Namdaemun optical shop: astigmatism exam, Zeiss 1.60 lenses ₩210,000

I visited Angyeonggwa Saradeul (안경과사람들) near Hoehyeon Station in Namdaemun Market, where there's an optician who's thorough and really picks frames that match your face style.

Why I chose Angyeonggwa Saradeul in Namdaemun Market

I stare at my monitor and phone all day pretty often, and lately my eye fatigue has gotten noticeably worse. By evening my eyes feel dry and my vision gets blurry sometimes.

Thinking about it, it had been quite a while since I last got my glasses checked. I figured I couldn't put it off any longer, so I headed to Angyeonggwa Saradeul in Namdaemun Market.

Angyeonggwa Saradeul location and opening hours

• Address: 61 Namdaemunsijang-gil, 1F, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Lot number address: 199-6 Hoehyeon-dong 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 200m from Hoehyeon Station Exit 7
• Hours: Daily 09:30 – 20:00

Namdaemun Market is packed with all kinds of shops, but Angyeonggwa Saradeul was really easy to find among them. Get off at Hoehyeon Station on Line 4 and walk a little way toward the main market street, and you'll spot it.

Amid the market's lively energy, the storefront was neatly kept. Since the area gets a lot of foreign tourists, tax refunds are available along with various payment methods.

As soon as I stepped inside, countless frames and sunglasses were neatly arranged by brand, style, and price range.

The eye exam: how the astigmatism was found

At Angyeonggwa Saradeul, they checked not just basic vision but also measured astigmatism. The optician greeted me with a warm, friendly smile, and throughout the exam explained my eye condition in easy-to-understand terms — the whole process felt comfortable and communicative.

Turns out I had astigmatism in only one eye, plus light glare and other issues beyond just vision sharpness. Hearing it all explained step by step, I found myself nodding along, finally understanding why my eyes got so tired every evening and where the imbalance in my vision was coming from.

Why Zeiss 1.60 lenses were recommended

After the eye exam came the lens choice. Angyeonggwa Saradeul had everything from good-value domestic lenses to Nikon, Zeiss, and other brands.

I'd already had Zeiss in mind, but I figured I'd just go with whatever the optician recommended — and sure enough, given how much time I spend on screens and digital devices, she recommended German Zeiss lenses. Zeiss lenses are made with Germany's precision optical technology and have less distortion toward the edges for a clearer field of view, so I was pretty excited.

Choosing frames to suit my face shape

Now it was time to pick frames I liked. There were lots of lightweight, affordable horn-rimmed designs.

There were also well-known, recognizable eyewear brands like Ray-Ban. The prices were attached right on the lenses, and it looked like there was an extra discount applied on top.

If I'd been picking alone, I would've been overwhelmed by all the options, but the optician recommended designs that suited my face shape and features, which made it easy and pleasant. Thanks to that, I got to try on styles I'd never normally attempt — it was a fun experience.

How long it took and the final price

Choosing Zeiss lenses at Angyeonggwa Saradeul, production took about an hour — just enough time to grab a bite and look around the area. The frame was a thin horn-rimmed style, and the nose pads had a silicone-like, rubbery texture that kept the glasses from sliding down easily.

All told, the frame was ₩70,000 and the lenses ₩140,000, and considering these are 1.60 Zeiss lenses, I feel like I got a really good deal.

I left having gone through a thorough exam and fitting, all in comfort. Why not explore Namdaemun Market and take care of your eye health at the same time with a precise eye exam at Angyeonggwa Saradeul?