Kyle Searls
My name is Kyle. I work in Dobong-gu, Seoul, as an Guest English Teacher for the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. I started considering refractive eye surgery when I arrived in Korea in August, 2011. Compared to the United States, in Korea this type of surgery is much less expensive. I had heard many positive things about the relative ease of the procedure and the experience of Korean specialists. I began looking at the different clinics and providers offering this service, and Dream Eye Center seemed to be the most well-known clinic in Seoul.
One year after arriving in Korea, I decided to make use of my week of vacation time to schedule a consultation at Dream Eye Center in Gangnam. Mr. Choo and Susan Park helped guide me through the various screening tests and understand the surgical procedures. I also met with Dr. Lee, who would perform my surgery that Thursday. My degree of astigmatism and nearsightedness were exceptionally high; my care team informed me of the relatively higher risk due to my misshapen cornea. I started wearing glasses when I was 7 years old and wore them until I was nearly 32.
For someone who has always needed glasses or contacts to see beyond a few feet, the benefits of surgery outweighed the risks, both improbable and entirely manageable. I scheduled the appointment and 2 days later went in for surgery.
Everything went very smoothly during surgery. It was a unique experience, but not at all painful. My care team had prepared me well for the procedure, so nothing was a surprise to me. Afterwards, I lay down in the recovery room and marveled that I could see much better than I ever had before (without correction), just minutes after the surgery. My eyes were sensitive to light for a few hours and I had a headache, but I made it home just fine by subway.
My care team warned me of the discomfort on the third day. When Saturday came around, I was well prepared for it. It wasn't really that painful, just irritating. The worst part for me was not being able to read, use the computer, or watch movies. It was a long and boring day, nothing more.
I'll never forget how I felt waking up the Sunday after my surgery. After putting my eye drops in, my eyes felt normal again! My vision had already improved significantly. I met my friends across the street for brunch. I ate and joked with my friends, while feeling so gratified with my choice to have LASEK surgery at Dream Eye Center. Those were the tastiest pancakes I've ever had!
Thank you Dream Eye Center!
P.S. - Six months later, my vision is clear and I can read the even the smallest letters on the vision chart. I have had no pain or discomfort to speak of.