Hi, I need an eye test and new glasses. I bought a pair here in Bangkok a couple of years ago from Top Charoen but I wasn't happy with what I eventually paid. In retrospect I think I could have done a lot better.

Any leads for affordable opticians in Bangkok? I live in Sam Yan area but would travel further if it was worth it.

Thanks for any help

Try the 4x, 40 baht glasses at Thepprasit markets, good for reading small detail

Okay, thanks for that but I was thinking more along the lines of having an eye test and glasses to match the test.

2 minutes ago, BillStrangeOgre said:

Okay, thanks for that but I was thinking more along the lines of having an eye test and glasses to match the test.

Oh OK, you may not need prescription glasses, the market glasses work for me.

Anyway, good luck mate 👍

Getting an eye test, at any age, is important. Rutnin Eye Hospital on Asok, B600.

Then you can think about the next step.

1 hour ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Getting an eye test, at any age, is important. Rutnin Eye Hospital on Asok, B600.

Then you can think about the next step.

Thanks for that. Any suggestions on where to get the glasses made to prescription?

Cheers

Rutnin's eyeglass shop is way too expensive! And I don't much like the chains.

I'd hunt around in the alleys of Siam Square. They do great work and offer good deals.

I like blur-light protection, anti-reflective and scratch-resistance.

1 hour ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Getting an eye test, at any age, is important. Rutnin Eye Hospital on Asok, B600.

Then you can think about the next step.

When was it B600? B1,500 two months ago.

43 minutes ago, BillStrangeOgre said:

Thanks for that. Any suggestions on where to get the glasses made to prescription?

Cheers

If you have a good prescription, and just want glasses, Zenni is a great value.

The best glasses and fitting I ever had was from Vora Vision in Bumrungrad. That guy was a master.

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

When was it B600? B1,500 two months ago.

B690 in Feb. I'm talking about refractive diagnosis only resulting in eyeglass prescription.

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

If you have a good prescription, and just want glasses, Zenni is a great value.

The best glasses and fitting I ever had was from Vora Vision in Bumrungrad. That guy was a master.

I've used Zenni and one other online. Both completely screwed up my prescription and neither would exchange the lenses for the right ones or offer me a refund. Bumrungrad is out of my price range!

1 hour ago, unblocktheplanet said:

B690 in Feb. I'm talking about refractive diagnosis only resulting in eyeglass prescription.

So not an eye exam.

1 hour ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I've used Zenni and one other online. Both completely screwed up my prescription and neither would exchange the lenses for the right ones or offer me a refund. Bumrungrad is out of my price range!

I've been using Zenni for years and they have been great, and they are inexpensive. I just got three new pair (two progressive, one single vision) for me, and a new pair of single vision for my boy.

I used Bumrungrad when I was working and got them "free".

1 hour ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I've used Zenni and one other online. Both completely screwed up my prescription and neither would exchange the lenses for the right ones or offer me a refund. Bumrungrad is out of my price range!

I've ordered a dozen times or more from Zenni. Highly recommend. I even screwed up inputting the prescription one time and they replaced it no problem at all.

1 minute ago, gargamon said:

I've ordered a dozen times or more from Zenni. Highly recommend. I even screwed up inputting the prescription one time and they replaced it no problem at all.

The are grate, but you do have to be careful they do not trick you into the up-sells...

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

The are grate, but you do have to be careful they do not trick you into the up-sells...

like good to grate cheese ?

I love a good pecorino romano , it's said to be the king of all cheeses

But I think it's really Gruyere

Glasses are not a good bargain here in Thailand. Most long term expats order from Zenni by mail, much cheaper. Of course you need a prescription first, best gotten from a place like Rutnin as suggested by other poster.

Have your eyes tested at a reliable place and buy online from Firmoo. Before I had a cataract operation I have done that several times, really happy with choice and pricing.

18 hours ago, BillStrangeOgre said:

Hi, I need an eye test and new glasses. I bought a pair here in Bangkok a couple of years ago from Top Charoen but I wasn't happy with what I eventually paid. In retrospect I think I could have done a lot better.

Any leads for affordable opticians in Bangkok? I live in Sam Yan area but would travel further if it was worth it.

Thanks for any help

Sukhumvit has some. Ask AI for tips. You can bargain the price. I got 2,000 off at Top Charoen and glasses are good.

3 hours ago, Rockyroad said:

Sukhumvit has some. Ask AI for tips. You can bargain the price. I got 2,000 off at Top Charoen and glasses are good.

I tried asking for a discount but they weren't having it. Why didn't I just go somewhere else? I was flying home that evening. Still worked out cheaper than the UK though.

I want to do better this time! 😉

1 hour ago, BillStrangeOgre said:

I tried asking for a discount but they weren't having it. Why didn't I just go somewhere else? I was flying home that evening. Still worked out cheaper than the UK though.

I want to do better this time! 😉

It takes a couple of days to make glasses.

As others have said, Zenni!!! Never had a problem and I am surprised that a previous poster did. I guess screwups by Zenni do happen but it is worth the minimal risk, I think. So much cheaper than Thai vendors!

Edited April 30Apr 30 by ricklev

On 4/28/2026 at 3:11 PM, unblocktheplanet said:

Getting an eye test, at any age, is important. Rutnin Eye Hospital on Asok, B600.

Then you can think about the next step.

Agreed.

Zenni looks like a definite possibility. Since the glasses are presumably shipped from overseas, is VAT charged upon arrival in Thailand?

2 minutes ago, Pawpal said:

Zenni looks like a definite possibility. Since the glasses are presumably shipped from overseas, is VAT charged upon arrival in Thailand?

It's a US company, for Thailand, the glasses ship from Hong Kong. You have to pay for delivery (free for US delivery), but no VAT is due when they come.

Delivery is by Thai post and they left them on the porch last time.

Are you single-vison or multisession?

On 4/29/2026 at 1:21 PM, Rockyroad said:

It takes a couple of days to make glasses.

True that, but I could have picked them up when I came back.

5 minutes ago, BillStrangeOgre said:

True that, but I could have picked them up when I came back.

About Soi 20 there is a shop that is good.

There are some pretty cheap Thai shops around, just not in shopping malls.

I got a pair of single visions for B1,000 and got a free ice coffee with it at a shop in Salaya.

If you just need reading glasses and your eyes are 'equal' try loads of pairs of different strengths and choose a pair off the shelf...cheap as chips.

20 minutes ago, MIke B Bad said:

If you just need reading glasses and your eyes are 'equal' try loads of pairs of different strengths and choose a pair off the shelf...cheap as chips.

Given the low cost of single vision glasses, and variation in each eye, I think it's crazy to not get prescritions.

Here is a pair of cheap prescription glasses based on my boy's old saved single vision lenses. It took just a couple minutes for the mock order. Delivery would be extra outside the USA.