Functional lenses for early presbyopia at a Gijang optician: Barabon

Holding the phone at arm's length: why I visited an optician in Ilgwang New City

Wearing the glasses I got a while back, things have somehow looked blurry lately. When I look at close-up text, there's this sad moment where I catch myself lowering my glasses without even realizing it — and I finally decided I needed to check my eyes and get a new pair made.

This is a review of my visit to "Ilgwang New City optical shop" Barabon Glasses Ilgwang New City Branch in Gijang, Busan — a place with the latest equipment for precision eye exams, known for careful, friendly service.

Barabon Glasses Ilgwang New City Branch: hours, address and parking

• Address: 부산 기장군 일광읍 해빛6로 107-3 1층 바라본안경
• Hours: 10:00 - 20:00 (hours vary on Chuseok and Lunar New Year)
• Break time: None
• Regular closing day: None (closed on Chuseok day)
• Parking: In front of the store (11:30-14:00 and after 18:00) or KS Parking Building

Arriving in front of the store, the white building with its clean floor-to-ceiling windows caught my eye right away, and the simple black signage gave the whole place a sophisticated impression.

A big poster for Lens Me, a popular colored contact lens brand, covered one whole wall and really grabbed my attention.

What is the shop like inside?

Stepping inside Barabon Glasses in Ilgwang New City, the white-toned interior blended with warm sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows to create a cozy yet upscale mood.

Instead of angular display cases, soft arch shapes and rounded curved-table displays made me feel at ease too.

The lighting wasn't glaring at all — it was soft and gentle, so much so that I felt like I'd walked into a pretty brunch café.

The sunglasses, frames, and lens corners were neatly organized by section, which made browsing really comfortable.

The early presbyopia eye exam and ordering functional lenses

After looking around the store, I started the exam with the latest equipment in a comfortably set-up vision testing area.

When I mentioned that near vision has been hard to see lately and it seemed like early presbyopia symptoms, they measured my near and distance vision in turn and explained, clearly, the differences from my previous prescription. The optometrist was so thorough and kind that I felt very comfortable throughout the exam.

They also explained in detail about the functional lenses my husband is currently wearing and is very happy with. When I tested functional lenses matched to my exam results, the text that had been blurring in front of my eyes came into sharp focus. So without hesitation, I placed an order for functional lenses custom-fitted to my own eyes.

How much do frames cost at Barabon Glasses?

Frames currently have over 50% discount applied, so the selection ranged widely from the ₩40,000s all the way to the ₩100,000s. They were also displayed by price range, which made choosing easy.

I especially noticed a lot of trendy designs among the great-value frames in the ₩40,000s and ₩60,000s. There were so many pretty options at good prices at Barabon Glasses in Ilgwang New City that I ended up trying on quite a few that day.

Sunglasses, kids' eyewear and the brand lineup

There were also plenty of sunglasses with designs that were both stylish and suitable for everyday wear.

And the kids' sunglasses were unbelievably cute!

From Look Optical, which expresses personality and fashion at trendy yet accessible prices, to Rudy Project, a premium sports eyewear brand, there was such a wide range of brands that I thought I'd have to come back to buy sunglasses next time.

Lens Me contact lenses and their prices

There was also a wide variety of products from "Lens Me," a contact lens brand that's hugely popular right now for its trendy designs and great value.

From natural everyday lenses to bold graphic colored lenses, and from one-day lenses to monthly lenses, the range was so wide it filled up one entire wall of the shop.

• Eyeglass lenses · UV + blue light blocking lenses: ₩30,000
• Eyeglass lenses · Nikon blue light blocking lenses: ₩60,000
• Contact lenses · Long-wear Cubism PerSPirit (50%): ₩30,000
• Contact lenses · Lens Me monthly pack lenses (1+1): ₩10,000-₩25,000
• Contact lenses · Torica astigmatism monthly pack lenses (1+1): ₩40,000
• One-day · Lens Me Double Pick one-day (10p): ₩19,000
• One-day · Double Pick one-day (10p+10p): ₩33,000
• One-day · Lens Me Devil one-day (30p): ₩36,000
• One-day · Lens Me Devil one-day (30p+30p): ₩59,000

What to know before visiting Barabon Glasses

If you drive, you can park right in front of the store without worrying about enforcement from 11:30am to 2pm and after 6pm. Outside those hours, you can use the KS Parking Building 1-2 minutes from the store and have your parking fee covered.

While your glasses are being made, you can sit at a table decorated like a café, sip coffee, and enjoy the street view at your leisure.

Final verdict on Barabon Glasses in Ilgwang New City

In the end, this visit was fully satisfying, from the thorough precision eye exam to the kind explanations and reasonable prices. If your eyes have been feeling more tired lately or you need comfortable vision correction, go solve it at "Barabon Glasses," the Ilgwang New City optical shop with attentive care~