if getting new glasses.. beware,,, i would recomend on;y use the shops that use the old fashion way.

[yeahbutif]

I got a pair of glasses 5 months ago from a shop that I can’t name as we are Thailand …. 

They did me a eye test via a computer that took about 2 mins (back home would be the old style slot different lenses in to get correct lenses)

And when the shop had made the glasses seems sort of okay but he said would take time to get used to them, (varifocals) 

I gave up and went back to my previous glasses for a while that were not brilliant better then the new ones 

I went back to the shop that gave me the eye test for the new glasses just before Xmas  and he said the prescription he did was (even did another test) (but I think cheated as he had the old prescription to hand so he lied) he said prescription okay .

 So I said why I can’t see through the glasses

any way today I went to another branch of the same shop/company  and got them to do an eye test and got a prescription  and it was totally different to the one 5 months ago .

 Okay my eyes could have changed

BUT so I then went straight to the shop that did my glasses and had another eye test and the prescription was totally different to the one I just had done 20 mins ago. In the other shop

The shop man said the machines as not 100% accurate. 

Surely the computer should all be calibrated to match as they making the glasses to match the prescription? And the computer that took the test is not making the glasses?

Bottom line is what prescription do I use? First shop or second shop

  Answer none from that company and make sure my eye tests are done by the old way NOT computer.

Bottom line every piece of machinery for something technical should be calibrated.

  

 

[digbeth]

shops with real optometrist are expensive, most of the big name brand glasses shop with branches on every street corner only have trained staff that can use the machines, not real optometrist 

[NoDisplayName]

My advice would be go to a real doctor at a real hospital for a real examination.  Zhou Schmou on the corner won't check the health of your eyes.  Try Rutnin Eye Hospital if in Bangkok.

https://www.rutnin.com/en/home/

 

Then mail order glasses from Zenni.

https://www.zennioptical.com/

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, yeahbutif said:

another branch of the same shop/company

Personally, I wouldn't visit any of those branches. I guess they will have as cheap as possible employees to sell glasses.

I go to a shop which is a family business, and they are at that place for many years. They do a computer test but then also a thorough "manual" test.

 

Why did you buy anything after just a 2-minute computer analysis?

 

And about changing eyes: People with diabetes should be aware that they might have vastly different measurement within days.

 

[Jingthing]

I  can say that Owndays does a computer test followed by an extensive manual procedure comparing different lenses. I found the progressives from that satisfactory. 

There is a shop that is frequently recommended for progressives in Pattaya that is quite expensive. I tried them once and the scrip turned out to be quite bad. Of course I can't mention it. To add they would not accept the doctors scrip that I brought in!

Edited January 7, 2023 by Jingthing

[BigStar]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

I  can say that Owndays does a computer test followed by an extensive manual procedure comparing different lenses. I found the progressives from that satisfactory. 

Must you also buy the frames & lenses from Owndays?

[norfolkandchance]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

I  can say that Owndays does a computer test followed by an extensive manual procedure comparing different lenses. I found the progressives from that satisfactory. 

There is a shop that is frequently recommended for progressives in Pattaya that is quite expensive. I tried them once and the scrip turned out to be quite bad. Of course I can't mention it. To add they would not accept the doctors scrip that I brought in!

What’s a scrip ?

[Salerno]

6 minutes ago, norfolkandchance said:

What’s a scrip ?

"Script".

[Jingthing]

10 minutes ago, norfolkandchance said:

What’s a scrip ?

Prescription.

[norfolkandchance]

Sorry mate. My translation app didn’t come up with that.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 1/7/2023 at 7:44 PM, digbeth said:

shops with real optometrist are expensive, most of the big name brand glasses shop with branches on every street corner only have trained staff that can use the machines, not real optometrist 

 

I went thru this lately.... in trying to remember and refreshing myself on what the differences are between the following:

 

--opthamologists

--optometrists

--opticians

 

The easiest part and highest level of training are the opthamologists, who both here in Thailand and back in my home country are regular MDs who have undergone additional years of specialized training in eye disorders / eye diseases, etc.

 

I would argue opthamologists at hospitals are not necessarily the best place to simply get a new prescription done and then acquire glasses / frames / contacts.

 

The lowest level, AFAIK, are the not medical optician staff that probably staff most commercial retail eyewear shops here, who as far as I can tell, aren't necessarily required to undergo any specific training or licensing in Thailand. I would NOT generally want them to do my eye exam or provide a new prescription.

 

Then in the middle are optometrists. In my home country, they're required to have a 4-year college degree and then typically 4 years more of professional training in order to become OD's, who I believe tend to be the mainstay of doing routine eye exams and providing new prescriptions and frames / lenses.

 

But here in Thailand, from what I can tell, people can get optometry degrees with less training than that. For example, Ramkhamhaeng University in BKK has a Bachelor of Optometry program that runs 6 years and that they say allows graduates to be called Doctors of Optometry.

 

For whatever it's worth, I needed an updated eyewear prescription and lenses lately, and without giving it much thought, scheduled an appointment with an opthamologist at a mid-tier private hospital in BKK, where they quoted me a price of 3,000 baht just for the appointment (and not including anything in the way of new lenses or glasses).

 

I canceled that plan, searched around, and found a very well reviewed (via Google Maps reviews, and largely from farangs) optometrist clinic in central BKK where the English speaking optometrist happened to have graduated from the Ramkhamhaeng University program years back (which is why I spent the time looking at what it means to obtain a Bachelor of Optometry / DO degree from there).

 

  Went to the optometry clinic yesterday, and the optometrist used the different mini lenses fit into a glasses frame holder to generate my new prescription in what was a quite lengthy process of trialing and testing different configurations on each eye. I was pleased and impressed with his service and manner. And after the exam was finished, I had my new lenses ready in 15 minutes, as did my wife.

 

All told, the exam was 200 baht for each of us, and we each had new regular lenses put into our existing frames for a price of 600 baht apiece. So total bill for the two of us was 1,600 baht.

Edited March 5, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[BananaStrong]

Found a mom and pop shop that seemed to work for me.   I was there a pretty long time and I've had my eyes tested a lot in the past so I could compare this shop to others.  I had laser surgery, and I normally don't wear glasses, but they definitely help.   This guy's machine results were only slightly different from the last shop I was in, I bought a pair, and after about 4 months I'm still happy with the result.  I think it was about 4000 for the exam, glasses, and the lenses that change color with sunlight (only slightly, I wish the lenses got darker but it's like a brown instead of black.....it helps, for sure, just not as much as I would like).   If my eyes were bad, yea, I'd be a little more worried.  

Edited March 5, 2023 by BananaStrong