforcement surgery?"
Sometimes, when I leave helpful posts for many people, there are often those who are curious about who I am and where I work.
For those individuals, I will provide a brief introduction about myself, and I hope you take the time to read it.
[Notice] A letter to those who are curious about Healing Ophthalmology, CEO Seonyoung Kim
Until now, I have been Dr. Sunyoung Kim, the Chief Director of Healing Eye Clinic.
To all who are reading this, I wish you a wonderful day filled with happiness :)
- Location -
Address
HEALINGEY ECLINIC
470, Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Visiting hours
Weekdays: 10:00~18:30/Saturdays: 10:00~16:00
Sundays: a regular holiday
"When I visited the eye clinic for an examination, they suggested that getting SMILE LASIK would be beneficial and asked for an additional 300,000 KRW.
I'm wondering if this is just a sales tactic..."
You must be going through a lot of deliberation and concern.
While you are in the process of discussing the price for the surgery, they suddenly bring up various additional options, which may leave you feeling uneasy.
However, you might not feel comfortable openly asking the doctor about your doubts, so it seems like you're searching the internet for information when you get home.
Therefore, today I would like to share my honest thoughts on the topic of "Is getting SMILE LASIK really worth it?" to help individuals like you.
Finding reliable information on this matter might not be easy elsewhere, so I hope you read my response carefully (^^)
By the way, let me briefly introduce myself. I am the head ophthalmologist and a specialist at an eye clinic located in Gangnam. I have also served as a clinical professor at 'Catholic University St. Mary's Hospital,' which is one of the top university hospitals in ophthalmology in Korea. So, you can trust my words confidently.^^"
As someone who performs LASIK, LASEK, and SMILE surgeries on dozens of patients every day, personally, I recommend undergoing the procedure.
Are you aware of a potential side effect called corneal ectasia?
This refers to the gradual bulging of the front part of the cornea due to intraocular pressure within the eye.
When this phenomenon occurs, it naturally leads to a decline in visual acuity and can also cause other symptoms such as glare, halos, and distorted vision.
In severe cases, it can result in permanent vision impairment, making it a serious and concerning side effect.
Although such side effects occasionally occur in the general population,
they are more commonly observed in individuals who have undergone LASIK, LASEK, or SMILE surgeries.
(Even with successful surgeries, approximately 1-5% of patients may experience these side effects depending on their lifestyle habits and genetics.)
Since our eyes are extremely precious, I hope you approach the decision for surgery with great caution.
It would be disheartening if you invested a significant amount of money into the surgery, only to experience a sudden decline in vision and require a secondary procedure.
That's why undergoing "corneal reinforcement surgery" is aimed at preventing such side effects.
What is corneal reinforcement surgery? It is a treatment that strengthens the bonding of the thinned cornea, effectively preventing corneal ectasia.
It can be described as a treatment where tiny cells within the cornea lock arms tightly with each other. ^^
Sometimes, people have these thoughts as well:
"But the probability isn't significantly high at 1%,
right? Surely, I wouldn't fall into that category, would I?"
I think of corneal reinforcement surgery like a phone case.
If you carry around a million-won phone in your pocket, what are the chances of dropping it on the street? (Very rare, right?)
But we still use a ten-thousand-won case to protect it, don't we?
The reason is well-known. Just dropping it by mistake and breaking the camera or screen could cost us hundreds of thousands of won for repairs.
However, I hope you understand that eye repairs are much more challenging.
Even if the chances of side effects aren't very high, it's like having an "insurance" to prepare for that slight 1-5% probability.
Sometimes, we see patients who come to us for a secondary procedure after getting surgery elsewhere.
Interestingly, more than half of them were not recipients of corneal reinforcement surgery during their initial surgery.
Seeing those patients, I can't help but feel a deep sense of regret.
That's why, unless there are compelling reasons, I generally recommend corneal reinforcement surgery to patients undergoing surgery with us.
So, if you're considering SMILE LASIK and reading this article, I strongly encourage you to consider receiving corneal reinforcement surgery as well.^^
So far, I have shared the opinions of a current ophthalmologist on the topic of "Is it really beneficial to undergo SMILE LASIK corneal reinforcement surgery?"
Sometimes, when I leave helpful posts for many people, there are often those who are curious about who I am and where I work.
For those individuals, I will provide a brief introduction about myself, and I hope you take the time to read it.
[Notice] A letter to those who are curious about Healing Ophthalmology, CEO Seonyoung Kim
Until now, I have been Dr. Sunyoung Kim, the Chief Director of Healing Eye Clinic.
To all who are reading this, I wish you a wonderful day filled with happiness :)
Healing Eye Clinic
- Location -
Address
HEALINGEY ECLINIC
470, Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Visiting hours
Weekdays: 10:00~18:30/Saturdays: 10:00~16:00
Sundays: a regular holiday