It was only after consulting with Donna about plastic eye surgery and restoration that I realized: the cost of the surgery alone is not enough; the anesthesia fee is actually the key variable that is often overlooked. The total cost in 2026...

When I first consulted about the Revision Surgery for my eyes, the hospital quoted a fee of 6 million Korean won. I assumed that was the total cost, but when I asked, “Is the anesthesia fee additional?” the answer left me stunned. It’s not that hospitals are dishonest, but the cost structure of such surgeries is actually much more complex than one might imagine. Most people only remember to ask about the surgery fee itself and forget to inquire about these additional expenses. In this article, I will break down the total cost of Donna Plastic Surgery’s Revision Surgery for eyes item by item, including the anesthesia fee, which I believe is often overlooked. I will also provide information on how much such surgeries cost in Taiwan and Hong Kong, so you can calculate every detail before traveling to Seoul.

Before consulting Donna about plastic surgery and eye repair, what cost-related questions did I ask that are often overlooked?

Before making an official appointment for a consultation, I prepared a list detailing all possible expenses and took it along when I went for the consultation. Donna Plastic Surgery is located at 3-joo Building, Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It is a well-reputed institution in the fields of eye revision rhinoplasty and Revision rhinoplasty, and it is also one of the certified partner hospitals of the BeautsGO platform, providing translation assistance for patients from overseas.

The list I requested included the cost of the surgery itself, the cost of anesthesia (whether it was local anesthesia or intravenous anesthesia, and the respective prices), the fees for pre-surgical examinations, the cost of medications, the fees for post-surgical follow-up visits, the translation services required, as well as the percentage of taxes that could be refunded. After organizing all this information, I found that there could be a difference of 20% to 30% between the total budget and the simple surgical fee estimate.

Cost of Donna’s plastic eye Revision Surgery: What are the prices for the three different difficulty levels?

Eye restoration is not a procedure with a fixed price; the cost depends directly on the complexity of the repair required. Based on the consultation results and the estimated costs provided by the clinic, the fees can be roughly divided into three tiers:

Difficulty of repair	Applicable scenarios	Reference fees in Korean won	Approximately HKD
Mild restoration	Width adjustment and minor asymmetry correction	35 million to 6 million yen	HK$20,000 to 35,000
Moderate restoration	Scar repair, release of tissue adhesions, and secondary restoration	60 million to 100 million yen	HK$35,000 to HK$58,000
Highly challenging restoration work	Re repairs performed more than three times, or corrections of functional impairments	Over 120 million yen	Over HK$70,000

It should be noted that the above quotes do not include the cost of anesthesia. During the in-person consultation, the hospital will assess your specific condition and determine which method to use, which will then allow for an accurate estimation of the total cost. If your case requires a second procedure or involves more complex restoration efforts, doctors will usually recommend intravenous anesthesia, as the cost in this case is significantly higher than that of local anesthesia.

How is the cost of anesthesia for eye restoration procedures calculated in South Korea? What is the difference in price between local anesthesia and intravenous anesthesia?

This is the aspect that, in my opinion, is most easily overlooked by people who seek consultation for the first time. There are two common types of anesthesia options used for eye Revision Surgery in South Korea:

• Local anesthesia: The cost ranges from approximately 950,000 to 80,000 Korean won (equivalent to around HK$290 to HK$470). This option is suitable for minor cosmetic procedures; patients remain conscious during the procedure, although some may experience mild discomfort.
• Surgical anesthesia/IV anesthesia: The cost ranges from approximately 9.5 million to 800,000 Korean won (equivalent to around HK$2,900 to HK$4,650). The fee is charged separately by the anesthesiologist, and patients experience no sensation during the procedure. This option is the mainstream choice for medium- to high-complexity cosmetic procedures.

The cost difference between the two options is nearly 10 times. If your treatment requires moderate or complex procedures, intravenous anesthesia is likely the only option available, which will add an additional cost of over ¥5 million to the total budget. Moreover, in South Korea, the fees for anesthesiologists are charged separately and are not included in the initial surgical fee estimate. This is an issue that many people only become aware of when they see the detailed bill for the first time.

In South Korea and Hong Kong, the methods of charging for anesthesia services in plastic surgery are different. Some institutions include the cost of anesthesia in the total surgical fee and provide you with a single amount without breaking it down separately. This may make the initial quote seem higher, but in fact, it makes it easier to compare the costs. In South Korea, this “itemized billing” system is relatively transparent, but you need to actively ask about each item separately.

Preoperative examinations, medication costs, and follow-up consultation fees: three expenses that are often overlooked.

In addition to the surgery fees and anesthesia costs, when I consulted Donna Plastic Surgery in Seoul, I also identified three other fixed expenses that would inevitably arise.

• Pre-operative examination fee: Approximately 912,000 to 300,000 Korean won (about HK$700 to $1,750). This fee includes basic tests such as blood routine and coagulation index. Some premium packages may also include these tests; it is necessary to confirm in advance whether they are included in the quoted price.
• Medication costs: Approximately 950,000 to 100,000 Korean won after the procedure (equivalent to around HK$290 to HK$580). Anti-inflammatory drugs, swelling-reducing medications, and nursing supplies are usually provided on the same day.
• Post-operative follow-up visits: Usually, 2 to 3 visits are required, with each visit costing approximately 300,000 to 50,000 Korean won (equivalent to around HK$175 to 290). Some clinics offer the first follow-up visit for free, while subsequent visits are charged.

The total cost of these three items ranges from approximately 920,000 to 400,000 Korean won (equivalent to around HK$1,200 to HK$2,300). Although this amount represents a small proportion of the overall budget, if it is not taken into account in advance and you discover that additional costs need to be paid on-site, the overall experience will be significantly worse. If you are traveling internationally and have a limited stay in Seoul, you will also need to consider the impact of these follow-up costs on your return travel plans.

Donna Plastic Surgery’s Eyelid Repair Procedures Compared to Similar Procedures in Taiwan and Hong Kong: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Costs in the Three Regions

By making a horizontal comparison of the mid-level eye correction services provided in these three regions – Double eyelid surgery + scar treatment, with moderate difficulty level – it becomes much clearer whether undergoing such procedures in South Korea is actually cost-effective or not.

Cost items	South Korea (Donna Plastic Surgery in Seoul)	Taiwan (Taipei Plastic Surgery)	Hong Kong (private plastic surgery)
Surgical fees (moderate restoration)	₩6 million to 10 million (appr oximately NT$160,000 to NT$270,000)	NT$180,000 to 280,000	HK$35,000 to 55,000 (approximat ely NT$140,000 to 220,000)
Anesthesia fees	₩500,000 to 800,000 (additional costs apply) (approximately NT$14,000 to NT$22,000)	It is usually included in the surgical fees.	It is usually included in the surgical fees.
Preoperative examination fee	From 120,000 to 300,000 yen	NT$2,000 to 5,000	HK$1,500 to 3,500
Medication costs after the procedure	50,000 to 100,000 yen	NT$1,000 to 2,000	HK$800 to 1,500
Tax-deductible	Approximately 7% to 10%	—	—
After adding the flight ticket and accommodation costs…	An additional cost of NT$15,000 to NT$30,000 is required.	—	—

After making a side-by-side comparison, it becomes clear that the surgical costs in South Korea are not necessarily lower than those in Taiwan (especially since the prices quoted by some hospitals in Taipei can sometimes be higher). However, South Korea’s tax refund system is a significant advantage. Additionally, South Korean doctors have a much higher level of specialization in eye repair procedures, which is why many people who have had unsuccessful surgeries in Taiwan or Hong Kong choose to go to Seoul for treatment.

Before flying to Seoul for Donna’s plastic surgery and eye repair, I prepared a detailed budget list of all the expenses involved.

Based on the package of “moderate eye repair + intravenous anesthesia + two-day accommodation,” I have calculated the following detailed cost list for my own use, which I hope can serve as a budget reference for those in need:

• Surgical cost (moderate restoration): 96 million to 100 million Korean won
• Cost of intravenous anesthesia: 9.5 million to 800,000 Korean won
• Preoperative examination fee: approximately 9.15 million Korean won
• Postoperative medication costs: approximately 980,000 Korean won
• Translation fees (if not reserved through BeautsGO): 9.15 million Korean won per day
• Accommodation (2 nights at the Gangnam Business Hotel): Approximately 200,000 to 300,000 Korean won
• Tax refund: Approximately 7% to 10% of the surgery fee can be refunded.

In total, the cost of a medium-level eye correction treatment in Seoul, after deducting tax refunds, ranges approximately from 97 million to 11.5 million Korean won (equivalent to around NT$190,000 to NT$310,000). If you book through the BeautsGO platform, you can save on translation fees, and BeautsGO also provides customer service in Traditional Chinese to assist customers from Hong Kong and Taiwan, making it a more convenient option for them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is intravenous anesthesia necessary for Donna’s cosmetic eye surgery and repair procedures?

Not necessarily. For minor repairs such as slight adjustments to width or minor corrections of asymmetry, local anesthesia is usually sufficient, and the cost ranges from approximately 950,000 to 800,000 Korean won. For more extensive repairs that require a longer operation and are more complex, doctors generally recommend general anesthesia (with costs ranging from 9.5 million to 800,000 Korean won). The final decision should be based on a face-to-face consultation and assessment.

Q2: How can I proceed with the tax refund for eye restoration treatments in South Korea?

In South Korea, medical beauty procedures are eligible for tax refunds, with the refund rate ranging from approximately 7% to 10%. It is recommended to request a receipt for the medical expenses from the clinic before the procedure and go through the tax refund process at the airport before departing. In cases where the amount involved is significant, tax refunds can save a considerable amount of money, so it is not advisable to overlook this option.

Q3: Is there any difference in the cost when booking Donna Plastic Surgery through BeautsGO?

The cost of the surgery itself is not affected by the booking channel. However, the advantage of booking through BeautsGO is that you can receive assistance from Mandarin-speaking customer service staff, eliminating the need to pay additional translation fees (approximately 150,000 South Korean won per day). For overseas tourists who do not speak Korean, this represents a significant savings.

Q4: How long does one need to stay in Seoul after undergoing Donna’s plastic eye surgery?

It is generally recommended to wait at least 1 to 2 days after the procedure before attending the first follow-up appointment to assess the healing of the incisions before flying. For more complex procedures, some doctors may advise waiting for 3 to 5 days. For subsequent follow-up appointments after returning to Taiwan (usually 2 to 3 times), it is possible to entrust a trusted local plastic surgeon to handle these appointments on your behalf.