Key Summary
Hospital Status
Eyereum Eye Clinic functions as a "research-centered hospital" with university hospital staff, actively conducting academic research alongside clinical practice. It's a reference clinic for global device manufacturers (ZEISS, STAAR Surgical) in SMILE LASIK and ICL.
Director Park Si-yoon
An ophthalmologist from Yonsei University College of Medicine and Severance Hospital, specializing in Cornea & External Eye and Cataracts. Recognized for his academic authority in refractive surgery, he introduced "Low Energy SMILE" efficacy and the "Triple Centration" technique.
Technical Features
The clinic emphasizes "Low Energy SMILE" and "SMILE pro" with 1:1 custom surgical design. For ICL, they identified the "Dynamic Vaulting" phenomenon, setting safety standards for lens size determination.
Reputation
Patients report high trust due to thorough pre-examinations and conservative surgical standards. However, some common points raised include long waiting times and a perceived "factory-type" system typical of large hospitals.
Eyereum Eye Clinic Overview
Hospital Information & Location
Eyereum Eye Clinic is conveniently located at 388 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, occupying the 6th floor (Surgery Center) and 7th floor (Examination/Clinic Center) of the Gangnam Center Building.
It boasts excellent accessibility, directly connected to Exit 2 of Gangnam Station on Seoul Subway Line 2 and the Shinbundang Line. Opened in 2011, it has over a decade of operation, establishing itself as a leading large eye clinic in Gangnam.
Treatment Philosophy & Operating System
Under the principle of "prioritizing patient safety," Eyereum Eye Clinic conducts approximately 70 types of precision tests to determine surgical feasibility. Its most distinctive feature is its **"Academic Research-based Treatment."**
All medical staff are from university hospitals, uniquely combining clinical practice with active research, having published over 60 SCI-level papers.
- Registered as a medical institution for attracting foreign patients by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
- Handled eye examinations for heads of state and spouses during the 2023 Korea-Pacific Islands Summit.
- Partner hospital for Carl Zeiss (Germany) for SMILE surgery and excimer lasers.
- Strategic alliance hospital for STAAR Surgical (USA) for EVO ICL lens implantation.
Equipment & Technology
Eyereum Eye Clinic actively invests in state-of-the-art medical equipment to ensure precision and safety in all procedures.
| Equipment Name | Use | Features |
|---|---|---|
| VisuMax 800 | SMILE pro | Fast laser irradiation (~10s), eye tracking |
| VisuMax 500 | SMILE LASIK | Low Energy SMILE, globally verified |
| Amaris Red 1050RS | LASIK/LASEK | 1050Hz speed, 7-dimensional eye tracking |
| Centurion | Cataract Surgery | Alcon's latest phacoemulsification, IOP maintenance |
| MS-39 / PERAMIS | Precision Exam | Corneal topography & HOA analysis, epithelial thickness |
| Corvis ST | Corneal Stiffness | Measurement of corneal biomechanical stiffness |
Representative Director Park Si-yoon Profile
Park Si-yoon
Ophthalmologist, Vision Correction & Cataract Specialist
Education & Career
- Graduated from Yonsei University College of Medicine.
- Completed Ophthalmology residency at Yonsei University Severance Hospital.
- Served as Clinical Fellow and Faculty in Cornea, External Eye, and Cataract at Severance Hospital.
- Former Director of Yonsei Jeongin Eye Clinic.
- Current Representative Director (Chief Doctor) of Eyereum Eye Clinic.
Professional Qualifications & Society Activities
- SMILE Certified Expert Doctor (ZEISS Certified).
- EVO ICL/TICL Expert Surgeon (STAAR Surgical Certified).
- Regular Member, Korean Ophthalmological Society (KOS).
- Regular Member, Korean Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (KSCRS).
- Member, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS).
- Member, European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS).
- Member, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).
Major Research Achievements & Papers
Director Park Si-yoon is deeply involved in research to improve the quality of surgical results, beyond simple clinical practice. His main research areas are "Correction of Higher-Order Aberrations in SMILE Surgery" and "Triple Centration" technology.
- **Triple Centration**: Invited to lecture on centration know-how (pupil center, visual axis, corneal vertex) for SMILE surgery accuracy; holds a patent for related tools.
- **Low Energy SMILE Research**: Published SCI journal results showing lower laser energy in SMILE surgery leads to smoother corneal lenticule surface, faster visual recovery, and reduced higher-order aberrations.
- **Other Papers**: Numerous publications including a case report on thin corneas (Korean Journal of Ophthalmology, 2022) and presbyopia correction effect of pinhole soft contact lenses (Semin Ophthalmol, 2019).
Major Procedures & Clinical Features
Low Energy SMILE & SMILE pro
This is Eyereum Eye Clinic's signature surgical method, developed based on observations that corneal cut surface roughness varies with laser energy intensity in traditional SMILE surgery.
- **Principle**: Laser energy is irradiated at a threshold level tailored to the patient's corneal condition.
- **Advantages**: Lower energy ensures smoother separation of the corneal lenticule surface, leading to less hazy vision, faster visual recovery, and suppressed occurrence of higher-order aberrations (e.g., coma causing night glare).
- **SMILE pro**: Utilizes the VisuMax 800, reducing laser irradiation time to within 10 seconds, minimizing patient anxiety and suction loss risk.
ICL Lens Implantation (Implantable Collamer Lens)
A surgery involving the insertion of a special lens inside the eye without corneal cutting, primarily for patients with high myopia or thin corneas.
- **Expertise**: Medical staff, including Director Park Si-yoon, identified the **"Dynamic Vaulting"** phenomenon (ICL lens movement based on light) and published it in an SCI paper, which is crucial for determining lens size to prevent cataracts or glaucoma.
- **Astigmatism Correction**: Possesses specialized know-how to ensure rotational stability of the lens during Toric ICL surgery for astigmatism correction, backed by research.
Co-Wave LASEK
This is a customized LASEK surgery based on corneal topography. Utilizing the "Co-Wave" function of Amaris Red, it smoothly corrects the irregular surface of the cornea, which varies for each patient. This is particularly applied to patients sensitive to night glare or those requiring re-operation.
Reputation and Patient Review Analysis
An analysis of hospital and Director Park Si-yoon's reputation, synthesizing data from various medical information platforms.
Positive Evaluations
- **High Expertise and Reliability**: Director Park Si-yoon consistently scores highly (over 9.3/10 on Modoodoc). Patients praise his logical, detailed explanations and conservative approach, recommending only necessary surgeries.
- **Thorough Examination System**: Many reviews highlight the systematic and comprehensive examinations, often taking 2-3 hours. The clinic gains trust by mandating safety-related tests (e.g., Avellino DNA, retinal exams) and firmly refusing surgery if unsuitable.
- **Surgical Results**: Numerous patients report excellent outcomes, with vision recovering to 1.0 or higher from the day after Low Energy SMILE, often with minimal pain.
Negative Evaluations and Considerations
- **Waiting Times and Factory-like Feel**: As a large, popular hospital, some criticism exists regarding long waiting times (even with reservations) and a "factory-type" atmosphere where examination processes feel mechanical. The crowded examination rooms with many optometrists can be uncomfortable for some.
- **Cost**: Due to premium procedures (SMILE pro, Low Energy SMILE) and various additional options (Extra, etc.), some patients find the surgery costs to be higher than other hospitals.
- **Temporary Discomfort After Surgery**: Some patients reported common post-surgery side effects like dryness or glare. The hospital provides ongoing management and advises a recovery period of 6 months to 1 year.
Comprehensive Analysis & Conclusion
**Eyereum Eye Clinic** and **Representative Director Park Si-yoon** are evaluated as key players providing **"premium medical services based on academic evidence"** in the Korean vision correction surgery market.
Clinical Excellence
Director Park Si-yoon’s elite background and international certifications in SMILE and ICL, coupled with high-difficulty technologies like "Triple Centration," ensure surgical precision.
Hospital System
Preemptive adoption of the latest equipment (VisuMax 800) and extensive examination data guarantee surgical safety. However, the large hospital system tends to prioritize efficient processes over individualized emotional care.
Recommended For
- Patients requiring precise surgical design (high myopia, astigmatism).
- Patients prioritizing surgical safety and verified medical staff over cost.
- Patients seeking scientific explanations for potential side effects.
In conclusion, Eyereum Eye Clinic, led by Representative Director Park Si-yoon, embodies a research-centered approach, striving to improve **Quality of Vision** beyond simple vision correction. This commitment is the driving force behind the high trust it garners from both the domestic and international ophthalmology community and its patients.