In-depth Analysis Report

Gangnam Grand Eye Clinic

Representative Director Dr. Lee Kwan-hoon

Retina Specialist ClearView SMILE Advanced Cataract Care

Executive Summary

Expertise

Dr. Lee Kwan-hoon is a **Retina and Cataract Specialist**, former university hospital professor and Head of Ophthalmology at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital, with over 10,000 cataract/refractive and 15,000 retinal procedures.

Technology

The clinic employs **'ClearView SMILE'**, a 4th generation vision correction surgery using Swiss Ziemer's **Femto Z8** laser, minimizing corneal damage and enhancing astigmatism correction accuracy.

Safety & Trust

Ensuring medical transparency with a **'Visible Operating Room'** and a doctor real-name, 1:1 dedicated care system, fostering guardian trust and medical staff responsibility.

Reputation

Patients praise meticulous counseling and professionalism. The clinic is particularly strong for middle-aged patients requiring integrated care for retinal diseases and cataracts.

Representative Director Lee Kwan-hoon

Representative Director Lee Kwan-hoon transcends the role of a simple vision correction surgeon, possessing differentiated competitiveness as a specialist who majored in the Retina field, known to be the most difficult to train in among ophthalmic sub-specialties.

Education & Major Career

Category Details
Education Graduated from Dankook University College of Medicine
Training Completed Ophthalmology Residency and Retina Fellowship at Dankook University Hospital
Professorship Outpatient Professor, Dankook University College of Medicine
Major Positions Former Head of Ophthalmology, Armed Forces Capital Hospital
Former Director, BGN Bright Eye Clinic Jamsil Lotte Branch
Former Head of Retina Center, Masan Kim Eye Clinic
Current Position Current Representative Director, Gangnam Grand Eye Clinic

Clinical Experience & Certifications

  • Cataract & Refractive Surgeries: Performed over 10,000 cases
  • Retinal Procedures & Surgeries: Performed over 15,000 cases
  • Certifications: Regular member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Korean Retina Society (KRS). Carl Zeiss ReLEx SMILE Doctor certified, numerous excellence certifications for premium IOL implantation (PanOptix, LISA tri, FineVision, etc.)

Expertise Analysis: Strengths of a Retina Specialist

Unlike general vision correction hospitals, Director Lee Kwan-hoon's specialty in the Retina field provides high safety. He can detect early and directly treat complications such as retinal tears or detachment that may occur before or after LASIK/LASEK surgery. This is especially crucial for high myopia patients, who have an elevated risk of retinal disease.

Hospital Overview & Infrastructure

Location & Accessibility

Gangnam Grand Eye Clinic is conveniently located on the 4th and 5th floors of Gangnam Tower, 363 Gangnam-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

It is situated directly in front of Exit 5 of Gangnam Station (Seoul Subway Line 2 and Shinbundang Line), offering excellent public transportation accessibility.

Facility Composition & Scale

  • 4th Floor (Treatment & Examination Center): Houses reception, consultation rooms, counseling rooms, and various precision examination rooms (MR room, Eye Care room, Lens room) for initial diagnosis.
  • 5th Floor (Surgery & Recovery Center): Dedicated to operating rooms, recovery rooms, sterilization rooms, and laser rooms, designed to prevent external infection and enhance surgical concentration.

Medical Philosophy & Brand Identity

The hospital's name 'GRAND' reflects a commitment to constantly strive for customers, while the dark blue logo symbolizes clear vision.

Its core values are rooted in providing 'Customer-Customized Care' and 'Optimal Solutions', aiming to be a conscientious hospital recommendable to one's own family. The official character 'RANY' also contributes to building a friendly brand image.

Major Procedures & Technical Features

ClearView SMILE LASIK

This is the clinic's flagship vision correction surgery, a next-generation method improving upon existing SMILE LASIK. It utilizes Swiss Ziemer's Femto LDV Z8 laser.

  • Low Energy: Uses Nano-joule units to minimize corneal thermal damage, ensuring smooth incision surfaces.
  • Precise Docking & Centering: Real-time corneal stroma checks via exclusive OCT, with a docking system for accurate alignment of Visual Axis and pupil center, dramatically improving astigmatism correction.
  • Eye Rotation Compensation: Corrects for cyclotorsion (eye rotation when lying down) to maintain astigmatism axis accuracy.

Contoura Vision

A customized surgery that precisely analyzes the corneal topography of each individual, much like contour lines, for correction. It links Alcon's EX500 excimer laser with advanced diagnostic equipment.

  • Advantages: Corrects corneal surface irregularities, leading to reduced night glare and improved Quality of Vision. Highly beneficial for patients with corneal asymmetry, myopia, and astigmatism.

Presbyopia & Cataract Clinic

Comprehensive solutions for age-related vision issues.

  • Multifocal Intraocular Lens: Offers over 24 types of diverse premium lenses (e.g., PanOptix, Vivity, Synergy, LISA tri), tailored to patient lifestyles.
  • Surgery System: Utilizes university hospital-grade equipment such as Centurion (phacoemulsification) and Verion (digital guide system) for enhanced surgical precision.
  • Laser Cataract Surgery: Employs femtosecond laser (Z8) for anterior capsulotomy and nucleus fragmentation, aiming for more accurate and safer surgery than manual methods.

Retina & Other Eye Diseases

Leveraging Representative Director Lee Kwan-hoon's specialty, the retina clinic diagnoses and treats conditions like diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and floaters.

  • Also addresses general eye diseases including pediatric myopia (Dream Lens), dry eye syndrome, and glaucoma.

Reputation & Market Analysis

Patient Reviews & Evaluations

Positive Feedback:

  • Consistently high ratings on major review platforms.
  • Praised for "very meticulous counseling" and "frank advice without overtreatment."
  • Facilities noted as "clean and pleasant."
  • Director Lee Kwan-hoon specifically lauded for detailed, 30-minute cataract surgery counseling.

Price Competitiveness:

Transparent disclosure of price information for SMILE LASIK, LASEK, etc., with reasonable price ranges offered through events (e.g., LASEK from 1 million KRW range, SMILE LASIK from mid-2 million KRW range, subject to change).

External Recognition

  • Received the Minister of Health and Welfare Award.
  • Selected as a participating company in the Korea Grand Sale.
  • Actively attracts foreign patients, providing multilingual interpretation services (English, Russian, Chinese), showcasing global medical capabilities.

Considerations

  • Due to fierce competition among eye clinics near Gangnam Station, waiting times may occur, typical of large clinics.
  • Some online reviews might be part of marketing; verifying suitability through actual in-person counseling is recommended.

Conclusion

Gangnam Grand Eye Clinic stands as a modern eye clinic benefiting from the geographical advantage of Gangnam Station and equipped with cutting-edge medical technology (Femto Z8, EX500, etc.). Critically, Representative Director Lee Kwan-hoon, as a highly experienced Retina Specialist, further enhances the safety and efficacy of vision correction and cataract surgeries.

The adoption of advanced surgical methods like 'ClearView SMILE LASIK', commitment to transparency through the 'Visible Operating Room', and a comprehensive treatment system inclusive of retinal diseases are all factors that build high patient trust. It is identified as an exemplary medical institution for patients seeking overall eye health management beyond simple vision correction, particularly those with concerns regarding high myopia or retinal complications.

Key Strengths:

Specialized Retina Expertise Advanced Surgical Technology Transparent & Patient-Centric Care