My wife of 53 years thought she perhaps needed new prescription glasses but first went to arguably the best (and most expensive) hospital in Thailand for a detailed examination.  Although she hadn’t noticed it, the examination revealed that she has cataracts in both eyes.  However, she was told  that in less than an hour procedure, both lenses can be replaced and her vision corrected as well.  Because of our ages, we self insure, so are prepared for sudden medical expenses, but we were surprised by the estimated cost, which seems stiff.  The doctor’s fee of 80,000 baht is high enough, but the hospital charge – this for an outpatient procedure – runs as high as a cool 139,000 baht.  I guess they have to recoup the cost of their high-tech equipment.  And then there is the price of the lenses themselves – 116, 000 baht -- for a grand total of 335,000 baht. 

Does anyone have any experience with an alternative hospital that can give comparable quality service at a more reasonable price?  Once again, Sheryl?

 

 

53 year marriage? Wow

 

Try a 2nd opinion

1 hour ago, oobar said:

the best (and most expensive) hospital in Thailand

Most or maybe all hospitals in Thailand want to make money. That is their first, second and third priority.

And the best patients are patients who come again and again and again. I suggest keep that in mind before you agree to anything.

 

Maybe your wife should follow the conventional way (first):

 

 

 

 

I would shop around  .     You can get them done in europe for far less  or at least the same

 

this is in the uk   Cataract Surgery Costs in The UK | Optegra

 

Trust me i am looking at treatment and much less in central europe.        Fancy a holiday somewhere  china or india  maybe malaysia.  

 

BTW it is normal to have one done and then go back for the other after healing.    

 

How about getting an independent assessment at a medical school.   Is she showing symptoms that are causing problems

 

Where are you   ?     Get out to the provinces if you are in BKK or Pattaya.      KK has a good medical school

A quick google search shows that the average cost of laser cataract surgery in Thailand is in the region of 80,000 baht.

 

Even the "best" hospital has special packages for it, priced well below what you were quoted.

 

https://www.bangkokhospital.com/en/package/eye-surgery-packages

I had lens replacement in April.

I went to Bangkok Hospital Phuket.

There they do both single focal lenses and tri focal lenses. I went for tri focal.

Total cost 219,000 baht. I too self insure.

The advantage of the tri focal, I no longer need to wear glasses. With the single focal I would still be wearing them.

The department is called Bright View Centre.

Excellent service, great staff and a brilliant doctor.

Day 1 - left eye, one hour. Day 2 right eye, one hour. I was doing emails on my laptop after about 3 hours on day 1.

 

https://www.brightviewcenter.com/

The best place in town is the Rutnin Eye Hospital, I would get a price from there!

 

 

A friend  is shopping for cataract surgery, in Bangkok.  

Highest quote I heard from him was almost 250,000 (Rutnin).

So, yes, your quoted price looks a bit excessive. 

He found a place for 120,000, quality unknown.

 

The cost would depend on the procedure needed to correct the issue.  Not all cataract surgery can be performed by laser as people think. 

As mentioned by LosLobo, Rutnin in Bangkok is the top eye clinic in Thailand.  I took a friend there once and noticed they had a lot of international patients, especially from non-European countries.  Worth a visit for a second opinion.  Regarding eye surgery I would consider quality and safety over cost as a bad outcome is forever.  

I had a friend that had cataract in both eyes. He went to a private hospital. Doctor is it Professor at the medical school. He also works two days a week at a government hospital or a training hospital so he decided to use the same doctor but he had it done at the training hospital and he said it was a lot cheaper and one eye done and I think a week or two later he had the second eye done and he had no problem. Most of these eye. Doctors will also work at the government hospital and he had the cataracts done there TIT

you are being overcharged for a double eye correction. I had two lense replacements for 120'000 baht at a major hospital in Chaingmai. My friend 78 years of age is booked to have cataract Procedure at the specalist eye clinic Pattaya  next week 55,000 inclusive  for one eye 

11 hours ago, LosLobo said:

The best place in town is the Rutnin Eye Hospital, I would get a price from there!

 

 

You have to kidding, they could not even give me a prescription for glasses because of my double vision. Grossly over serviced unless you are a Saudi prince. A very rich Thai acquaintance will not go back there any more.

If you want to travel a little bit try the Supamitr Hospital in Sulphan Buri, for a fraction of the cost you have been quoted. One eye, normal lens, 32000 baht. The main doctor there often does 10 ops a day so they do know what they are doing, but require an overnight stay in hospital, included in the price. As a farang you will also be treated well.

I have had my lenses replaced at Phuket Bangkok Hospital

https://www.phukethospital.com/doctor/captain-wiriyaluppa/

Cost was about A$11,000 the same price as in Australia.

Great job, 63yo and see like I am 25yo!! Highly recommended

 

IH

there are cheaper places like clinics or public hospitals that herd people in and have them lined up, next and out the door, the operation is only around 20 minutes, but the wait to get tested and get dilated is about half a day  

I had both eyes done, a month apart, at Bangkok Hospital KK earlier this year.

80K for each eye, I am well pleased with the result.

I had intraocular lens replacement surgery at age 56 in 2015.  Done by Dr. Somchai at BPH in Pattaya.  Cost was 197,000 baht.

 

But I chose the option of only local anaesthetic. I suspect the option of a general anaesthesia will increase the cost substantially. The local was painless, and I would recommend this to keep the cost down

 

The results are nothing short of amazing. I would describe it as life altering. No more glasses of any kind, perfect short and long range vision.

 

A point to note - select the multi-focal option.  This means both lenses are able to adjust focus.  I know people who have selected to have only one lens replaced, or had one lens set for short focus and one set for long focus.  They all seem disgruntled with the results and all still use reading and/or regular eyeglasses.

 

I tested 20/15 about 3 months after the surgery and can read the smallest print on a medical label at 20-30cm.

 

The only downside is that you get to see an unblurred ageing image of yourself in every mirror.

I would suggest that you received your quote from the grand Bumrungrad Hospital, where the chandeliers in the reception are very nice. No doubt, they add to the ambience of the short waiting time. However, they will not improve the outcome of cataract operations.

 

If you look at the websites for both Bumrungrad and Rutnin, you will find that the same doctors provide the same service at both hospitals with remarkably different price tags.

 

I am sure Sheryl will have a recommendation for the most capable doctor.

 

I have attended Rutnin twice over the past 15 years and the only complaints I have are the long waiting times for the initial consultation and of course no chandeliers.

 

You will find many other hospitals and doctors that offer lower costs, but eyesight is the most precious of our senses and personally I value excellence over bargain prices.

 

 

Slightly off topic but you might want to consider a trip to your home country to obtain cataract surgeries.  For example, in the US, I had both eyes done by an exceptional eye surgeon about 5 years ago and, with Medicare, the total cost of doctor visits and the cataract surgeries (two weeks apart) was slightly under $900.  

Congrats on the 53+ years.

The motorbike taxi guys could do it for one quarter of that price. 

@oobar Like your wife, I was told I now have cataracts, in one eye, obvious formation of, and nothing noticeable in the other.  One eye doc simply told me about, and when asked how to slow progression, suggested shades.   Always a 2nd opinion guy, so 2nd doc also suggested shades ... BUT ... prescribed drops.  strange the 1st didn't, as didn't suggest surgery now or in future.  

 

I believe the drops are working, inexpensive, and not intrusive obviously.   Every 6 hours or so, or when I remember.  I say working, as when I wake, I have a lot more morning crunchies in the left (cataract'd) eye, than the other.   So some de-calcification going on, or whatever it's doing.

 

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a Doc.

 

Drops (banned) for use on humans in some EU & USA, I think, as apparently they, IMHO, would rather sell surgeries.   They do allow for use in pets, and vets will have & suggest for cats & dogs ... go figure.

 

Inexpensive and can find on internet <฿100.  Eye doc sold for ฿120, and have found for as low as ฿80

 

I sticking with drops, as not a fan of someone toying with my eye, cheap enough, and I didn't even notice I had cataract anyway, until latest eye chart test, then very noticeable.  Left eye is not my power eye anyway, so not really an issue.

 

On surgery, price, a bud had done at Khon Kaen hospital, not sure which, and if memory serves, 38k each eye, and that was more than a few years ago.

I have cataracts in both eyes age 73. told unless is troubling me not to bother yet,

 

Chula - Red Cross Hospital 2020 the eye Dr said the Op is 16 -20,000 per eye + lens deepens on type, but total cost should not be more that 35,000 per eye, they said do 1 eye and the other 1 month later, new glasses in the mean time [total cost 1,350 baht]

 

The Pinklao Eye Hospital said around 70.000 per eye. 

 

So Government Hospital a lot cheaper

@oobar PM sent, as not sure I can post info here

@oobar

Metta Pracharak Hospital in Nakorn Pathom province is well known by Thais, usually referred to by the name of the Wat nearby, Wat Rai Khing.  It's just west of Bangkok.

They also have a branch in Bangkok (Metta International Eye Center) across Soi Sukhumvit 42 from Gateway mall at the Ekkamai BTS station.
 

I had cataract surgery on both eyes done at the Ekkamai location this year, 40k Baht each.  Very satisfied with the result.

2 hours ago, Gsxrnz said:

Done by Dr. Somchai at BPH in Pattaya.  Cost was 197,000 baht.

I also had this done 2 years ago - package price then was 200k. 

@oobar         before committing I found this thread very useful -

 

I had mine done last year.  See clearly now and no complications.  I went first to a Ophthalmologist in Roi ET and he told me 30,000 baht per eye in a private hospital.    He did the surgery himself.  first one eye and about a month later the second.  60,000 baht and no other costs except meds.  

 

You're getting ripped off IMHO.

5 hours ago, Qman said:

As mentioned by LosLobo, Rutnin in Bangkok is the top eye clinic in Thailand.  I took a friend there once and noticed they had a lot of international patients, especially from non-European countries.  Worth a visit for a second opinion.  Regarding eye surgery I would consider quality and safety over cost as a bad outcome is forever.  

Seems like sound advice

Are the cataracts causing the sight issues?  Until they cause issues there is no need to remove.  And doing both eyes at same time is not a normal practice (infections can occur and much better to have at least one good eye).  For most people single vision lens (cheapest) is all that is needed - reading glasses are normal for old age and cheap.  The multi vision types can be problematic.  All in price at a government hospital likely in the 25-35k range and at most private hospitals under 100k each.  Price has greatly increased in the last decade at hospital try to make more money.  My single vision were 35k each at a high rated Bangkok private hospital about 10 years ago.

I would defiantly get a second opinion and Rutnin is a very good choice for that.

12 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

 And doing both eyes at same time is not a normal practice (infections can occur and much better to have at least one good eye). 

agree