Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bits]

Yes I am exaggerating, I DO need some new contact lenses ,? Do I need a a prescription, can I buy them over the counter ? I need a tooth capped as well, anyone know a place to go? ( in Taegu).

bits

[The Lemon]

For contact lenses, just go into any eye place. Don't worry about prescriptions - it's not like back home where eye doctors charge insane-o fees for coming up with your prescription. Here in under 5 minutes, they do the test for free.

Expect to pay 25,000w for a box of 6 disposables - less in Seoul (20,000w around Namdaemun). One for each eye means 50,000w total, max. Treat them properly - disinfecting nightly, and throwing them away after between 2 and four weeks of wear - and you should be able to get 4-6 months out of the two boxes.

[kimcheeking]

Or don't buy disposables... by the regular kind I paid 100,000 and mine are still going well after 2 years.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

On the subject of contacts...

Anyone know about colour or funky-looking contacts?

Wondering on a price...

[Cedar]

Look, the first place to start for Daegu info is the Daegu info webpage:

http://www.koreabridge.com/daegu

it does have listed both an optometrist and a great dentist.

as for contacts. the info given so far is correct -if you have the same prescription in both eyes- if you (weirdo!) insist on having your accurate prescription filled, if you are different in the two eyes, you'll have to pay twice as much, because they will have to make two pairs of contacts, the pair with your accurate left side prescription will have the right lense thrown out, and vice versa. Koreans commonly fill both glasses and contact prescritions the same on both sides, despite reality, and it can give you some low grade reoccuring headaches that aren't pleasant.

good luck!

[Derrek]

[Blue Flower]

[Cedar]

In Korea if you say my prescription is (for example) 650 in the left and 700 in the right eye, they will make you two contacts at 675, or even two at 700- that's what your 25,000 won gets you. Some people have the same prescrition in both eyes- lucky for them! If you, however, want to get the 650 and the 700, then you pay for two pairs of contacts... or the contact guy lies and figures you won't know the difference. It actually makes sense... cause they just pick up bulk made and packaged contacts... which are made the same for both eyes.

It's not double the price for glasses, it's just a little more, since they are usually grinding them in house (unless you want truly scratch proof or something like that).

[The Lemon]

I get what Cedar's saying - sometimes they'll split the difference in the prescriptions needed for the two eyes, so you only need to buy one box @ 25,000w and use those contacts for both eyes, even though your eyes are supposed to need different powers.

But as Cedar points out, you're asking for big trouble headache-wise. I've had some doctors say that your eyes can adjust to +/- 0.5, but mine certainly can't.

I always get a separate prescription for each eye, with two different boxes, one with a big "L" and the other with "R". I'm paying 25,000w x 2, but I don't care. No headaches.

Blue Flower's right - the price is certainly decent. Back in Canada the eye-doctor wants $50 for the exam, and you haven't even gotten the contacts yet. And if you want more contacts, you have to go back to him - he often won't release your prescription if you want to buy on-line. Though I ordered them anyway and lied.

Even compared to on-line North American sales, they're cheaper here.

[matko]

Lemon,

I don't have eye problems, so I'm completely out of the loop.

Do you really pay 50 dollars for an eye examination in Canada?

So much for universal health care