Coming in on holiday and need new glasses. Any recommendations for an eye exam lower Suhkumvit?

You are aware that glasses are a fashion item in Thailand and costs are often much more than home countries?  The shophouse type operation often does not have a trained medical professional as optometrists are a relatively new profession here and most exams are done by hospital ophthalmologists (who often are not keen to spend time on technical vision adjustments).

 

That said there are good providers but expect to pay a normal first world price (or more).  Will leave to others for recommendation in that area (I did have one decades ago so expect there are some).

Proper exam and glasses will cost significantly more in Bangkok than most western countries. Use a private hospital such as Bumrungrad or Rutnin for best results.

Siam Optical near Phromphom BTS normally gets good reports.

They're not a chain and they give full and proper examinations and at a reasonable price, I've used them for over ten years and have been completely satisfied.

http://www.siamoptic.com/eng/

 

 

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Why buy glasses in Thailand, they are extremely expensive compared to Western countries.

Proper eye exam in hospital, cheap as chips and we'll done. Order frames online, I got really funky sunglasses for 400 baht. Have prescription lenses put in sunglass frames. For my eyes (+5.5 n +6.5) total cost about 3000 baht.

I got prescription sunglasses online for 400 THB....delivery to LOS is 330.  Thais have good teeth; not good vision.  The exams are a crapshoot, the glasses are for smaller heads and especially noses.  Try getting a 135 temple length or a 19 mm nose bridge.

A comprehensive eye exam by a qualified ophthalmologist at Rutnin Eye Hospital is B1300.  Be sure to tell them you want a prescription.  If you do not want the dialation drops, be sure to mention that as well.

You can go as a walk in but waiting times can be long, better to make an appointment on their website.

Rutnin is on Asok, Petchabury, Road end.  www.rutnin.com/en/appointment/

 

Zenni optical is a great online source for well made, reasonably priced glasses.  Delivery to Bangkok is about 10 days.

I'm planning to go and get an examination at Rutnin, can anyone recommend a specific ophthalmologist ?

Got in touch with Siam Optical. They said the exam was 1000B but was applied to glasses purchase if bought there. If the glasses are too high I will just get the exam and maybe buy online. Zenni online looked promising.

1 hour ago, claynlr said:

Got in touch with Siam Optical. They said the exam was 1000B but was applied to glasses purchase if bought there. If the glasses are too high I will just get the exam and maybe buy online. Zenni online looked promising.

Not an Opthalmologist.. big difference...the 1300 at the hospital would be money better spent.  I went through this a year or so ago.  Tokio gave me one way different than my existing one that works as good or better than anyone I know.  Went to the hospital with an appointment and walked after an hour.  An industry loaded with crooks and incompetents.

Thanks for the response Buddy but please decipher  "  Tokio gave me one way different than my existing one that works as good or better than anyone I know." Not sure what this means.

It is a franchise..., but besides the prescription problems; if your hat size is 7.25 or larger, 95% of the franchise glasses won't fit well, anyways.  I am not going to single out the crybabies' businesses, but I went into one highly touted place with about 3000 in cash and requested to pay for an eye exam, and they flat out refused.  I was the only customer, and they had about five sales staff...sheesh.  Another franchise place, the girl fixed an old broken pair from Zenni and refused to take payment.  They offered to match any price, but conceded they didn't have a single pair that were the right size.  They bank on you not knowing your specs, as it is a lot easier to say yes to some of the very pretty sales girls ( for me anyways).  Nose bridge, frame width, lens height, temple length...all in MM.  So if you go in there just trying on pairs you're going to get some smiles, but not a proper fitting pair, and you still might get a botched prescription.

 

Rutnin runs at such a high standard I don't think you will go wrong no matter who you get. I had gone to one of the most recommended ophthalmologist herein Chiang Mai. The prescription just didn't seem right. Went to Rutnin and got it redone. It was dead on accurate. Ordered the glasses Zenni and have been very pleased. And Zenni is definitely cheaper than anywhere I have found in Thailand.

David

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1 hour ago, Genericnic said:

Rutnin runs at such a high standard I don't think you will go wrong no matter who you get. I had gone to one of the most recommended ophthalmologist herein Chiang Mai. The prescription just didn't seem right. Went to Rutnin and got it redone. It was dead on accurate. Ordered the glasses Zenni and have been very pleased. And Zenni is definitely cheaper than anywhere I have found in Thailand.

David

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Good to know, thanks.  I am going on ten years with Zenni and I recall the skeptics back then.  No doubts at all about them.

just got back from Rutnin where I had an eye exam, mostly for purposes of obtaining the data required for ordering from zenni and had an excellent discussion with one of the doctors, Dr Apiradi Prechanond...she was the most informative that I've had anywhere, very pleasant and engaging with excellent English...

 

the hospital is a 40min walk from the nana area (my hotel is on soi 6) which is preferable as the traffic on that part of Asoke (southbound near Petchburi Rd) is horrific...a bit sweaty, take a hand towel from the hotel room...

 

 

Edited November 20, 20178 yr by tutsiwarrior

1 hour ago, tutsiwarrior said:

just got back from Rutnin where I had an eye exam, mostly for purposes of obtaining the data required for ordering from zenni and had an excellent discussion with one of the doctors, Dr Apiradi Prechanond...she was the most informative that I've had anywhere, very pleasant and engaging with excellent English...

 

the hospital is a 40min walk from the nana area (my hotel is on soi 6) which is preferable as the traffic on that part of Asoke (southbound near Petchburi Rd) is horrific...a bit sweaty, take a hand towel from the hotel room...

 

 

Thanks for the update, and rec.  What was the total?  Was the dilation a separate item on the bill?  Did you walk in or make an appointment?  Do you have the best number to call them at?  Some new bottle bottoms should make it easier to avoid the ladyboys.  Sheers!

Edited November 20, 20178 yr by BuddyDean

 

7 minutes ago, BuddyDean said:

Thanks for the update, and rec.  What was the total?  Was the dilation a separate item on the bill?  Did you walk in or make an appointment?  Do you have the best nu Ber to call them at?  Some new bottle bottoms should make it easier to avoid the ladyboys.  Sheers!

 

altogether, 1725bt...no dilation as I told them that I wanted an eyeglasses prescription only, they did an eyeball 'puff test' for glaucoma as I told them that I'm diabetic and it was recommended...a good session with the doc as we discussed a number of issues related to chronic illness such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc...

 

Rutnin have a website, make an appointment like I did and you'll be seen promptly...

 

 

When you get the examination script, I would ask for the PD (pupil distance) - ordering glasses online will need it. BTW - Zenni has been good for me. They have a huge optical processing factory - I believe it is in Hong Kong.

 

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5 minutes ago, steven2018 said:

When you get the examination script, I would ask for the PD (pupil distance) - the online order will need it. BTW - Zenni has been good for me.

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yeah...the prescription from Rutnin has the 'PD' indicated...maybe too narrow fer me heid, indicates homicidal tendencies...

 

 

You can also do the PD test with your smartphone or computer.

11 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

 

 

altogether, 1725bt...no dilation as I told them that I wanted an eyeglasses prescription only, they did an eyeball 'puff test' for glaucoma as I told them that I'm diabetic and it was recommended...a good session with the doc as we discussed a number of issues related to chronic illness such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc...

 

Rutnin have a website, make an appointment like I did and you'll be seen promptly...

 

 

Actually that puff test is designed to measure intraocular pressure (which if high may lead to glaucoma) - having a visual field test is the best path and cost there is under 2k as I recall.  For me the puff test is almost always very high so have to follow by the much more accurate test with drops when checking eyes.

BTW, OD is right eye, OS is left.  I got a PD for each eye, but the total is much more important.  Puff test should be almost nothing.  Did they put you on fish oil capsules or anything like that..Occuvite, I think.

26 minutes ago, steven2018 said:

When you get the examination script, I would ask for the PD (pupil distance) - ordering glasses online will need it. BTW - Zenni has been good for me. They have a huge optical processing factory - I believe it is in Hong Kong.

 

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Southern Mainland, there is even a good video of their factory.  Delivery to LOS might just be a day or three quicker than USA.

2 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

altogether, 1725bt.

I'm surprised the charges were that high as I was charged B1300 at Rutnin  last January for a similar examination and another TV member reported the same price several months later.

37 minutes ago, dddave said:

I'm surprised the charges were that high as I was charged B1300 at Rutnin  last January for a similar examination and another TV member reported the same price several months later.

Actually tutsi said that - quotes can lie.  

 

Expect total bill can vary by the exam doctor involved as is true most places here.

48 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Actually tutsi said that - quotes can lie.  

 

Expect total bill can vary by the exam doctor involved as is true most places here.

Yes, and it can vary from what they quoted you 15 minutes before...rarely in your favor.

 

22 hours ago, dddave said:

I'm surprised the charges were that high as I was charged B1300 at Rutnin  last January for a similar examination and another TV member reported the same price several months later.

I had additional charges for 'special diagnostics' and 'other medical charges' which are probably related to my diabetes...which is OK of course if the procedures are routine for that condition...if I deduct those two additional charges from the total then the result is around 1300bt...

 

now I'm feelin' dangerously annoyed...gonna go back with a baseball bat and sort those mothers out...

 

 

For some reason I am reminded of a guy on here years ago, when word about Zenni was new, that said they were worthless because he couldn't get something super powerful, like +7.00, in a bifocal as he needed to read while he drove.  Some things you just can't make up.