Analysis Report

Eyereum Eye Clinic

Representative Director Choi Jin-young In-depth Analysis

Academic Excellence Advanced ICL & SMILE Patient-Centric Safety

Key Insights

Academic-Centered Institution

Eyereum Eye Clinic has established itself as a 'research-centered hospital' that scientifically verifies clinical results by publishing over 60 SCI-level papers.

Director Choi Jin-young's Expertise

A global Key Opinion Leader (KOL) in ICL surgery, holding patents for ICL lens extraction tools and recognized for research on toric ICL rotational stability.

Proprietary Low Energy SMILE

The hospital's core procedure, 'Low Energy SMILE,' minimizes corneal damage and improves vision quality by lowering laser energy to a critical point, proven through international papers.

Reputation & Patient Experience

High reliability due to thorough pre-examinations and conservative surgical standards, though noted for waiting times due to high awareness and relatively higher costs.

Hospital Overview

Hospital Information and Location

Since its opening in 2011, Eyereum Eye Clinic has been located at the Gangnam Center Building, 388 Gangnam-daero (Yeoksam-dong), Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Geographically, it has excellent accessibility as it is directly connected to Exit 2 of Gangnam Station via the underground.

The hospital operates with a separated system, featuring a surgery center on the 6th floor and an examination and clinic center on the 7th floor, efficiently managing patient flow and preventing cross-infection.

Operational Philosophy: "Show and Prove"

Eyereum Eye Clinic's core slogan, "Show and Prove," reflects its commitment to transparently disclosing pre- and post-operative data to patients and providing treatment based on objective figures and scientific evidence (Evidence-based Medicine).

The hospital focuses on securing the quality of vision and long-term safety after surgery rather than simply increasing the number of surgeries. To this end, medical staff from university hospitals perform dedicated treatments.

Facilities and Equipment

  • For patient convenience, the hospital is equipped with an internal mini-cafe and waiting area, maintaining a pleasant environment through an air cleaning system.
  • Laser Equipment: The hospital possesses the VisuMax 500 and the latest VisuMax 800 (SMILE Pro) from ZEISS, Germany, as well as the Amaris Red 1050RS, implementing customized surgeries for each patient.
  • Examination Equipment: It holds advanced optometry equipment capable of performing about 70 types of precision tests. In particular, it strictly determines surgical suitability through corneal topography (Pentacam, etc.) and UBM (Ultrasound Biomicroscopy) examinations.

Representative Director Choi Jin-young

Education and Major Career

Director Choi Jin-young graduated from Yonsei University College of Medicine and completed his ophthalmology residency at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University. He subsequently solidified his academic background by serving as a Clinical Associate Professor at the Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine.

Major Positions:

  • Representative Director, Eyereum Eye Clinic
  • Former Director of External Affairs, Korean External Eye Disease Society
  • Regular Member of the Korean Ophthalmological Society, ASCRS (American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery), and KSCRS (Korean Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery)

Global Opinion Leader (KOL) Activities

Director Choi Jin-young goes beyond being a simple clinician to act as an advisory doctor for global medical device manufacturers.

Key Collaborations:

  • STAAR Surgical (USA): Appointed as a 'Reference Doctor' and 'ICL Expert Instructor', transferring surgical know-how to doctors both domestically and internationally.
  • ZEISS (Germany): Active as a 'SMILE Expert Doctor', contributing to the technical development of the procedure.

Research Achievements and Patents

The most significant characteristic of Director Choi Jin-young is his active research activities and technology development. Together with Director Kang Sung-yong, he has published numerous SCI-level papers and obtained patents.

Major Papers (SCI-level):

  • ICL In-vivo Movement Research (AJO, 2014): Clarified how the distance between the ICL lens and the crystalline lens (Vaulting) changes with pupil size variations, winning the 'Best Paper' award.
  • Toric ICL Rotational Stability Research (JRS, 2018): Analyzed the phenomenon of astigmatism-correcting ICL lenses rotating inside the eye, contributing to increased surgical accuracy.
  • Low Energy SMILE Research (AJO, 2017): Proved that lowering laser energy during SMILE surgery results in smoother corneal cut surfaces and faster visual recovery.
  • ICL 10-year Clinical Results (AJO, 2024): Presented long-term follow-up results of V4c ICL implantation over 10 years, analyzing long-term safety and endothelial cell density changes.

Patents Held:

  • Surgical Tool for Intraocular Lens Extraction: Developed a tool to safely remove the lens while minimizing damage to corneal endothelial cells.
  • SMILE LASIK Lenticule Extraction Tool: Obtained a patent for a tool that facilitates the separation of the corneal stroma piece (lenticule) during SMILE surgery.

Major Procedures and Technical Features

Low Energy SMILE

Eyereum Eye Clinic's signature procedure, developed to overcome the limitations of existing SMILE surgeries by lowering the femtosecond laser energy to a critical point.

Advantages:

  • Smooth Corneal Surface: Prevents gas bubbles (OBL) and rough cut surfaces from high energy, improving vision quality and reducing night glare.
  • Fast Recovery: Minimal corneal damage allows quick recovery, with daily activities possible from the day after surgery.
  • SMILE Pro: Surgery using the recently introduced VisuMax 800 equipment, shortening laser irradiation time to just 8 seconds, reducing patient anxiety and minimizing risks.

ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens)

A surgery that inserts a special lens into the eye without cutting the cornea, suitable for patients with ultra-high myopia or thin corneas. This is a field led by Director Choi Jin-young.

Core Technologies:

  • Vaulting Optimization: Maintaining an appropriate distance between the lens and the crystalline lens is key. Eyereum precisely measures internal eye space through UBM tests for optimal lens size.
  • Toric ICL Know-how: Crucial for astigmatism correction, Director Choi Jin-young's research achievements are reflected in surgical designs, demonstrating high accuracy.
  • Safety: Surgical feasibility is conservatively judged by checking for cysts or tumors behind the iris through pre-operative UBM examinations.

Co-Wave LASIK/LASEK

Unlike general LASIK/LASEK, this is a customized vision correction surgery that reflects the different corneal topography of each patient.

Features:

  • Corrects irregular corneal surfaces to make them smooth, reducing Higher Order Aberrations.
  • Decreases night glare and increases contrast sensitivity, improving the quality of vision.
  • Uses the Amaris Red 1050RS equipment, enabling ultra-precise laser irradiation.

Reputation and Market Analysis

Positive Reputation

  • Expertise and Trust: Patients give high marks to the expertise of medical staff from university hospitals and the meticulous examination system, often noting personalized data explanations from the director.
  • Surgical Results: Numerous reviews report fast recovery and almost no pain after Low Energy SMILE, with many cases of visual acuity recovering to 1.0~1.2 the day after surgery.
  • Systematic Management: The post-operative care system, including regular check-up reservation systems (Happy Call) and real-time consultation via KakaoTalk, is evaluated as well-established.

Considerations and Market Position

  • Waiting Time: Due to its fame, long waiting times for examinations and consultations are frequently mentioned, with reviews suggesting waits even with appointments.
  • Cost: There is a perception that surgical costs are set somewhat higher than other hospitals due to premium surgeries and the latest equipment.
  • Post-operative Symptoms: Depending on individual differences, some complain of glare or dry eyes immediately after surgery, which are generally mentioned as typical side effects or recovery discomfort.

Cost Analysis (Estimated based on 2024-2025)

  • SMILE LASIK: Approx. 2.5 million KRW ~ 3.4 million KRW (Varies depending on event application)
  • SMILE Pro: Approx. 4.1 million KRW ~ 4.7 million KRW
  • ICL Implantation: Approx. 4.9 million KRW ~ 5.7 million KRW
  • LASEK: Approx. 1.4 million KRW ~ 2.4 million KRW

*Note: Exact costs may vary depending on the patient's eye condition (presence of astigmatism, corneal thickness, etc.) and selected lens/equipment options.

Comprehensive Analysis and Conclusion

Key Differentiators of Eyereum Eye Clinic

  • **Evidence-based Practice:** The clinic applies equipment and surgical methods only after verifying their efficacy through SCI papers, which is a major factor in gaining trust.
  • **Safety First (Reversibility):** As seen in Director Choi Jin-young's patent (lens extraction tool), they consider not only surgical success but also safety mechanisms and ease of re-operation in unforeseen situations.
  • **Customized Energy Settings:** 'Low Energy SMILE' is a technology representing Eyereum Eye Clinic's identity, with its strength lying in the detail of adjusting laser parameters according to individual patient corneal characteristics.

Overall Conclusion

Eyereum Eye Clinic and Representative Director Choi Jin-young have successfully built a model combining 'premium' and 'academic expertise' in the Korean ophthalmology market. Director Choi Jin-young provides stable solutions particularly for high myopia patients through in-depth research and patented technology in the ICL field.

While somewhat high costs and long waiting times are disadvantages, these act as acceptable factors for patients who prefer thorough examinations, conservative surgical standards, and verified medical staff. Therefore, it is analyzed as a medical institution suitable for patients who consider safety as the top priority, those with difficult eye conditions such as high myopia or astigmatism, or patients who value the Quality of Vision after surgery.

Core Values:

  • Safety as the Top Priority
  • Precision for Complex Eye Conditions
  • Uncompromised Quality of Vision