Cataract Surgery

[johna]

I have been quoted a price of between 70.000 and 75.000 Baht for cataract surgery with Toric lens, does this price seem right to you.

[SamuiRes]

I have just had cataract surgery on boths eyes at Rutnin Eye Hospital on Asoke in Bangkok.

http://www.rutnin.com/eng/

Each eye was 55,000 Baht with a monocular lens - that is one that only corrects long distance vision and I need glasses to read. The more expensive lenses I suspect are the more advanced ones that also allow you to read without glasses. They would not fit those for me as they consider it dangerous if you drive at night. Ancillary costs were around 5,000 Baht for the pre-op testing. A basic examination there costs about 1,000 Baht which is very good value.

They do require a medical certificate from your own doctor to say that you are fit to undertake the operation and this includes various blood tests, EKG and chest x-ray. That was another 5,000 Baht from my local hospital.

They would not do both eyes together so I had the left (worst eye) done on 22 June and the right eye on 28 June.

Totally out patient procedure. Arrived 06.30 for a series of eye drops. Went to the pre-op room about 08.30 and into the theatre about 08.45 and was out by 09.00. Very quick and no pain. Same procedure for second eye a week later. Some post op irritation as you would expect and taking time to adjust to the light in the mornings. Have a complicated series of eye drops, two different drops for each eye on two different time schedules due to the gap between the ops - but manageable. Have to sleep with plastic cups over the eyes for a couple of weeks to keep pressure of the eye and keep the eye away from the pillow.

Difference is amazing and so worthwhile.

This surgery will not correct astigmatism so once the eyes have settled down in a couple of months they will give me a prescription for glasses so that will be corrected too.

Some good info on cataract surgery here - http://www.cataractcare.co.uk/index.php

also many You Tube videos showing the actual op and how quick and easy it is.

Rutnin has an excellent reputation and is used by the Royal Family.

[Sheryl]

Thanks for sharing this. Rutnin is indeed the "go to" place for eye care.

[ericg1953]

I have been treated for years at Rutnin for Glaucoma and it is indeed the place to go for quality eye care at reasonable prices.

[Jingthing]

Samui, did you have a local anaesthetic? If so, what did you feel when they operated? You said no pain but were you feeling something around the eye? Wasn't it disturbing to know they were cutting part of your eye? Asking because I'm concerned about freaking out on a local anaesthetic even if there is no pain. I assume Rutnin will also do full anaesthetic I imagine for additional cost. I wonder how they determine who needs the full.

[lopburi3]

I have been treated for years at Rutnin for Glaucoma and it is indeed the place to go for quality eye care at reasonable prices.

That was always my feeling, very reasonable price, but this year paid 100% more for a computerized visual field test than previously so hope that is not an across the board increase. But still less than 1500 baht so still seems inexpensive.

[SamuiRes]

Samui, did you have a local anaesthetic? If so, what did you feel when they operated? You said no pain but were you feeling something around the eye? Wasn't it disturbing to know they were cutting part of your eye? Asking because I'm concerned about freaking out on a local anaesthetic even if there is no pain. I assume Rutnin will also do full anaesthetic I imagine for additional cost. I wonder how they determine who needs the full.

Yes it was a local anaesthetic. They inject at the side of the eye - just a pin prick, a lot less than you get when you go to the dentist. That numbs the immediate area so that the main injection is totally painless. What you do feel is a tightening of the muscles around the eye but that is all. After that you feel nothing. When they did the first eye I could see nothing except a bright light which appeared to be moving, but I realised after the second op that this was just the operating light and the apparent movement was created by the movement of the surgeons equipment. When they did the second eye, for some reason I could see more and could make out the shape of the surgeon on my right and the nurse on my left.

If you really are worried, just think this. It will all be over in 15 minutes and that 15 minutes flies by.

I do not know if they do general anaesthetic - most hospitals these days avoid this if possible due to the added risks and recovery period. I walked out of the hospital within an hour of the op. You would not be able to do that with a general.

Really - do not be scared of this operation. I would rather go through this again than go to the dentist!