Ophthalmology in Daejeon

Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine and surgery that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. Medically trained doctors who care for patients who have eye and vision conditions are called ophthalmologists and are the only practitioners diagnosed and trained to treat all eye and vision problems. Their practice is very diverse, dealing with a wide range of issues and clinical conditions. Some of the most common conditions that they treat and manage include:

• Minor and major eye injuries
• Infectious eye disease
• Dry eyes
• Proptosis (bulged eyes)
• Glaucoma 
• Cataracts 
• Corneal pathology 
• Retinal problems, such as bleeding and detachment or tears of the retina
• Squints 
• Eye-related neurological problems
• Excessive tearing
• Intraocular inflammation
• Chronic eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

An ophthalmologist can offer a wide range of medical services, including surgical eye procedures. Some of the most common procedures that ophthalmologists perform are as follows:

• Eye examinations.
• Specialized tests, such as ultrasonography of the eyes and optical coherence tomography (OCT).
• Refractive surgery to correct vision, such as LASIK.
• Cataract surgery.
• Glaucoma surgery.
• Cancer treatment.
• Reconstructive surgery to repair birth abnormalities or trauma, such as crossed eyes.
• Neoplasm removal.
• Corneal transplants.
• Repairing torn or detached retinas.
• Strabismus surgery.
• Oculoplastic surgery (plastic surgery around the eye).
• Prescribing and fitting glasses and contact lenses.

How Long Should I Stay in Daejeon?

Your length of stay depends on the type of treatment you undergo. In general, you may need to stay in Daejeon for at least a week or to let your eyes recover and to attend follow-up checkups, where your ophthalmologist checks your condition and make sure that your eyes are healing properly. If everything is fine, they will allow you to leave for home. However, for some surgery, such as retinal detachment surgery, you should avoid flying until your eyes have fully healed. Therefore, it is best that you wait 3 to 4 weeks, sometimes even longer, before you travel home.

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

Recovery time depends on the type of surgery you underwent, your age, and overall health. It is generally recommended to rest your eyes for a few days. With LASIK, you may be able to return to work after a day. After a corneal transplant, you should wait for 2 to 3 weeks until you go back to work. 

What Aftercare is Required?

Your ophthalmologist will give you instructions to care for your eye after the procedure. It is crucial that you follow all of them to have a quick recovery and obtain optimum results. To keep the result or to prevent complications, you will need to make some lifestyle changes, such as avoid smoking and staying active. You also need to attend regular checkups, typically once a year, with your local eye doctor or your ophthalmologist in Daejeon.

What's the Success Rate?

Thanks to the continuous advancement of ophthalmology, eye treatments, and surgeries are now highly successful and safe. For instance, the latest research of LASIK showed that it has a 99% success rate in achieving 20/40 vision or better, whereas the success rate of corneal transplant is as high as 90%. However, it is important to be aware of the risks and side effects of eye treatments and surgeries, such as dry eyes, temporary visual problems, overcorrections, under correction, astigmatism, regression, and, very rarely, vision loss.

Are there Alternatives?

For some eye problems, you may be able to go to an optometrist as an alternative. However, if your conditions need to be treated through surgery, your optometrist will refer you to an ophthalmologist.

Ophthalmology in and around Daejeon

About Daejeon 

With a population of around 1.5 million people, Daejeon is the 5th largest city in South Korea. Due to its location in the center of Korea, it is a major transit hub for the region. It’s an important science and education center, with more than 200 research institutes located within its area. As South Korea’s medical tourism continues to flourish, Daejeon has undertaken strategic development to grow its medical tourism industry. The city is establishing its healthcare system by providing outstanding medical technology both in the private and public sector, improving its medical services, carrying out overseas marketing activities, as well as developing medical tourism products and medical tourism coordinators.    

Popular Parts of Daejeon

The most popular part of Daejeon is Yuseong-gu, the administrative district in the northwest part of the city. It is home to Yuseong hot springs resort town, where visitors can find a hot spring that can counter many types of illnesses. The hot spring contains alkaline minerals, such as sulfur, calcium, potassium, silicic acid, and radium. An especially high concentration of radium is found in the hot spring, which is known to be good for neuralgia and geriatric diseases. Around the area of Yuseong hot springs resort town are upscale shopping areas, accommodation, as well as numerous cultural centers and sightseeing places. Another popular area is Dunsan, the city’s central business district filled with shops and restaurants. Besides these two areas, there several popular places for sightseers, including the mountains Sikjangsan and Jangtaesan, the lake Daecheonghosu, Expo Science Park, and Daejeon O-World. 

Transport in Daejeon

The international airport serving Daejeon is the Cheongju International Airport, which is located in Cheongwon-gu. It has several flights to and from cities in Asia. However, most international tourists arrive at Incheon International Airport and travel to the city with a shuttle bus from the airport or a KTX express train from Seoul. The most convenient and affordable way to get around Daejeon is by inner-city bus and the subway. Visitors can buy T-money travel cards to reduce the fares of the bus and subway. Taxis are available, but make sure to avoid unregistered taxis.

Visas in Daejeon

Holders of passports from 112 countries, including the EU, the US, and Russia, can visit Daejeon without a visa for 30, 60, and 180 days. Citizens of other countries not listed in the visa-free entry should apply and obtain a visa prior to their visit. 

Weather in Daejeon

There are four seasons in Daejeon. Summer, starting from June to August, is typically hot and rainy. From September to late November is autumn, which has pleasant weather. Winter, from late November to March, can be freezing. The temperature will slowly rise in spring, but rainfall is more common.

Additional Info

1. Local Currency: The official currency in Daejeon is South Korean Won (KRW). 1 USD is approx. 1,185 KRW.
2. Money & Payments: ATMs accepting international cards are widely available. Credit cards are accepted at many restaurants, hotels, and shops. Tipping is not expected and can be considered rude in restaurants. However, it is okay to tip guides and porters.
3. Local Language: Korean is the official language, with Hangul as the formal script. English is mostly spoken in tourist areas.
4. Local Culture and Religion: Around 47% of the population is not religious or follows indigenous religions. Buddhism and Christianity are freely practiced.
5. Public Holidays: New Year’s Day, Independence Day, and the Birthday of Buddha are some of the important public holidays in Daejeon.