Korean Job Discussion Forums

dharma bum · Joined: 15 Jun 2004

i'm in need of some new contacts and an eye exam, but i've heard that two-week toric lenses can be expensive in korea. any truth to that or are they the same as anywhere else? if they're a lot more, i was thinking about ordering online but i don't know how to go about that since most of the websites require prescriptions (right?). for anyone with experience, how much are the toric lenses and how did you go about ordering the contacts with a korean prescription? thanks for the help Very Happy

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

Not sure what "toric" lenses are, but if you mean the 2 week disposables, I just payed 39,000 for 9 of htem. ( Why you would want an odd number is beyond me as most people seem to have two eyes.) Its much less than what I would pay in the states, even with optical insurance. Does that answer your question?

dharma bum · Joined: 15 Jun 2004

Thanks for the help. I use regular lenses in my right eye, so it's good to have an idea of how much I should expect to pay for those. In my left eye, on the other hand, I need toric lenses, which are special lenses that correct astigmatism... I've heard that those can be pretty expensive in Korea, but I'm hoping that someone will be able to confirm or deny this?

baklava · Joined: 11 May 2006

Well I just ordered contacts for myself and my friend from www.1800contacts.com. You can order internationally, it costs $20 for shipping and you don't have to have a prescription. I ordered them on Feb 19th and I'm still waiting for them to be delivered. I'll let you know when I get them. (good prices and they have just about every kind available)

Also, does anyone know about packages getting through customs here? Do they send something to your address saying you have to pay custom's fees? Please tell me if you've ordered through amazon or another online retailer. Thanks a bunch!

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:09 am Post subject:

I've always ordered through LensQuest. A little expensive, but they courier to Korea, so worth it to me.

ChinaBoy · Joined: 17 Feb 2007

well, you do have to have some idea of what "prescription" you need.. your eyes will change over time I imagine, so you might need different lenses

there's a reason why they suggest eye exams every once in a while (and no, it's not completely because they want to make more money!)