Cataract Exam - Queen Sirikit Hospital - The Good, the Bad, any other suggestions on places to go.

[Longwood50]

I went earlier this month to Queen Sirikit hospital to inquire about Cataract Surgery.  I was very quickly attended to and after a modest series of eye tests I was told to make an appointment with the Ophthalmologist to discuss cataract surgery.  The nurse was very helpful and even gave me an appointment for approximately 3 weeks later, December 29.  

I arrived and the entire process was a bit confusing.  Though I had an appointment slip I was told I needed to return downstairs to register.  I did so and returned.  I was told to put my papers in a wall tray outside examining room 4 and wait.  Though it was some sort of queuing line there was really no way to tell where you were in line other than waiting to be called.  No number system. 

 

After a wait of approximately 45 minutes I was called and then told to get my blood pressure tested.  I did so and the self service machine printed out my BP.  I was then lost as to how to proceed and fortunately my Thai GF was able to inquire and we were told to place all the papers including the now stapled BP slip in other waiting bin.  This was the longest wait, almost two hours.  Back to examining room number 4 where I was told to go to the Laser room for testing.  That was quick only about 15 minutes staring at an orange dot and getting a print out again stapled to my papers and told to go see the doctor. 

 

The doctor asked a few questions, did a very thorough exam and told me to put my papers in a green bin and wait to be called.  After about 15 minutes a person came in and dilated my pupils and I waited for about 1 hour and then told to  go back to the the laser room for yet more tests.  This was very quick.  Just walked into the room, the nurse sat me in front of yet a different machine and scanned both eyes and then yet more paperwork printed, stapled to my package and told to go again to see the doctor. 

The doctor examined me again, and told me that cataract surgery for me was a choice.  My day vision was not that bad and that it was strictly the difficulties that I had with night driving and road glare that were a problem.  She said that if it bothered me to go ahead with the surgery, if I could put up with it just to live with the problem.  However, she said they were only doing surgery on people with severe vision loss and as such, I would have to go elsewhere to find surgery. 

Now the good.  I think the examination was very extensive, and the equipment very modern.  The cost was very modest only 2,090 baht for up to 6 hours of multiple people examining my eyes and running tests.  The bad.  The wait in one case two hours between seeing someone was certainly on the long side.  The poorest thing was why they made the appointment for me in the first place.  When I first went there in early December the nurse who tested me could certainly ascertain that I did not have significant vision impairment and I was inquiring about cataract surgery.  If the hospital was limiting surgery to only those with significant impairment why not tell me that at the first visit and instruct me to go elsewhere. 

I am wondering if anyone has done some research on where to go to get competent Cataract surgery at a reasonable price. 

Yes I know you can go to Rutinin, or Bangkok Hospital or Bumrigrad.  However those hospitals such as Bangkok Hospital Pattaya went from 22,000 baht for single vision lens in 2018 to now 72,500 baht and that is for the least expensive lens and does not include everything. 






 

[scubascuba3]

I went to that hospital, Sattahip, unless there's another one, for something different, but yes a confusing process, there seems to be assumed knowledge at govt hospitals and no one comes to assist so probably BP is higher than normal when there, eventually you work it out

[doctormann]

I'm getting to the stage where I am going to need cataract surgery - halos and star bursts from bright lights and reading black print on a white background is getting increasingly difficult.

 

My local clinic doctor recommended Jomtien Hospital <https://www.jomtienhospital.com/en/eye-department.html> so I took a trip there with my wife as interpreter.  Unfortunately, the ophthalmologist was not there on that day but my wife talked to a nurse.  'About 40kBaht' was mentioned but I don't know at this stage if that was for one eye or two or for single vision or multi-focus lenses.  I intend to go back early in the new year to find out.

 

One caveat - it appears that Jomtien Hospital is now part of the Bangkok Group, with all that implies, price-wise.  

 

Unfortunately, with COVID being rampant - so we're told - I don't think that government hospitals are currently doing much in the way of elective surgery so we may be stuck with going private or waiting until the situation improves.

 

[Longwood50]

1 hour ago, doctormann said:

One caveat - it appears that Jomtien Hospital is now part of the Bangkok Group, with all that implies, price-wise.  

I "think" Jomtien Hospital was always part of the Bangkok Group.  It was built brand new and since day 1 there appeared to be a connection.  

I "think" also that the doctors at Jomtien are the same doctors as Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.  I would assume that would mean a consistency in prices.  I can't believe Bankgkok Hospital Pattaya would sponsor a hospital to compete with lower prices with itself. 

[Longwood50]

1 hour ago, doctormann said:

I don't know at this stage if that was for one eye or two or for single vision or multi-focus lenses.

I can guarantee that is for one eye, single vision and if it is 40,000 baht that is a very good price.  

Before you opt for multi-focus I would do some research.  Multi-Focal lenses are not easy to get accurately prescribed.  Also they are extremely touchy with respect to being precisely placed.  If they are off slightly just like with progressive glasses, the field of vision is correct only in the exact center. 

I have talked to a number of ophthalmologists who universally recommend single vision lenses and using reading glasses.  I would like to inquire about mono-vision.  Single vision in one eye for distance and single vision in the other for reading.  I did that following my lasik surgery and had only one eye done, leaving the other for reading.  I had no problem with it at all.  Your brain always looks through whatever eye produces the clearest image.  So for distance, it focused through my right eye, for reading it focused through my left.  

 

[Longwood50]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I went to that hospital, Sattahip,

No that is it.  Very large hospital.  I was not displeased at all with the quality of the service but very confusing process.  It would seem pretty straight forward to give a person a queue number and then post the number either manually or on an electronic board like they do in immigration or at the banks.   When you placed your paperwork in the boxes, you had no idea if you did it correctly or where you stood relative to the number of people waiting, or for that matter how many were really waiting for the same examination rooms since there were numerous rooms. 

 

[doctormann]

1 hour ago, Longwood50 said:

I can guarantee that is for one eye, single vision and if it is 40,000 baht that is a very good price.  

Before you opt for multi-focus I would do some research.  Multi-Focal lenses are not easy to get accurately prescribed.  Also they are extremely touchy with respect to being precisely placed.  If they are off slightly just like with progressive glasses, the field of vision is correct only in the exact center. 

I have talked to a number of ophthalmologists who universally recommend single vision lenses and using reading glasses.  I would like to inquire about mono-vision.  Single vision in one eye for distance and single vision in the other for reading.  I did that following my lasik surgery and had only one eye done, leaving the other for reading.  I had no problem with it at all.  Your brain always looks through whatever eye produces the clearest image.  So for distance, it focused through my right eye, for reading it focused through my left.  

 

I have heard that multi-focal lenses can be problematical.  Reading glasses are a pain but maybe a safer bet than the multi-focal alternative.  What about close focusing at different distances - for example, reading distance for a book would typically be 30cm whereas reading a computer screen would probably be more like 45cm and viewing a large screen TV would be 1m or more.  How many pairs of glasses would you need!  I'm assuming that there is no adaptability with the single vision lenses so the eye cannot adjust its focus.

 

I have also heard about mono-vision lenses - just curious as to how this affects your stereoscopic vision, if indeed it does.

[lopburi3]

29 minutes ago, doctormann said:

I have heard that multi-focal lenses can be problematical.  Reading glasses are a pain but maybe a safer bet than the multi-focal alternative.  What about close focusing at different distances - for example, reading distance for a book would typically be 30cm whereas reading a computer screen would probably be more like 45cm and viewing a large screen TV would be 1m or more.  How many pairs of glasses would you need!  I'm assuming that there is no adaptability with the single vision lenses so the eye cannot adjust its focus.

 

I have also heard about mono-vision lenses - just curious as to how this affects your stereoscopic vision, if indeed it does.

I have single vision (distance) and no problem viewing TV or even computer (enlarge image).  Reading (microwave times) and fine print (prescriptions a good example) are what requires reading glasses (and some close work - hard to line up screwdriver at times).  You can buy reading glasses in various strengths off the shelf for next to nothing so having several at different strengths is good.

[doctormann]

1 minute ago, lopburi3 said:

I have single vision (distance) and no problem viewing TV or even computer (enlarge image).  Reading (microwave times) and fine print (prescriptions a good example) are what requires reading glasses (and some close work - hard to line up screwdriver at times).  You can buy reading glasses in various strengths off the shelf for next to nothing so having several at different strengths is good.

Maybe varifocals would work.  I've used these for quite a while very successfully.  There was a bit of a learning curve though and I went through a few iterations before finding a pair that really worked well for every situation.  Good ones are not cheap - my current pair came from Germany - sourced through Euro Optic in Pattaya.

[The Hammer2021]

A very informative  post. I think you have to be assertive but polite  at hospitals  here. I check every  15 minutes to ensure I haven't been forgotten. I act dim  old and frail to engender support  sympathy  and help

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, doctormann said:

Maybe varifocals would work.  I've used these for quite a while very successfully.  There was a bit of a learning curve though and I went through a few iterations before finding a pair that really worked well for every situation.  Good ones are not cheap - my current pair came from Germany - sourced through Euro Optic in Pattaya.

Good ones are cheap as chips ..... $50 delivered from Zennioptical.com

Same prescription was 8,000bht in Thailand, and the frames weren't as good.

Edited December 31, 2021 by BritManToo

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, doctormann said:

Maybe varifocals would work.  I've used these for quite a while very successfully.  There was a bit of a learning curve though and I went through a few iterations before finding a pair that really worked well for every situation.  Good ones are not cheap - my current pair came from Germany - sourced through Euro Optic in Pattaya.

Gave them a try when was using for computer but not comfortable for that as field of view too limited for me.  Found better to not use and just enlarge image.  And these days also use dark mode which makes text 1,000 percent easier to read.

[doctormann]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Good ones are cheap as chips ..... $50 delivered from Zennioptical.com

How does that work then?  Surely you need a prescription and the correct centering of the lenses is absolutely vital with varifocals.  Maybe you can get lucky but, as I said, I went through a few iterations before getting a pair that really worked well.

 

I will have a look at Zennioptical when the time comes - $50 is not a big risk.

[doctormann]

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Gave them a try when was using for computer but not comfortable for that as field of view too limited for me.  Found better to not use and just enlarge image.  And these days also use dark mode which makes text 1,000 percent easier to read.

Yes, I'm well into dark mode as well.

 

I found that with cheap varifocals the field of view was very restricted and so they were fairly useless with a computer.  My current pair do not have that problem - but they were not cheap!

[Sheryl]

17 hours ago, doctormann said:

I'm getting to the stage where I am going to need cataract surgery - halos and star bursts from bright lights and reading black print on a white background is getting increasingly difficult.

 

My local clinic doctor recommended Jomtien Hospital <https://www.jomtienhospital.com/en/eye-department.html> so I took a trip there with my wife as interpreter.  Unfortunately, the ophthalmologist was not there on that day but my wife talked to a nurse.  'About 40kBaht' was mentioned but I don't know at this stage if that was for one eye or two or for single vision or multi-focus lenses.  I intend to go back early in the new year to find out.

 

One caveat - it appears that Jomtien Hospital is now part of the Bangkok Group, with all that implies, price-wise.  

 

Unfortunately, with COVID being rampant - so we're told - I don't think that government hospitals are currently doing much in the way of elective surgery so we may be stuck with going private or waiting until the situation improves.

 

 

you will nto get a better price than 40k at any private hospital.

 

Definitley at that amount it either does nto include the cost of the lens at all or the lens is standard. Multifocal lens cost that much just for the lens alone.

 

 

[Longwood50]

14 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I haven't been forgotten. I act dim  old and frail to engender support  sympathy  and help

I do that also but it is not an act 

 

[Cake Monster]

I have been using the Queen Sirikit Hospital in Sattahip for my problem Eyes for Years now.

Always have had the very best of care and attention.

The Doctors and staff seem very professional, and attentive.

The process of actually being in the Eye Care Room is a little daunting, and confusing at times, but after just One visit, it all seems so seamless.

 

[doctormann]

23 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

you will nto get a better price than 40k at any private hospital.

 

Definitley at that amount it either does nto include the cost of the lens at all or the lens is standard. Multifocal lens cost that much just for the lens alone.

 

 

Agreed.  Actually, 40k seems suspiciously cheap.  Of course, this was not an actual quote, just what the nurse told my wife, so may bear little relation to the true cost.  I'm planning on scheduling an appointment after the holiday so I may find out more then.  I want to avoid nasty surprises,  i.e. additional charges that I was not told about in advance.

 

[doctormann]

Just now, Cake Monster said:

I have been using the Queen Sirikit Hospital in Sattahip for my problem Eyes for Years now.

Always have had the very best of care and attention.

The Doctors and staff seem very professional, and attentive.

The process of actually being in the Eye Care Room is a little daunting, and confusing at times, but after just One visit, it all seems so seamless.

 

I have used Queen Sirikit Hospital in the past, when I had bladder surgery there.  Couldn't really fault the degree of care and professionalism and the cost was extremely reasonable.  A lot of waiting around though.

 

I may well approach them for my eye problem but, as I understand it from at least one report on this forum, they are not doing any non-urgent surgery at present because of COVID.  I suppose I could wait a while but there seems to be no end in sight for the pandemic.  My problem isn't urgent but it is beginning to affect my quality of life so I would like it fixed asap.

[fredscats]

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  Im with you on this one,but which one?...its India tho,had contact with few doctors there in Calcutta eye hospitals,just get the covid wave reduced and IM off,...been putting it off now for couple of years,cannot hang around much longer

[Sheryl]

13 minutes ago, doctormann said:

Agreed.  Actually, 40k seems suspiciously cheap.  Of course, this was not an actual quote, just what the nurse told my wife, so may bear little relation to the true cost.  I'm planning on scheduling an appointment after the holiday so I may find out more then.  I want to avoid nasty surprises,  i.e. additional charges that I was not told about in advance.

 

Most private hospitals are 80-100k per eye (inclusive of standard lens), government hospitals about 20k.

[Jessi]

I had a friend go to that hospital in Sattahip, he was quoted 45,000B per eye.

He got the cataracts done at the main Government hospital in Rayong for

21,000B per eye and he was very happy with the treatment.

[Longwood50]

On 1/1/2022 at 10:57 AM, doctormann said:

Agreed.  Actually, 40k seems suspiciously cheap.  Of course, this was not an actual quote, just what the nurse told my wife,

I went to the Jomtien Hospital web site and it said they were running a promotion through Dec. 31, 2021 of 39,000 baht per eye.  That of course was the standard lens.  I tried to check again after December 31, 2021 to see if it had continued.  The link to the promotion will not load.  

So when the nurse told you about 40,000 I think she was correct.  Now the question is will they continue that in 2022. 

[Longwood50]

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Fredscats

I assume these are lens option in Rupee's.  

As I understand it, India's prices are very good however you have to figure into it your travel expenses, lodging, and of course PCR tests to enter India, and re-enter Thailand.  In the end, I doubt traveling to India would be cost effective. 

[doctormann]

6 minutes ago, Longwood50 said:

I went to the Jomtien Hospital web site and it said they were running a promotion through Dec. 31, 2021 of 39,000 baht per eye.  That of course was the standard lens.  I tried to check again after December 31, 2021 to see if it had continued.  The link to the promotion will not load.  

So when the nurse told you about 40,000 I think she was correct.  Now the question is will they continue that in 2022. 

Yes, i noticed that the 'promotion' has disappeared from the website.  I still have the intention to make an appointment to see their ophthalmologist just a soon as this NY holiday season is over - maybe this week but it depends on how busy they are.

[doctormann]

6 minutes ago, Longwood50 said:

Fredscats

I assume these are lens option in Rupee's.  

As I understand it, India's prices are very good however you have to figure into it your travel expenses, lodging, and of course PCR tests to enter India, and re-enter Thailand.  In the end, I doubt traveling to India would be cost effective. 

It would have been a good option pre-COVID but probably not viable at the moment.

[fredscats]

7 hours ago, Longwood50 said:

Fredscats

I assume these are lens option in Rupee's.  

As I understand it, India's prices are very good however you have to figure into it your travel expenses, lodging, and of course PCR tests to enter India, and re-enter Thailand.  In the end, I doubt traveling to India would be cost effective. 

Having cataract surgery and its myriad options is no exception. To be clear, there really isn’t such a thing as the “more recommended” lens implant used during cataract surgery. Understand that the primary aim of any cataract surgery is first and foremost to replace the natural lens that has turned cloudy and replacing it with a new clear artificial lens implant. In that respect, the majority of lens fulfil that objective well.

Where choices are to be made about implants are when the patient has to decide if being spectacles independent is an important goal for the patient. If the patient is happy wearing spectacles, then a monofocal lens implant would be a great choice. 

 

Alternatively, if the patient is keen to use cataract surgery as an opportunity to additionally see the world without glasses, then multifocal lens implants may be considered.

 

True what you state,but as age and opportunity are unfortunately to be considered I'm going for multifocal,sick of using and losing glasses

   Not bad pricing there and back 5000 (was) hotels cheap enough        Looked at multifocal pricing  ,shade under 400 pounds,probably get them cheaper if Calcutta hospital,these Mumbai prices

Edited January 2, 2022 by fredscats

[fredscats]

2 hours ago, fredscats said:

True what you state,but as age and opportunity are unfortunately to be considered I'm going for multifocal,sick of using and losing glasses

   Not bad pricing there and back 5000 (was) hotels cheap enough        Looked at multifocal pricing  ,shade under 400 pounds,probably get them cheaper if Calcutta hospital,these Mumbai prices

Looked up mono too,depth of field is quite good with some makers,fact it seems excellent,along with comments above,having a serious re-think,anyway good ones come in at shade under 200 pounds

[doctormann]

On 1/2/2022 at 11:45 AM, doctormann said:

Yes, i noticed that the 'promotion' has disappeared from the website.  I still have the intention to make an appointment to see their ophthalmologist just a soon as this NY holiday season is over - maybe this week but it depends on how busy they are.

The promotion is still running.  I went to Jomtien Hospital last Friday, 07 Jan, and the cost for single lens replacement was quoted at 39,000 Baht per eye - and I have this in writing.  I fully expect there to be additional charges for medication or whatever.

 

The eye examination was free but I felt was not particularly thorough - no check for glaucoma, for instance.  The consultation with the doc could have gone better.  I was trying to get some idea of what glasses I would need, post-op, particularly if varifocals would be appropriate, but I didn't really get an answer.  I also have some astigmatism and the standard replacement lenses will not correct for that so that would need to be included on any glasses prescription.

 

I did ask about multi-focal replacement lenses but these would, as expected, be far more expensive - about 100,000 Baht per eye.

 

I do have one major concern that remains unresolved.  I have been taking Tamsulosin for prostate issues for many years and I believe that this can cause issues with cataract surgery - floppy iris syndrome, which can be very serious.  I tried to raise this issue but the doc seemed uninterested.  This is not a show stopper but I would really like some answers.

 

Anyway, the current state of play is that I have a couple of weeks to decide if to proceed.  I go back for a follow-up appointment on 26 Jan so I shall try to get some answers then.

 

 

 

 

[couchpotato]

4 minutes ago, doctormann said:

The promotion is still running.  I went to Jomtien Hospital last Friday, 07 Jan, and the cost for single lens replacement was quoted at 39,000 Baht per eye - and I have this in writing.  I fully expect there to be additional charges for medication or whatever.

 

The eye examination was free but I felt was not particularly thorough - no check for glaucoma, for instance.  The consultation with the doc could have gone better.  I was trying to get some idea of what glasses I would need, post-op, particularly if varifocals would be appropriate, but I didn't really get an answer.  I also have some astigmatism and the standard replacement lenses will not correct for that so that would need to be included on any glasses prescription.

 

I did ask about multi-focal replacement lenses but these would, as expected, be far more expensive - about 100,000 Baht per eye.

 

I do have one major concern that remains unresolved.  I have been taking Tamsulosin for prostate issues for many years and I believe that this can cause issues with cataract surgery - floppy iris syndrome, which can be very serious.  I tried to raise this issue but the doc seemed uninterested.  This is not a show stopper but I would really like some answers.

 

Anyway, the current state of play is that I have a couple of weeks to decide if to proceed.  I go back for a follow-up appointment on 26 Jan so I shall try to get some answers then.

 

 

 

 

Had the same issues with eye doctors at BPH (Jomtien same dept). So with so many important unanswered questions, I would strongly suggest you go to Rutnin Eye Hospital in Bangkok (Soi Asoke). Eyes so important.