30-Minute Glasses in Korea: Is Faster Always Better?
From time to time, I come across news stories introducing optical shops in Korea, and some of them make me wonder.
“Glasses can be made in just 30 minutes in Korea.”
“Foreign tourists are amazed by how quickly they can get new glasses.”
These are common themes in articles about Korean optical shops.
Foreign visitors come to Korea, have their eyes examined, receive their new glasses within a short time, and leave satisfied.
Whenever I read stories like this, however, I have a slightly different thought.
Is making a pair of glasses in 30 minutes really something we should be proud of?
I am not saying that making glasses in 30 minutes is impossible.
If the optical shop has the correct single-vision lenses in stock, the prescription is relatively simple, the frame is a standard design, and no special lens processing is required, the actual lens edging process can be completed quite quickly.
At our optical shop, simple prescriptions do not necessarily require a long production time either.
The real issue is that making glasses should not be considered simply as “the time it takes to cut the lenses.”
For me, some of the most important work happens before the lenses are processed and after the glasses are completed.
The process begins with checking the customer’s current glasses.
I want to know the prescription they have been wearing, what kind of discomfort they have experienced, and how they plan to use their new glasses.
Only after understanding these factors do we proceed with the eye examination.
And even after the prescription has been determined, I do not immediately start processing the lenses.
First, the frame should be adjusted to the customer’s face.
I check how the frame sits on the nose, whether the ears are positioned at different heights, whether the frame is tilted, and how far the lenses sit from the eyes.
No human face is perfectly symmetrical.
The shape of the nose differs from person to person, and the height of the ears can also be different.
The same frame may fit one person almost perfectly, while another person may require considerable adjustment.
This is why I consider frame fitting before lens measurements to be very important.
When the position of the frame changes, the position of the eyes behind the lenses also changes.
This becomes even more important with progressive lenses and individually customized lenses.
Monocular pupillary distance and fitting height are basic measurements.
Depending on the type of lens, parameters such as pantoscopic tilt, face-form angle, and vertex distance can also be incorporated into the lens design.
Major lens manufacturers such as ZEISS use these individual wearing parameters when designing personalized lenses.
This is also one of the reasons we use digital measuring equipment such as ZEISS VISUFIT 1000.
Once the glasses are completed, the fitting process starts again.
And this is where some customers require considerably more time.
Some people are highly sensitive to the way their glasses sit on their face.
Even a small adjustment to the nose pads can change how the glasses feel.
A few millimeters of difference in where the temples rest behind the ears can also affect comfort.
For some customers, fitting alone can take 20 to 30 minutes or even longer.
We adjust the glasses, have the customer wear them, check the fit, make another adjustment, and repeat the process until the glasses feel comfortable.
To me, all of this is part of “making a pair of glasses.”
That is why I feel uncomfortable with the idea that every pair of glasses should be completed within 30 minutes.
If a simple pair of glasses can be made accurately in 30 minutes, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
My concern is the idea that “30-minute glasses” should become a standard for every customer.
Some people have high myopia or high astigmatism.
Others require progressive lenses or individually customized lenses.
Sports eyewear may also require careful consideration of frame curvature, lens curvature, and the wearing position of the frame.
These types of glasses should not become part of a simple competition over speed.
I believe we should be even more careful when serving international visitors.
A customer who lives in Korea can return to the optical shop if something feels uncomfortable.
A foreign traveler visiting Myeongdong is in a completely different situation.
A few days later, that customer may be traveling to Japan, returning to the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, or another country.
Once they leave Korea, it becomes very difficult for us to personally check the glasses again if they say:
“The frame feels slightly tilted.”
“My nose feels uncomfortable.”
“The focus does not feel quite right.”
For this reason, I believe foreign customers should receive even more careful attention during their visit.
The eye examination should be accurate.
The measurements should be precise.
The frame should be carefully adjusted.
And after the glasses are completed, the customer should have enough time to wear them and make sure they feel comfortable before leaving Korea.
Fast service can certainly be a benefit.
But when it comes to eyewear, speed should never come before accuracy and comfort.
In my opinion, a good pair of glasses is neither “glasses made in 30 minutes” nor “glasses that take a long time to make.”
A good pair of glasses is one that receives the amount of time necessary for that particular customer.
If 30 minutes is enough, then 30 minutes is fine.
If one hour is necessary, we should spend one hour.
If individually customized lenses need to be ordered from the manufacturer, it may take several days.
That is completely normal.
I am glad that Korean optical shops are becoming more widely known among international visitors.
However, instead of hearing,
“In Korea, they can make your glasses in 30 minutes,”
I would much rather hear,
“In Korea, they carefully examine your eyes, take precise measurements, make the lenses accurately, and spend time adjusting the glasses properly.”
That is the reputation I believe Korean opticians should aim for.
After all, the purpose of making glasses is not to make them as quickly as possible.
The purpose is to help people see clearly and wear their glasses comfortably.
#GlassesInKorea
#MyeongdongOpticalShop
#KoreaOptician
#EyeglassesInSeoul
#PreciseEyeExam
#EyeglassFitting
#EyedaqOptical
