Korean Job Discussion Forums

[charliebrown84]

I've been thinking about switching to contacts the past couple of months since I have decent insurance and well, you can find an eye-glasses shop every five feet here. Just wondering how much I should expect to pay for them and how readily available they are here.

[NYC_Gal]

I already knew my prescription and BC (base curve) so I walked into a shop and pointed to the exact box. I paid 27k for a box of 2 weeks lenses (a month and a half's supply). Fortunately, each eye has the same prescription, or I'd have had to buy 2 boxes. You will have to pay more for the exam (possibly not, as often they include it for free when you make a purchase) and fitting.

[conbon78]

My friend just went and only had to pay 1,000won for a box of acuvue.

[red_devil]

Strange - i paid around 40,000 for a left eye box, and a right eye box...

[NYC_Gal]

It depends on which type you get, I suppose. I didn't feel like haggling, and they gave me solution and a nifty travel case. It's still cheaper than the US, so 27K for Acuvue Advance isn't terrible. I'm sure if I got more than one box at a time, I'd get a discount.

[mmstyle]

I've paid 27,000 per box (both eyes same) since 2006 for the acuvue contacts. This was in and out of Seoul, at 3-4 different places. If you pay less than that, consider it a good deal!

[charliebrown84]

Great, thanks for the advice.

[Steffie183]

I have horrible vision but my contacts have always been cheaper than my glasses in the states. Here it is the other way around. I tried to find somewhere that would give me monthly contacts but everyone said I didn't know what I was talking about

I was even quoted 90,000 per pair of contacts because my eyes are different perscriptions in Gangnam. 45,000 per pair if I didn't want something special done to them that fixes the "blurry" factor (wtf?)

I went back to Yonsei, you don't need to be a student. Just go in the front gates, walk along the road and look to the right. There will be a building with a bunch of people gathering in front of it, it also has a Wooribank. There is a glasses shop in there. I got year supply of bimonthly contacts for 130,000. That was a huge relief since everyone else said they only carried bi-weekly and a box of 6 pairs would run me about 200,000.

Here is an idea of my eyesight, my lenses cost $300+ in the states, contacts around $120 for a year supply of monthlies. In Korea, my lenses are 90,000 (and the lady apologized profusely that she couldn't make them cheaper). I do have to order 2 boxes, one for each eye, but that just means they last longer. I haven't had to have a contact fitting in Korea since all my other fittings were, "How do they feel? Good? Okay, see you next year." I think it would be "service" in Korea, as well as the eye exam.

Shop around and when in doubt, just go to the college areas. They are always cheaper. ^^

Oh, and our eyes are not more "curvy" because we aren't Korean. Someone told me these and honestly believed it. My fiancee didn't understand why I laughed in their face and walked out.

[blackjack]

I had an astigmatism so I had to pay around 140,000 won for 12 (6 for each eye).

Get lasek best money i have ever spent

[Steffie183]

[tgrear2008]

[NYC_Gal]

Bi-weeklies or dailies are the healthiest ones for your eyes. No matter how much you clean them, longer-wear lenses are never as fresh as a pair straight from the wrapper.

[blackjack]

[charliebrown84]

[blackjack]