I’ve just received the absolute royal treatment from an eyeglass shop in my neighborhood in Siji, Daegu.
The name is 왕눈이안경타운.
Don’t let the long name scare you away. The people here are friendly and the doctor will go to any length to help you. The first time I went, I brought a friend to translate (a wise idea, since the staff’s English is very limited) but the doctor actually had a student there to translate for me already. The doctor was really kind and hooked me up with a fair price for contacts and glasses.
After getting a gnarly case of pink eye, my prescription had changed a lot as my eye sight was damaged by the infection.
I have an astigmatism (the word for this is 난시 or “nanshee”) to make things more confusing, but my options for affordable lenses were aplenty, compared with options in the U.S which are basically limited to the very pricey Acuvue Oasis.
Because of the 난시 and the past infection, my eyes are pretty sensitive, so the contacts the doctor gave me the first time were really uncomfortable. I went back the next week and he was more than willing to work with me. He gave me a higher quality contact lens that was way more comfortable FREE of charge! He just gifted me about $60. He also threw me a bazillion freebies like a bottle of fancy contact solution, a travel bottle of fancy contact solution, and a handful of adorable bear-shaped contact lens cases. All of this for free. The price for one year’s worth of contacts and a brand new pair of glasses was 236,000 KRW (about $200). Considering one (read: not one pair, but a single lens) of my Acuvue Oasis contacts cost about that much in the states, it was a screaming deal.
I highly recommend this guy! He embodies the true generosity and hospitality of Korean culture.
To find 왕눈이안경타운, exit Sinmae station exit 5 and walk straight for one minute. The shop is just after a pharmacy and a parking garage entrance, but just before the Shinhan bank. You can’t miss the giant store with a colorful sign.
For best results, study up on your Korean eye terms or bring a fluent friend. There is someone at the front desk who speaks some English, but there may or may not be someone there to translate for you.
