ICL pricing questions come up a lot once patients realize laser correction isn't their best option. Here's what actually sits behind the number, without pretending there's one flat answer.
I'm Dr. Baek Dong-won, Representative Director at EYEONCE Eye Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul. Patients researching ICL cost often started out comparing LASIK prices and were surprised the numbers didn't line up — understandably, since they're not really the same category of procedure. We discussed why some prescriptions and corneas are better suited to ICL over laser correction in an earlier article; this one is about what actually drives the cost once ICL is the right path.
ICL stands for Implantable Collamer Lens — a small, custom-made lens placed inside the eye, in front of the natural lens, to correct myopia and astigmatism without removing any corneal tissue. At EYEONCE we use the EVO Aqua ICL platform. Full detail on how the procedure itself works is on our ICL page; here we're focused specifically on what changes the price once it's confirmed as your path.
Three things move the number the most: whether you need a toric lens (for astigmatism) versus a standard spherical one, since the toric version is manufactured with an additional corrective element specific to your eyes; whether one or both eyes need treatment; and the diagnostic work-up required to have your custom lens manufactured and verified safe before surgery. None of this is clinic markup — it's largely the cost of a precision-manufactured, patient-specific lens and the measurements required to get it right.
ICL tends to cost more than LASIK or LASEK or SMILE-based correction, largely because of the custom lens itself. That's not a sign ICL is "better" in some universal sense — it's usually recommended specifically because the prescription or cornea in question isn't a safe match for laser correction, not as a premium alternative for everyone. The right comparison isn't "which costs less," it's "which one applies to my eyes at all."
Most international patients plan for about 5-7 days: the initial diagnostic exam and lens measurements, time for your custom lens to be manufactured, the surgery itself, and a follow-up exam before flying home. Send your travel dates on WhatsApp once your exam confirms ICL is the right path, and we'll map the schedule around them.
Contact us at any time if anything feels off after your surgery — this is covered under our lifetime aftercare commitment. Because an ICL sits inside the eye rather than reshaping the cornea, it can be removed or exchanged by a surgeon if that's ever needed, which is one more reason it's a reasonable option even for patients who feel cautious about a permanent procedure.
Lens requirements and final cost can only be confirmed through a diagnostic exam. Nothing in this article is a quote — message us with your prescription for a personalized one.
Representative Director, EYEONCE Eye Clinic Gangnam · Former Clinical Instructor, Dept. of Ophthalmology, Samsung Seoul Hospital · Member, Korean & American Societies of Cataract and Refractive Surgery · Last reviewed October 2026
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An English-speaking eye clinic in the heart of Gangnam, Seoul — moments from Sinnonhyeon Station and easily reached from Incheon International Airport.
5–6F, Duo Sinnonhyeon, 368 Sapyeong-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
+82-10-6308-0984 — English, Chinese, Mongolian & Thai
Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 09:00–18:00 · Sat 09:00–16:00 · Lunch break 13:00–14:00 · Closed Wed & Sun
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Sinnonhyeon Station (Line 9 / Sinbundang Line) — 3 min walk. Gangnam Station (Line 2) nearby.