I need new glasses or contact lenses in Korea?

Buying glasses and contacts in Korea is fast, affordable, and high quality. Korea is actually a popular destination for vision correction tourism from Japan and Southeast Asia.

Eye exams. Walk into any optical shop (안경원) and they will do a free or low-cost eye exam (around 5,000 to 10,000 won). The shops have auto-refractor machines and trained opticians, no appointment needed. Exam takes 10 to 15 minutes. For prescription contact lenses or if you have specific eye conditions, visit an eye clinic (안과) instead, where a full medical exam runs 20,000 to 50,000 won and is partially covered by NHIS.

Glasses. Most optical shops carry hundreds of frames at all price points. Mid-range complete glasses (frame plus standard lenses) cost 80,000 to 200,000 won. High-end designer frames go up from there. Premium options like Zeiss or Nikon lenses cost more but are well-priced compared to most countries. Shops typically finish glasses in 30 to 60 minutes.

Myeongdong, Hongdae, Gangnam Station, and major department stores have the most variety. Chain optical shops like LOOK Optical, Niki Group, and David Vision are reliable.

Contact lenses. Optical shops sell daily, biweekly, and monthly disposables. A box of 30 daily lenses costs around 20,000 to 35,000 won, often half the US price. Colored cosmetic lenses are also widely available. For prescription contacts you only need to show your eye exam results from any optical shop.

Overall, Korea is one of the most affordable places in the world for vision care.