Key Strengths
Institution Overview
First Nun Ae Eye Clinic is an ophthalmology clinic located on Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (near Seolleung Station). Under the slogan 'We remember your first eyes,' it focuses on vision correction surgery, presbyopia, and cataract surgery.
Director's Expertise
Representative Director Yoon Sam-young is an authority in the anterior segment (cornea, lens) field who graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine and served as a fellow and clinical professor at Asan Medical Center. He notably has training experience at Harvard Medical School and served as a research professor at Columbia University Medical Center, and is currently active as a 'Key Doctor' in the fields of SMILE LASIK and Smart LASIK.
Technology & Equipment
The clinic performs both 'Smart LASIK' using the ATOS equipment from Schwind (Germany) and 'SMILE LASIK' using the VisuMax from Zeiss (Germany), aiming for customized surgery based on the patient's corneal condition.
Reputation & Ethics
The clinic is known for avoiding overtreatment and applying conservative safety standards. It receives high evaluations for the quality of medical services and social contribution activities, such as receiving a Commendation from the Minister of Health and Welfare in 2025.
In-depth Profile of Representative Director Yoon Sam-young
Representative Director Yoon Sam-young is the founder and lead medical staff of First Nun Ae Eye Clinic, recognized for his expertise in vision correction and anterior segment surgery based on clinical experience and academic achievements at prestigious domestic and international medical institutions.
Education and Training
- Graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine.
- Completed internship at Seoul National University Hospital.
- Residency & fellowship at Dept. of Ophthalmology, Asan Medical Center, Ph.D. in Medicine.
- Specializations: Cataracts, vision correction surgery, contact lenses, cornea, and the anterior segment.
Major Career & Academic Activities
- Assistant Professor and Professor of Anterior Segment at Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital.
- Ophthalmology training at Harvard Medical School, USA.
- Research Professor of Ophthalmology at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA (2017~2018).
- Invited oral presentations at European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) for 5 consecutive years (2012-2016) and again in 2023-2024.
Certifications and Awards
- Official Certified Doctor for SMILE LASIK (ZEISS, Germany) & 'Key Doctor' for ATOS Smart LASIK (SCHWIND, Germany).
- Official Certified Doctor for EVO ICL and EVO VIVA ICL (STAAR, USA).
- Excellence Award for Oral Presentation at the 111th Spring Meeting of the Korean Ophthalmological Society (2014).
- Excellent Reviewer Award from the Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society (2019).
- 2025 Minister of Health and Welfare Commendation for contribution to blindness prevention activities.
First Nun Ae Eye Clinic: Philosophy & Accessibility
Brand Philosophy & Identity
First Nun Ae Eye Clinic embodies the double meaning of restoring the clear and clean state of the eyes that a patient had at birth, i.e., their 'first eyes' (Cheotnun), and 'falling in love at first sight'. This reflects the medical team's philosophy of going beyond technical vision correction to improve patients' quality of life and restore the health of the initial eye state.
"Surgery begins and ends with safety."
Location and Accessibility
- Located on the 5th floor of HJ Tower, 332 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
- Excellent accessibility: Right in front of Exit 4 of Seolleung Station (Subway Line 2 and Suin-Bundang Line).
- Medical hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on weekdays, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturdays (no lunch break).
Safety-Centered Conservative Treatment System
One of the biggest characteristics of First Nun Ae Eye Clinic is a philosophy bordering on obsession regarding 'safety'. They pre-block potential side effects through over 50 types of precision tests before surgery, including Avellino DNA testing, corneal topography (Sirius), and retinal examination.
If examination results show insufficient corneal thickness or signs of suspected keratoconus, surgery is dissuaded or a safer alternative (e.g., recommending LASEK instead of LASIK) is strongly advised, even if it means giving up profit.
Actual patient reviews confirm evaluations such as "Unlike other hospitals, they honestly informed me of the risks and recommended LASEK."
Investment in Latest Equipment and Research & Patient Communication
Director Yoon Sam-young describes himself as a "researching doctor" and is active in introducing the latest equipment. By operating both the 'ATOS' for Smart LASIK and the 'VisuMax' for SMILE LASIK, he has created an environment where he can objectively recommend the most suitable surgery for the patient without being tied to a specific surgical method. Additionally, high-resolution corneal topography analyzers like Sirius are used to increase surgical accuracy.
The clinic also fosters patient-centered communication through its YouTube channel 'Cheotnunaeddine', delivering common eye knowledge easily to the public and building trust. They operate a 1:1 responsible care system where the representative director directly analyzes test results, is deeply involved in deciding the surgical method, and takes responsibility for post-operative management.
Major Medical Fields & Procedures
Refractive Surgery
Director Yoon Sam-young has the capability to perform all types of vision correction surgeries, from 1st generation LASEK to the latest 5th generation Smart LASIK.
Smart LASIK
- Equipment: ATOS from Schwind, Germany.
- Features: Inherits advantages of SMILE LASIK, enhances astigmatism correction accuracy through reinforced cyclotorsion compensation, and corrects minute eye movements in real-time via 7-dimensional eye tracking.
- Advantages: Less pain and faster recovery due to a small corneal incision (around 2mm), lower risk of dry eye syndrome.
SMILE LASIK
- Equipment: VisuMax from Zeiss, Germany.
- Features: A method of creating and removing a corneal stroma piece (lenticule) using a femtosecond laser. Director Yoon applies 'energy level optimization' technology tailored to the patient's corneal strength and thickness.
LASEK and Lens Implantation (ICL)
- Intraocular lens implantation (ICL) is performed for patients for whom laser surgery is impossible due to thin corneas or high myopia.
- LASEK is recommended based on conservative criteria for suitable patients.
Presbyopia and Cataract Surgery
Director Yoon Sam-young performs premium cataract surgeries based on his experience performing high-difficulty cataract surgeries since his time as a university hospital professor.
Multifocal Intraocular Lens Implantation
- A surgery that overcomes the limitations of monofocal lenses and simultaneously corrects near, intermediate, and far distances.
- Holding certifications for various premium lenses such as PanOptix, Vivity, and FineVision, he selects the lens optimized for the patient's lifestyle.
Surgical Philosophy
- When deciding the timing of cataract surgery, the patient's subjective discomfort and the degree of lens opacity are comprehensively considered.
- The principle is to coordinate the appropriate timing rather than performing unreasonable surgery.
Dry Eye Syndrome and Other Treatments
IPL Laser Treatment
Introduces and operates IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) equipment to treat meibomian gland dysfunction, a major cause of dry eye syndrome.
Dream Lens
Operates a Dream Lens clinic that corrects vision by wearing lenses during sleep without surgery, and holds certified doctor qualifications for Paragon CRT, etc.
Reputation & Market Analysis
Patient Reviews and Evaluations
A comprehensive analysis of data from major medical review platforms (Modoodoc, Gangnam Unni, Babitalk, etc.) shows that First Nun Ae Eye Clinic maintains very high ratings.
- Ratings: It ranks in the top tier for patient satisfaction with scores like 9.6/10 on Modoodoc and 9.6/10 on Gangnam Unni.
- Positive Feedback: Opinions such as "I liked that it wasn't a factory-style clinic," "The director examines thoroughly," "No overtreatment," and "No pressure for surgery" are dominant.
- Price Competitiveness: For Smart LASIK and SMILE LASIK, event prices are applied to offer reasonable costs (mid-2 million KRW range), which is evaluated as a competitive level in the Gangnam ophthalmology market.
External Recognition and Social Contribution
Since opening in 2021, Director Yoon Sam-young has fulfilled social responsibilities by delivering donations to the Korea Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness every year and conducting free checkups for the elderly in areas with insufficient medical infrastructure.
In recognition of these contributions, the clinic's external credibility was enhanced by receiving the Minister of Health and Welfare Commendation at the 'Eye Day' ceremony in 2025.
Conclusion & Core Values
First Nun Ae Eye Clinic and Representative Director Yoon Sam-young are analyzed as a successful case of combining "expertise from a university hospital professor background" with "latest equipment and services of a private practice."
Director Yoon Sam-young's illustrious background at SNU Medicine, Asan Medical Center, and Harvard/Columbia Medical Schools acts as a strong trust mechanism for patients, and the conservative safety principles and research-centered treatment attitude supporting this are the hospital's core competitiveness.
In particular, the provision of patient-customized solutions by equipping both SMILE LASIK and Smart LASIK devices without insisting on a specific surgical method, and the ethical management philosophy of avoiding overtreatment, contribute to First Nun Ae Eye Clinic solidifying a differentiated position in the fiercely competitive Gangnam ophthalmology market. The perception among patients as a "safe hospital to trust" is strong, and the medical staff's continuous academic activities and social contributions predict the hospital's sustainable growth.