Review of Epiphora Probing Treatment at Konyang Medical Foundation Kim Eye Clinic in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul

This is a review of the treatment I received at Kim Eye Clinic in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, due to epiphora.

Epiphora is also known as tearing.

It is a symptom where tears accumulate in the eyes because the tear ducts are blocked and cannot drain out in time, causing you to cry frequently regardless of your emotions.

 

I had severe symptoms where tears would well up in my eyes and trickle down, and because of this, my eyes would swell easily and become very red.

 

The reason I visited Kim Ophthalmology was,

At first, I received treatment at a small local ophthalmology clinic, but I was advised to have surgery.

The surgical method involves inserting a silicone artificial tube into the eye to allow tears to drain properly through the tube.

I wasn't ready to have the surgery right away because of the burden of having to put something inside my eye.

I was told by my previous ophthalmologist to try Kim Ophthalmology, which is larger, so I received a referral and went to Kim Ophthalmology.

 

Kim Ophthalmology is an ophthalmology hospital established in 1962, and the entire standalone building is dedicated to ophthalmology.

The hospital is large and has many doctors, so a wide variety of specialized treatments are available.

Since CT scans and various other tests were conducted all at once, I felt that they possessed a system and technology comparable to that of a university hospital.

So I also visited hoping for non-surgical treatment that I couldn't get at the local clinic.

 

The hospital is very large, spanning from the 2nd basement floor to the 9th floor, and has many wards.

It seems like eye diseases are usually treated on the 3rd floor. I went to the 3rd floor as well.

 

You will be given a wristband upon registration.

 

I had an X-ray examination first.

It is a test that involves injecting a contrast agent to accurately identify where the tear duct is blocked.

 

After the examination, the doctor examined my eyes and told me that they wouldn't be treatable with just eye drops and antibiotics.

There was even a time when my eye swelled up tremendously because my tear ducts were blocked, causing inflammation in the lacrimal sac.

(The dacryocystitis has fully recovered now.)

 

They said that although the current condition does not require immediate surgery, a probing procedure is necessary because the tear duct is blocked.

The probing method is a technique that physically clears blocked parts of the tear ducts using a thin metal rod (probe).

This is the treatment commonly referred to as "piercing with a needle."

They told me to try the probing procedure first, and that if that doesn't work, I might have to have surgery, but since the probing isn't a one-time thing and requires at least 2-3 sessions anyway, they gave me a positive outlook and suggested I take a long-term view.

Another hospital told me to have surgery, but here they recommended non-surgical treatment first and spoke positively, which put my mind at ease!

So I felt like they provide conscientious treatment without overtreatment!!

 

And the teacher is really kind and gentle.

You mentioned that you specialize in tear duct disorders, and as expected, you explained everything very well.

Epiphora, tear gland, tear duct, dacryocystitis, probing, entropion surgery, etc.

There were so many medical terms used during the consultation, but the doctor explained each one in an easy-to-understand way.

The doctor was kind, and I received non-surgical treatment exactly as I wanted, so overall I was very satisfied with the hospital.

I was worried about what to do if they told me to have surgery here too, but the best thing was that it ended with just the probing treatment.

 

I will have to continue getting regular checkups, but I am satisfied because my quality of life has improved so much since I cry less and the redness has decreased compared to before.

 

One downside was that it was very difficult to make a reservation.

Since it is a hospital already famous as a specialized ophthalmology clinic, it is difficult to make an appointment because there are many scheduled bookings.

It took me a while too. However, once I received my first appointment, I was able to schedule my second and third appointments right away.

 

If you, like me, have tear duct discomfort or dry eye syndrome, I recommend Kim Eye Clinic, a specialized ophthalmology hospital, and specifically Dr. Bae Gyeong-hwa, who specializes in tear duct disorders!