Have You Had Glasses Made Here?

[StrongView]

Went to Central Lad Prao and visited two different shops for eye tests and shopping for frames. Both shops measured everything with all of their funky gadgets and both came up with the same prescription. Then I would ask.. "Ok, so I need glasses for reading and for long distance. Do I need two pairs of glasses?" I was then told that I only needed one pair of glasses for both yet these were not bifocals. There was no lack of ability to understand, because the sales people spoke English perfectly. I would think this was possibly only my situation, but my wife had hers tested...and she has bad eyes. She was told the same thing "for reading and regular long distance use..." Is this true? Or is this another case of a Thai sales person knowing nothing about what they're selling? Thanks!

[Highwayman]

I recently decided it was time to get a new pair of glasses although l mainly wear contacts. Went to a local optometrist, quite prepared to pay a few thou' for a new pair only to be told after testing that l didn't need glasses, that my vision was fine. Huh? I've worn contacts for years, even have my drivers license endorsed stating that l must wear spectacles or similar yet they told me there's nothing wrong with my eyesight. Guess it made a change from thinking that everyone is always trying to sell you something.

Maybe I'll just have to pick up a new prescription next time l'm back home and just get it made up here. Not very confident after this experience with big optical chains in Bangkok.

[lopburi3]

Maybe I'll just have to pick up a new prescription next time l'm back home and just get it made up here. Not very confident after this experience with big optical chains in Bangkok.

You didn't forget to remove the contacts by chance.

Any hospital will have an opthamologist on staff if you want a good exam/prescription. Will not cost much and should be as reliable as anywhere else in the world.

[RooBoy]

Steer clear of the optical shops for testing!! They are all over the place IME. If you want your eyes tested properly, go somewhere like Bangkok Nursing or Bumrumgrad, pay a thousand baht and get a proper diagnosis and prescription. Then find a shop that cuts lenses on site, with trained techs. I have had lenses cut plenty of times, always fine, but I found a good shop in chinatown.

Steer clear of Optic 88 shops too!! they are hopeless, they send the stuff off to be cut, and have screwed up my lenses before and will not do anything about it.

[Payne]

I had a good experience last week getting two pair of new perscription glasses at the little shop on the second floor of MBK towards the north end. Sorry didn't keep a card. Would return there again for the excellent service and reasonable prices.

[frequentatore]

I was then told that I only needed one pair of glasses for both yet these were not bifocals.

Perhaps they were refering to progressive lenses... More expensive, no lines. Objects often appear a little too fast when you turn your head; it takes weeks to get used to these lenses...

Check also this thread: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=0entry117712

[Jeff Jarvis]

Across the street from the World Trade Center in a soi is Wellington Eye care.

Old fashioned place. The guy seems to know his stuff.

[biggles45]

Yes, they would be talking about "multi-focal" or progressive lenses. I have had them for about 7 years and never had a problem. got them in Bkk the first time (MBK shopping centre) and last year got a new pair at the optician in the Big C centre near Soi 2 in pattaya. they have a gradual adjustment in power from long distance to close up. for them to work properly it is critical that the measurement of this "line" between long distance and close up is very accurate. Mine cost me about 7,000 baht ($A210) with titanium frames (glass not plastic lenses) Was quoted about $A650 plus at home.

Hope this helps.

[Up2U]

They have tried the same with me, but as I need to stare at computer screens a lot, it is only the close-up (reading) part that I want.

Titanium frames and plastic lenses, with anti-computer-screen coating for 5,000 baht.

[ProThaiExpat]

Top Charoen Optical, located everywhere, mostly shopping centers, it top notch, world class, and bargain until you are getting at least 50% off.

I agree that "progressive" lenses was the problem, they are blended and are ground in a circular manner so the long distance portion of the lenses are the outer circle and the reading portion the center, thus taking getting used to.

Taking an old pair of glasses with you and comparing their interpretation of the presciription in your old ones, with your new prescription, will give you confidence as there should not be much difference, and if there is, off to an opthamologist.

[chanchao]

Just had some glasses made in Chiang Mai for my parents. Visited MANY shops, one being run by a friend of the mrs, so... anyway to make a long story short, the guy actually proved to be a friend by actually recommending another shop to do the measurements and ended up getting the glasses made there as well as the optometrist seriously knew what he was doing, had state-of-the art equipment and took plenty of time to make sure he got it right, like half an hour or so of testing and interviewing, and he spoke better English than my parents do, too.

This shop is on Ratwithee Road in Chiang Mai, the one North of Thapae Gate along Moon Muang and then left, before you get to the UN-Irish pub on the right hand side. Not cheapest in town, but quality! (We know, we tried the cheapo shops too where they do measurements by just putting clip-on lenses on to a frame and making people read the card until he supposedly finds the best ones.) That was kind of a '30 years ago' experience, so were happy to find really state of the art equipment in the other shop.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[NedKelly]

I went into a Top Charoen and was told I needed glasses for long distance......I said no way sunshine......its the books I cant read. They tried to tell me I had bad vision for distance when it was quite obvious that up close reading was the new problem.