482 SMILE Laser Surgery Clinics in Seoul: A Public-Data Comparison for International Patients

We do not recommend or endorse any clinic. No rankings, ratings or reviews — only verifiable public information.

Key facts

482 clinics in Seoul are registered with HIRA with ophthalmology in their name or listed specialties.
This list consists of clinics using the registered name "…Eye Clinic (안과의원)" (481). Under Korean medical law only board-certified specialists may open a clinic under that name, so the sign alone is a verifiable signal. General clinics that merely list ophthalmology as a practice area are not included.
Among 478 clinics that disclose staffing, the average is 1.9 doctors and 144 have two or more.
By nearest station, clinics cluster around 강남역 (28) · 신논현역 (11) · 압구정역 (9).
This page does not rank or recommend clinics. Use the checklist below to compare them yourself.

SMILE laser surgery (스마일라식) is a minimally invasive refractive procedure in which a femtosecond laser creates a small lens-shaped piece of tissue—called a lenticule—inside the cornea, which is then removed through a tiny incision without cutting a corneal flap. It is typically considered by people who want to reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses and who have been told they may not be suitable for conventional LASIK due to corneal thickness or lifestyle concerns.

When evaluating clinics, verifying publicly checkable facts matters more than marketing language. Under Korean medical law, an ophthalmology clinic (안과의원, an-gwa-eui-won) may use that designation only when a board-certified ophthalmologist (전문의, jeon-mun-ui) holds the license—so confirming the specialist certificate displayed on-site or on the official medical institution registry is a concrete first step.

The comparison table on this page lists clinics based on disclosed, verifiable information such as equipment type, surgeon credentials, and follow-up schedules—not rankings or subjective ratings. Use it as a structured starting point, then verify each item directly with the clinic before making any decision.

How this was compiled

We took every clinic in HIRA open data whose address or nearest-station tag falls in Seoul and whose name or listed specialties include ophthalmology (482 clinics).
Columns are: registered name type (signal of a board-certified founder), number of doctors, area and nearest station, website, phone, and published hours — all public data. We do not use reviews or ratings.
"Clinics covered" are those with the most public information available (ties broken by most recently verified); this is not a ranking. The full list is in Korean alphabetical order.

At a glance

Clinic	Registered name	Doctors	Nearest station	Area	Website	Phone
건양의료재단 김안과병원	Eye Clinic (안과의원)	61	영등포시장역	영등포구	Open	1577-2639
누네안과병원	Eye Clinic (안과의원)	30	선릉역	강남구	Open	02-1661-1175
실로암안과병원	Eye Clinic (안과의원)	12	등촌역	강서구	Open	02-2650-0700
365밝은안과의원	Eye Clinic (안과의원)	6	신림역	관악구	Open	02-878-3650
41타워안과의원	Eye Clinic (안과의원)	2	오목교(목동운동장앞)역	양천구	Open	02-6959-4107
강남밝은명안과의원	Eye Clinic (안과의원)	1	강남역	서초구	Open	533-9400

"Clinics covered" are those with the most public information available (ties broken by most recently verified); this is not a ranking. The full list is in Korean alphabetical order.

SMILE Laser Surgery clinic checklist

1Confirm the operating surgeon's credentials
Ask in writing whether the physician who performs the SMILE procedure is the same doctor who conducts your pre-operative consultation—not a technician or trainee. Request to see the specialist certificate (전문의 자격증) and cross-check the doctor's name against the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) public registry at hira.or.kr.
2Verify the laser equipment model and calibration records
SMILE surgery requires a specific femtosecond laser platform; ask which model is in use and when it was last serviced or calibrated. Clinics should be able to show equipment registration documents issued by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), as only approved devices may be used for this procedure in Korea.
3Review the pre-operative examination protocol
A thorough pre-operative workup should include corneal topography, pachymetry (corneal thickness measurement), pupil size assessment under low light, and a dry-eye evaluation—because each of these findings can affect candidacy for SMILE. Ask the clinic to explain which tests are included before any fee is paid and confirm results are discussed directly with the operating physician.
4Obtain a written, itemized cost estimate
Refractive surgery fees in Korea vary considerably depending on equipment, surgeon experience tier, and included follow-up visits, so no single figure applies universally. Request a written estimate (서면 견적) that breaks down the procedure fee, pre-operative tests, prescribed medications, and the number of post-operative visits covered—and keep a copy before signing any agreement.
5Clarify the post-operative follow-up and enhancement policy in writing
Ask the clinic to provide its written policy on how many follow-up appointments are included, over what period, and under what conditions an enhancement procedure would be considered if the refractive outcome is not within target. Verbal assurances are not enforceable; the policy should appear in the consent documentation or a separate written addendum.

Warning signs

1Your consultation is with someone other than the surgeon
If the person conducting your pre-operative consultation is a coordinator, counselor, or optometrist rather than the physician who will operate, you are missing a critical opportunity to ask clinical questions before committing. Korean medical law requires that informed consent be obtained by the treating physician; if you cannot speak directly with the surgeon beforehand, treat this as a reason to pause.
2Same-day sign-up and payment pressure
Refractive surgery is an elective procedure with a decision timeline measured in days or weeks, not minutes. If a clinic offers a discount that expires the same day or strongly encourages you to pay a deposit before completing all pre-operative tests, this limits your ability to compare options and make an informed choice.
3Refusal to provide a written cost estimate
A clinic that declines to issue a written, itemized estimate before you sign a consent form makes it difficult to compare fees accurately or to understand what is and is not included post-operatively. Written documentation protects both parties and is standard practice in transparent medical settings.
4No clear written policy on complications or re-treatment
SMILE, like any refractive procedure, carries a range of possible outcomes, and the management pathway for under-correction, over-correction, or rare complications such as lenticule extraction difficulty should be explained in advance. If a clinic's consent form contains no mention of re-treatment criteria or complication referral procedures, ask for a written addendum before proceeding—this is especially relevant for SMILE because the correction options if a re-treatment is needed differ from those available after flap-based procedures.

FAQ

How long is the recovery period after SMILE surgery, and when can I return to work?

Visual recovery after SMILE is generally described in the medical literature as occurring over several days to a few weeks, but individual variation is significant depending on factors such as corneal healing response, the degree of correction, and daily visual demands. Many people return to desk work within a few days, while those in visually demanding or physically intensive roles may need a longer break. Your surgeon should give you a personalized timeline based on your pre-operative examination results.

What side effects should I know about before considering SMILE?

Reported side effects in published literature include temporary dry eye, night-vision disturbances such as halos or glare, and fluctuating vision during the healing period; less commonly, under- or over-correction may occur. Because the lenticule is removed through a small incision rather than a flap, some flap-related risks seen in LASIK are structurally different, but SMILE carries its own intraoperative considerations such as lenticule separation difficulty. A thorough pre-operative discussion with your ophthalmologist, including your personal risk profile, is the appropriate way to understand what applies to your situation.

How do I confirm that a clinic's surgeon is a board-certified ophthalmologist?

You can search the clinic's registered information through the government's medical institution public registry or the HIRA portal (hira.or.kr) using the clinic name to view the listed specialist fields. On-site, a board-certified ophthalmologist should display their specialist certificate (전문의 자격증); you may ask to see it. Cross-referencing both sources gives you a factual basis beyond the clinic's own marketing materials.

Is the cost of SMILE surgery fixed, or does it vary by clinic?

There is no nationally standardized fee for SMILE in Korea, and prices can differ based on the equipment generation in use, the surgeon's credentials, the scope of pre-operative testing included, and the number of post-operative visits covered. Rather than relying on a single quoted figure, request a written itemized estimate from each clinic you consult so that you are comparing equivalent scopes of service, not headline numbers.

If my vision is not fully corrected after SMILE, what are my options?

The options available for enhancement after SMILE differ from those after flap-based procedures, because no corneal flap was created; possible approaches discussed in the literature include surface ablation (PRK) or, in some cases, a repeat SMILE procedure, depending on residual corneal thickness and the degree of residual refractive error. Eligibility for any enhancement depends on individual measurements taken after full healing, which typically requires several months. Before your initial procedure, ask your surgeon to explain the clinic's specific policy and criteria for considering an enhancement, and confirm this in writing.

482 clinics in Seoul are registered with HIRA with ophthalmology in their name or listed specialties?

482 clinics in Seoul are registered with HIRA with ophthalmology in their name or listed specialties. This list consists of clinics using the registered name "…Eye Clinic (안과의원)" (481). Under Korean medical law only board-certified specialists may open a clinic under that name, so the sign alone is a verifiable signal. General clinics that merely list ophthalmology as a practice area are not included.

Closing note

Use the comparison table alongside this checklist to evaluate each clinic on verifiable, documented criteria—specialist credentials, equipment registration, written cost estimates, and post-operative policies—rather than on promotional descriptions. No table or article can substitute for a direct, in-person consultation with a board-certified ophthalmologist who reviews your individual corneal measurements and medical history. Bring your written questions to that appointment, and do not feel obligated to make a same-day decision.

This guide is for information only and is not medical advice. Decide on any procedure only after consulting a doctor. Results vary between individuals.