New Glasses Required

[randomchase]

dear all

can you recomend me to a good, real priced,

knowlegeable optician please i need bi focals and tints can use my frames

thanks Random

[Steve2UK]

Without a doubt, one of CM's best is on Ratchawithi - about 50/100 metres along (on the same side) from the UN Irish Pub heading east towards the moat. Big place with 1,000's of specs and sunglasses on display.

The guy who does the testing/prescribing there has top-notch equipment, speaks excellent English and really knows his stuff. Following the examination session, they have their own lens-making set-up and you'll likely get yours made up in a couple of hours. Shouldn't be a problem to fit the lenses in your own frames assuming they're not something really non-standard.

Edited July 18, 2008 by Steve2UK

[PeaceBlondie]

My special thanks to Steve2UK for helping me realize that, all these years I have depended on MD surgeon-ophthalmologist doctors for my eye care, I may have missed out on getting good lenses from high quality opticians.

[Steve2UK]

My special thanks to Steve2UK for helping me realize that, all these years I have depended on MD surgeon-ophthalmologist doctors for my eye care, I may have missed out on getting good lenses from high quality opticians.

[Dustoff]

My special thanks to Steve2UK for helping me realize that, all these years I have depended on MD surgeon-ophthalmologist doctors for my eye care, I may have missed out on getting good lenses from high quality opticians.

Is that a tongue in your cheeks..?

(Multiple puns not intended)

Edited July 18, 2008 by Dustoff

[Dustoff]

dear all

can you recomend me to a good, real priced,

knowlegeable optician please i need bi focals and tints can use my frames

thanks Random

No recommendation but avoid Top Charoen in Central Huay Kaew unless you want to end up with eyes like the guy to your immediate upper-left..

Edited July 18, 2008 by Dustoff

[PeaceBlondie]

My special thanks to Steve2UK for helping me realize that, all these years I have depended on MD surgeon-ophthalmologist doctors for my eye care, I may have missed out on getting good lenses from high quality opticians.

Is that a tongue in your cheeks..?

(Multiple puns not intended)

What puns? What cheeks? Maybe I need to see an eye expert.

No, Steve was just telling me about this optician at the optical shop, after I had a less than satisfactory MD-ophthalmology exam this week. It convinces me that maybe MD's are more focused (OK, there was a pun) on medical conditions like detached retinas or glaucoma, and the opticians are just trying to get the best lenses.

[Mapguy]

You can get an excellent exam and prescription at Chang Mai Ram with Dr. Rachada and her colleague there. Good opticians can be very, very good, but if a good doctor is available, I think it is worth a visit. I am pleased to hear of a good shop, as has been mentioned above. I also would not enter a chain store like Top Charoen in Central Huay Kaew unless to chat up one of the lovely assistants whom I suggest are selected not for their knowledge of eyeglasses but rather for how good they look in tailored slacks.

Edited July 18, 2008 by Mapguy

[randomchase]

My special thanks to Steve2UK for helping me realize that, all these years I have depended on MD surgeon-ophthalmologist doctors for my eye care, I may have missed out on getting good lenses from high quality opticians.

= Steve2uk,post 2094036 = thank you kind sir, will be there to day, was taken to the "other one" yesterday and thought the same, plus they could do with english lessons . nice chicks though Random

[uptheos]

You can get an excellent exam and prescription at Chang Mai Ram with Dr. Rachada and her colleague there. Good opticians can be very, very good, but if a good doctor is available, I think it is worth a visit. I am pleased to hear of a good shop, as has been mentioned above. I also would not enter a chain store like Top Charoen in Central Huay Kaew unless to chat up one of the lovely assistants whom I suggest are selected not for their knowledge of eyeglasses but rather for how good they look in tailored slacks.

I think Dr Rachada at Ram is the real deal. Not only will you get a good exam and eye prescription, but she is also an excellent surgeon if you ever need one. If anything untoward shows up on an eye test she will notice it.

[StevieH]

there's a little fella with his own shop next to the smoothie blues cafe on nimmanhemin who is good. free eye test and glasses are pretty good value there too.

[Loaded]

Tokyo Optic gets my vote. A few branches around town with one in both Kad Suan Kaew and Airport Plaza

[randomchase]

Without a doubt, one of CM's best is on Ratchawithi - about 50/100 metres along (on the same side) from the UN Irish Pub heading east towards the moat. Big place with 1,000's of specs and sunglasses on display.

The guy who does the testing/prescribing there has top-notch equipment, speaks excellent English and really knows his stuff. Following the examination session, they have their own lens-making set-up and you'll likely get yours made up in a couple of hours. Shouldn't be a problem to fit the lenses in your own frames assuming they're not something really non-standard.

Steve2uk post20939985. ooops sorry sir, have to report ,that i went to the recommended

place yesterday. .according to the Women staff, they do not make lenses on site?? Their english was not good . my Thai either . I never got to see the Man , ?? plus they said it would take a week for delivery, and the price quote, was dearer than charoen, 500 bht. Now we all know there can be a mix up in communications , go into a shop, ask for an item ,"not have" . yes you do ,"No' 'look its on the shelf.

smile pay go away, so i dont know what to make of yesterday. will check out the others.and mabe return to see the, man. Info gained here is always good ,thanks random

.

[Steve2UK]

Very puzzling.......... I originally found them from a recommendation on a 2005/7 TV thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Spectacles-t...amp;hl=optician

e.g. "Vision Center, 18/2 Rajwithi Road, Muang Chiang Mai, tel 053 418336, 214916.

Several expats recommended this place to me a while back, the kit is absolutely state of the art, the optician is fluent in English, they are probably not the cheapest but they are very good. Due to an overactive baby daughter (!) I am now on my third pair of specs from this place and very happy with them.

They have an off-road car park behind the shop and as Fosa said Sandy's place is very handy to wait for the work to be completed!

JxP"

and went there for my specs just a few months ago. If they don't have the lens-making facility on the premises or at least nearby, difficult to imagine how they turn around the process so quickly? As was my experience, everyone talks about them turning round the specs in hours.

Did you decide not to have the exam with the optician because of a price the ladies quoted you?

BTW, when I went there - it was with a Chinese friend visiting from Hong Kong (had forgotten his specs) who regards negotiating prices as a religious duty (looked more of a blood sport to me).......... so he did get a few baht knocked off prices that didn't (to me) seem outrageous in the first place.

Edited July 20, 2008 by Steve2UK

[Priceless]

Without a doubt, one of CM's best is on Ratchawithi - about 50/100 metres along (on the same side) from the UN Irish Pub heading east towards the moat. Big place with 1,000's of specs and sunglasses on display.

The guy who does the testing/prescribing there has top-notch equipment, speaks excellent English and really knows his stuff. Following the examination session, they have their own lens-making set-up and you'll likely get yours made up in a couple of hours. Shouldn't be a problem to fit the lenses in your own frames assuming they're not something really non-standard.

Steve2uk post20939985. ooops sorry sir, have to report ,that i went to the recommended

place yesterday. .according to the Women staff, they do not make lenses on site?? Their english was not good . my Thai either . I never got to see the Man , ?? plus they said it would take a week for delivery, and the price quote, was dearer than charoen, 500 bht. Now we all know there can be a mix up in communications , go into a shop, ask for an item ,"not have" . yes you do ,"No' 'look its on the shelf.

smile pay go away, so i dont know what to make of yesterday. will check out the others.and mabe return to see the, man. Info gained here is always good ,thanks random

.

It certainly seems like some sort of mixup I was there with my son at the beginning of the month (having read the same recommendation that Steve2UK is referring to) and he had a new pair of glasses made, and new lenses for his old frames, all within one hour. This simply must mean that they were made on-site, even though we didn't ask about that.

He is still very happy with both pairs, and prices were very reasonable too

/ Priceless

[Tywais]

It certainly seems like some sort of mixup

Seems like that to me also. Have used them for several years and the lens production area is (was) open and easy to see the workers cutting/polishing the lenses. I usually just took a walk to get a bite to eat and come back and they are ready.

[Steve2UK]

Random, the lens-making area is at the back of the shop - easily visible. I saw about 3 white-coated technicians sitting at the workbenches - unless they're there for window-dressing they must be making/preparing lenses?

Either a monumental misunderstanding or you were in a different place? Just conceivably, your frames might be something majorly esoteric that they couldn't fit from available stock......... but I really doubt that.

Sorry that you had a (so far) wasted trip - but I think you can see from other comments before and currently that the place comes highly recommended.

[Tywais]

It has been about 1.5 - 2 years since I was last there and will be going again soon so don't know if something may have changed. Just to make it clearer (bad pun) I posted a Google shot of the location. I believe I marked the correct building, hard to tell from the air. It has a small driveway you can go into and park in the rear.

[Priceless]

Now that it has been mentioned by others, I too remember seeing the lens-making area at the back of the shop, next to the examination room. It was certainly there less than three weeks ago.

/ Priceless

[setanta]

As a first time visitor to Chaing Mai, staying at the Empress in August, what is the easiest way to get to the Vision Centre. Would a tuk tuk driver understand enough english to take me without getting lost, or is it an easy walk from the hotel.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

[Dustoff]

I have also noticed many recommendations for this for a long time and find it hard to believe it would change that much and that quickly.

Many shops can cut their own lenses but sometimes there are tough cuts that cannot be done in a small shop.

When I went to Top Charoen in Huay Keaw, they said mine had to be cut in Bangkok because I have an astigmatism. It took a week for them to get them, I had to pre-pay, and the glasses were so strong that I had trouble getting out of the shop. They told me that it would take up to two months to get used to them and that the cut was "no problem". That was over 15 months ago and to this day I can only use them to view television in my home - 6800B TV glasses!

The Top Charoen shop absolutely refused to make them right unless I paid for them again (minus a generous 10% discount).

Avoid this shop!!

[Steve2UK]

As a first time visitor to Chaing Mai, staying at the Empress in August, what is the easiest way to get to the Vision Centre. Would a tuk tuk driver understand enough english to take me without getting lost, or is it an easy walk from the hotel.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

Certainly way too far to walk from the Empress unless you really enjoy the hike - the Vision Centre is in a street in the old city. If you say "Tannon Ratchawitti" (the name of the street) that should be good enough to get you to the right street and then "UN Irish Pub" - which just about every driver will know. Ratchawitti is the next street north of Ratchadaemnon (very well known) - both run east-west.

If you want to be double sure, ask the concierge desk at the hotel to get you a "taximeter" or tuk tuk and also to give the driver the address - having pre-agreed the fare in the case of a tuk tuk!

The map at the following link may help you to orient yourself...........

http://www.thaiwaysmagazine.com/chiang_mai...ap_2000pix.html

[setanta]

Thanks for the advice Steve2UK I should have no problem finding the Vision Centre now. Much appreciated.

[randomchase]

Random, the lens-making area is at the back of the shop - easily visible. I saw about 3 white-coated technicians sitting at the workbenches - unless they're there for window-dressing they must be making/preparing lenses?

Either a monumental misunderstanding or you were in a different place? Just conceivably, your frames might be something majorly esoteric that they couldn't fit from available stock......... but I really doubt that.

Sorry that you had a (so far) wasted trip - but I think you can see from other comments before and currently that the place comes highly recommended.

=steve2uk up date post= 2097560

Posters You, are, all, right. I went ,back today. made it a quest to get to the bottom of this report,

Saw the guy who speaks english . Yes they do make up glasses on the spot . these are standard lens,

I needed progressive lenses, and this would take at least week.

This was given as a possible reasom, for my not getting service in another post ,

thanks all Random, Sorry, will try harder

[Featlittle]

Have been using this shop for a number of years and always satisfied. All orders for bi-focals need to go to BKK. The equipment is state of the art, and the examination takes 5 to 10 minutes. Don't be put off by the staff's lack of English skills ....... just speak to the main man!

[john b good]

Without a doubt, one of CM's best is on Ratchawithi - about 50/100 metres along (on the same side) from the UN Irish Pub heading east towards the moat. Big place with 1,000's of specs and sunglasses on display.

The guy who does the testing/prescribing there has top-notch equipment, speaks excellent English and really knows his stuff. Following the examination session, they have their own lens-making set-up and you'll likely get yours made up in a couple of hours. Shouldn't be a problem to fit the lenses in your own frames assuming they're not something really non-standard.

I have had at least three pairs of spectacles from this place and I concur with most of the remarks.

None of my lenses however have been made there, always coming from the Big Mango and usually a weeks wait. I can handle that for quality.

[punthong]

I know a place where nurses from Saun Dok Hospital flock in to get their glasses. Chaksu Pattana Clinic, behind that new French restaurant on Rajwithi Road.

[swain]

We used to go to Tokyo optical until we went to the Saturday Market out in San Patong. The market runs from 6am to 1230pm on Saturday only and there is a booth there where they test your eyes.. Same machine you see at Tokyo and then make your glasses right there in front of you. They have all the tools and about 300 styles of frames from as little as 50 baht to as much as 1000 baht. My wife got her glasses before at Tokyo optical. They charged about 3k. At this stall they charged her 90 baht for the glasses and the lenses. She also had her glasses she got from Tokyo optical fixed even when Tokyo said they couldn't be fixed. We were very surprised to find that he works for a shop in Chiang Mai during the week and has his own place during the weekend at this market. Good prices and the quality was there as well. I know this post will get dumped on but check it out, its real. We can afford to go to Tokyo optical but choose to go to this place. I will post the contact info later as my wife is asleep now.

Edited July 27, 2008 by swain

[Ulysses G.]

I know a place where nurses from Saun Dok Hospital flock in to get their glasses. Chaksu Pattana Clinic, behind that new French restaurant on Rajwithi Road.

When I first got glasses, I went to Chakksu Pattana clinic and ordered some very good, Hoya, non-scratch lenses. They knew that it was my first set of glasses. Within a month the lenses had scratches all over them, even though I had treated then gently and cleaned them only in mild soap and water. When I went back to the Chaksu Pattana clinic and asked what was wrong, they told me that I had cleaned them with Ajax - that it was my fault - screamed at me and threw me out.

A friend recommended the Charoen Suk Optician Shop at 281 Thapae Road - one shop down from Art Cafe on Thapae Road -and when she saw the lenses, she told me that they were the cheapest lenses possible, not Hoya and not non-scratch and I had paid much more than they were worth. She also explained Hoya's color code system for different types of lenses and sent me to the main office to confirm what she had told me.

I went to Hoya and everything she had told me was correct.

I have bought all of my glasses from Charoen Suk Optician ever sense and always been happy.

The other place ripped me off and then lied about it to add insult to injury!

Edited July 28, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[randomchase]

there's a little fella with his own shop next to the smoothie blues cafe on nimmanhemin who is good. free eye test and glasses are pretty good value there too.

stevieH date 2008 =o7-08 post 2095549

I went to this shop just in passing .and had an eye test.

the optician exsplained through his Daughter. excellent english. that I ought to go to hospital,

as quote= Utheos post recomended

so I am off to see the doctor recomemded, been a long time doing all of this, but got to tell you

the little guy was the only one to find why, I still had problems

I hope its not too bad cost, and remedy