A disastrous Smile LASIK review (+ never go there...)

I had Smile LASIK surgery at a Gangnam eye clinic on July 4, 2024. For reference, my vision was around 0.05 - fc 50. < Consultation > After several pre-op tests, I had a consultation with the coordinator, and they said my corneal thickness was very thick, around 610 to 640, that my endothelial cell count was high, that I was not especially dry, and that because I had low-to-moderate astigmatism, the surgery would go very well. I naturally felt relieved. But just in case, I asked whether there were cases where the surgery did not go well, or what would happen if my vision did not come out well after surgery, meaning whether there was any kind of salvage option. They told me there would be no such problem and reassured me. Looking back, I think I was foolish to believe that. < Day of surgery > I had one more pre-op test and then went up to the surgery floor to wait. Numbing eye drops were put in at the front of the operating room. I said the left eye seemed like the numbing drops did not go in well, but they responded that it was normal and that there would be no sensation anyway even if the drops were instilled. The staff said that, so what could I do? I just lay down on the operating table. The Smile surgery that other people say is not painful at all definitely hurt when they did the left eye. Tears rolled down, and compared with the right side it hurt a lot. Is Smile normally this painful? < After surgery on the day of surgery > I somehow got home after the surgery. My eyes were extremely sensitive to light all day. Even a little bit of light was unbearable, so for about two days I lived with the lights off in my room the whole time. < Next day after surgery > I went back to the clinic for a follow-up. My vision was about 0.7 in the right eye and 0.1 in the left eye. Smile is known for quick recovery, so when I read 0.1 the optometrist seemed puzzled and kept trying to get me to read more, asking if I really could not see. Yes, I could not see. When I asked the coordinator whether this was normal, they said recovery varies by person and that it could happen, and to wait a little longer. I asked how long I should wait. They said to wait two weeks. < Two weeks after surgery > The long-awaited two weeks came. I did not get a separate vision test, but in my experience there was not much difference from 1 to 2 days after surgery in what I could see, so I called the clinic and asked. I said that even after two weeks, my vision was still the same. They said it seemed like I needed to be observed until one month and that my recovery was slow. They said it could be because my cornea was thick. I said, "?? Before surgery you said the thick cornea meant it would go well." Sigh. In the end I decided to wait. I put in the prescribed eye drops on time and took good care of my eyes, but I was so upset, and since I could not wear contacts, I lived relying on my right eye, which was 0.7. < One month after surgery > I called again? Or went in again? (I think I went in.) What I could see was still about the same, and when they tested my vision it was 0.7 in the right eye and 0.2 in the left eye. Are you kidding me;;;; After the test, I asked the doctor. I asked why this was happening, and the doctor said he did not really know either, that it had been shaved correctly according to the prescription, but he did not know why it had turned out this way. I said, then how am I supposed to know? I came here trusting you. The doctor said he was also frustrated because he did not know the reason, and that although I had trusted them and let them do it, he was sorry that this was the result, but they had done their best. I asked, then what am I supposed to do? The doctor said that once recovery improved a bit, they could do reoperation with LASEK after about 6 months. I was like, "What? Did I do Smile just so I could have LASEK again?" I spent time and money to get Smile, and if I have to do surgery again, what happens to that money, and LASEK has a longer recovery period, so you are telling me to do that again? The doctor said the cost would be waived. I said honestly, what if it fails again? Why should I trust you with my eyes again, and are you confident? The doctor said that if it were done this time, it would definitely come out well. I am not a doctor and do not know anything, so I felt frustrated and depressed. Since I could not wear contacts and my vision would still fluctuate after surgery, it was hard to get accurate correction, so even getting glasses fitted was difficult. And besides, did I get surgery just so I could wear glasses?;;;; If both eyes were around 0.7 to 0.8, I might not care, but one eye is just plainly defective. As a result, my current vision is right eye 0.5 and left eye 0.1. I wear glasses now, and on days when I need to dress up, I also wear prescription contacts. I have not had the reoperation yet. 1. The LASEK recovery period is too long, so I could not work during that time. 2. I do not have the confidence to entrust my eyes to that hospital again. 3. Going to another hospital would mean paying again, so the cost is a burden. Right now I work as an optometrist at an eye clinic, and after doing internships and listening to many optometrists and doctors, it seems to me the cause is the reliability or verifiability of the surgery machine. They spoke as if there was insufficient data, but I still do not know the exact cause. Also, because I had the surgery at a hospital affiliated with my university department, I searched on the campus forum to see if there were other students who had surgery there. There really were ;; That person seems to have had LASEK, and they said their vision had not returned even after 3 months after LASEK. If there are LASEK victims too, how could I possibly get reoperation here?