Analysis Report

Clear Seoul Eye Clinic

Im Tae-hyung Representative Director In-depth Analysis

Vision Correction Cataract Surgery Advanced Technology

Executive Summary

This report contains comprehensive investigation results regarding Clear Seoul Eye Clinic, located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and its founder, Representative Director Im Tae-hyung. Although Clear Seoul Eye Clinic is a relatively new hospital that opened in April 2023, Director Im Tae-hyung is a veteran specialist with over 18 years of clinical experience, hailing from Seoul National University College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center.

Key Points

Expertise

Director Im Tae-hyung graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine, completed his specialist training at Asan Medical Center, and served as the Head of the LASIK Center at Hangil Eye Hospital. He possesses experience with over 34,000 treatments and performs over 3,000 surgeries annually.

Technology

The clinic specializes in 4th generation vision correction surgeries such as 'SMILE Pro' and 'CLEAR LASIK' and holds a leading technical position, being selected as Korea's first CLEAR LASIK training center. It has also introduced the latest cataract surgery systems, such as the Alcon Vision Suite.

Reputation

It records high ratings of 9.6 to 9.8 (out of 10) on major hospital evaluation platforms (Modoodoc, Gangnam Unni, etc.), with predominantly positive evaluations for avoiding overtreatment and providing patient-tailored counseling.

Uniqueness

Director Im emphasizes empathy for patients based on his personal experience suffering from childhood asthma and actively communicates with the public through media outlets (such as Channel A's Happy Morning).

Medical Director Profile: Im Tae-hyung

Education and Training

  • Education: Graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine; Master of Medicine and Doctor of Medicine from the University of Ulsan College of Medicine.
  • Training: Completed Internship and Ophthalmology Residency at Asan Medical Center; Obtained Ophthalmology Board Certification.
  • Fellowship: Clinical Fellow in Ophthalmology (Cornea, Cataract sub-specialties) at Seoul National University Hospital.

Major Career and Clinical Experience

  • Hangil Eye Hospital: Served as Head of LASIK & Dry Eye Center and Department Head (2008-2020).
  • Professorship: Served as Professor and Director of Education at Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine.
  • Major Gangnam Eye Clinics: Served as Director at Gangnam Noonemiso Eye Clinic and Gangnam IOK Eye Clinic.
  • Surgery Count: Reported to have achieved over 15,000 cataract surgeries and over 20,000 vision correction surgeries. According to a recent interview, he performs approximately 3,100 surgeries and 34,000 eye examinations annually.

Academic Activities and Qualifications

  • Society Activities: Former Academic Director of the Korean Ophthalmologists Association, Regular Member of the Korean Ophthalmological Society (KOS), Regular Member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS).
  • Certifications: Expert SMILE Doctor, Expert CLEAR Doctor, Participated in KFDA Intraocular Lens Guideline Development Research, Lumenis IPL Dry Eye Treatment Instructor.

Personal Background and Characteristics

Director Im Tae-hyung has stated that he was attracted to the profession of a doctor after frequently visiting the emergency room due to severe childhood asthma. This personal experience influenced the formation of a treatment attitude that empathizes with patients' pain and does not give up. He also possesses public communication skills, appearing on media outlets (such as Channel A's 'Happy Morning') to deliver information on cataract prevention and eye health.

Other Medical Staff and Cooperative System

Director Kim Jae-hyung

Graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine and completed residency/fellowship at Asan Medical Center; formerly a Professor of Ophthalmology at Chungbuk National University Hospital. As a former university hospital professor, he possesses expertise in high-difficulty cases.

Director Lee Ja-young

As an ophthalmology specialist, she receives good evaluations from patients for her meticulous medical care in LASEK and SMILE LASIK fields.

Hospital Overview

Basic Information

  • Name: Clear Seoul Eye Clinic
  • Opening Date: April 10, 2023
  • Location: 6th Floor, BLOCK77, 17 Seocho-daero 77-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul (2-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 10)
  • Medical Hours:
    • Weekdays (Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri): 09:30 - 18:30
    • Saturday: 09:00 - 15:30 (No lunch break)
    • Closed: Wednesdays, Sundays, Public Holidays

Founding Background and Philosophy

Clear Seoul Eye Clinic was established based on Director Im Tae-hyung's medical philosophy that "patients open their hearts to doctors who make them believe they are treated with sincerity." The hospital name 'Clear' symbolizes the goal of providing clean and sharp vision and a transparent treatment process. It prioritizes constant knowledge pursuit and patient safety, aiming for 'Personal Eyes' treatment tailored to each patient's individual eye condition rather than factory-style surgery.

Major Procedures & Technology

Next-Generation Vision Correction (SMILE Pro & CLEAR LASIK)

Director Im Tae-hyung is an expert in 'SMILE' and 'CLEAR' surgeries, which are 4th generation vision correction procedures going beyond traditional LASIK/LASEK.

  • SMILE Pro: Uses Zeiss's VisuMax 800 equipment. The laser irradiation time is reduced to the 10-second range compared to existing SMILE LASIK, minimizing patient anxiety and the risk of suction loss. In particular, the 'OcuLign' function, which compensates for astigmatic axis rotation, is excellent for high astigmatism correction.
  • CLEAR LASIK: Utilizes the Z8 equipment from Ziemer (Switzerland). Director Im operates a domestic CLEAR LASIK training center and is knowledgeable enough to educate other doctors in this field. CLEAR LASIK is characterized by high accuracy as the incision position can be set centered on the Visual Axis, and it uses low energy to reduce corneal damage.
  • Double Expert: Director Im holds 'Expert' qualifications for both SMILE LASIK and CLEAR LASIK surgical methods, allowing him to objectively recommend the most suitable surgical method according to the patient's corneal condition and degree of astigmatism.

Cataract and Presbyopia Surgery

  • Alcon Vision Suite: Clear Seoul Eye Clinic has introduced Alcon's integrated cataract surgery system. This is a system where inspection equipment (Argos Biometer), surgical microscope (LuxOR Revalia), 3D visualization system (Ngenuity), and phacoemulsification equipment (Centurion) are linked via data. This enables precise intraocular lens insertion while checking ocular data in real-time during surgery.
  • Customized Intraocular Lens: Various intraocular lenses such as multifocal, monofocal, and toric lenses are used according to the patient's lifestyle, and the degree of cataract progression and presbyopia status are accurately diagnosed through precise pre-operative examinations.

Other Treatments

  • Dry Eye Clinic: Professionally performs Meibomian gland treatment using Lumenis IPL equipment.
  • Dream Lens & Pediatric Ophthalmology: Operates Dream Lens prescription and management programs for myopia inhibition.

Reputation Analysis

Positive Reviews

  • High Ratings: Maintains high ratings of 9.6/10 on the hospital reservation and review platform 'Modoodoc' and 9.8/10 on 'Gangnam Unni'.
  • Expertise and Kindness: Patients evaluate Director Im Tae-hyung's counseling as very detailed and professional. In particular, there are many reviews stating, "Unlike factory-type ophthalmology clinics, the director personally examines and explains carefully".
  • Avoiding Overtreatment: Trust has been established that the clinic does not force unnecessary options (additional procedures, etc.) and recommends only necessary surgeries to patients. For example, there are reviews stating that LASEK is honestly recommended for patients for whom LASEK is more suitable.
  • Surgical Results: There is considerable positive feedback regarding fast visual recovery speeds and few side effects (glare, dryness, etc.) after SMILE LASIK and cataract surgery.

Considerations and Features

  • Wait Time: Due to the nature of a popular hospital, wait times may occur, and Saturdays can be particularly crowded.
  • Cost: As the latest equipment (SMILE Pro, CLEAR LASIK, etc.) is used, surgical costs are set higher than general LASIK/LASEK. (e.g., SMILE Pro event price is in the 4 million KRW range, SMILE LASIK is in the mid-2 million KRW range).

Comprehensive Analysis and Conclusion

Clear Seoul Eye Clinic is a high-end eye clinic that combines Representative Director Im Tae-hyung's 18+ years of rich clinical experience with state-of-the-art surgical equipment (VisuMax 800, Ziemer Z8, Alcon Vision Suite).

Summary of Features

Technological Advantage

Possesses technical flexibility to utilize the advantages of both SMILE LASIK and CLEAR LASIK, with particular strengths in astigmatism correction and visual axis-centered surgery.

Reliability

Verified medical staff from SNU/Asan Medical Center and a hospital culture that avoids overtreatment have gained high trust from patients.

Accessibility

Excellent accessibility near Gangnam Station, and the facilities are pleasant and modern, having opened in 2023.

In conclusion, Clear Seoul Eye Clinic and Director Im Tae-hyung are analyzed as suitable choices for patients considering vision correction surgery or cataract surgery, especially those with high astigmatism or desiring precise surgical results. It is evaluated as a hospital aiming for the concept of a 'lifelong primary physician' that manages eye health throughout a patient's life cycle beyond simple vision correction.

Sources