Time For Some Reading Glasses

[ExpatOilWorker]

It is a fact, I am getting older and will need reading glasses. I don't know much about glasses, so a bit of advice will be appreciated:

- Any good an honest optician in Bangkok area that can be recommended?

- Should the lenses be of plastic or glass?

- Is it worth going for a brand name frame, if so what brand is good?

I am amazed of how fast this transformation has happen. 6 months ago I seem to have perfect eye sight.

[lopburi3]

If you have had such a sudden change I would recommend you check with a hospital ophthalmologist first to make sure nothing wrong as even in name hospitals this will likely only cost a few hundred to couple thousand baht. I would recommend plastic for safety - believe anything else today is exceptional. Brand name frame is total waste of money and if turns out to only be for reading a drug store/Lotus solution may fit. Eyeglasses in Thailand is a very high markup business (hi-so extreme) so if you use chains bargain well.

[ExpatOilWorker]

If you have had such a sudden change I would recommend you check with a hospital ophthalmologist first to make sure nothing wrong as even in name hospitals this will likely only cost a few hundred to couple thousand baht. I would recommend plastic for safety - believe anything else today is exceptional. Brand name frame is total waste of money and if turns out to only be for reading a drug store/Lotus solution may fit. Eyeglasses in Thailand is a very high markup business (hi-so extreme) so if you use chains bargain well.

Just had a quick test in a shopping center: +1.00 on both eyes, so I guess nothing major. I can see normal at 40 cm+, but not at 20-30 cm distance.

Thanks for the tip at Lotus, will check it out.

[bkkjjj]

Happened to me too! Started off with dizzy spells and after a few check-ups with the Ear, Nose & Throat dept, someone suggested I had my eyes checked! Last thing one wants of course. Opticians are very helpful. They usually don't charge for basic eye check-ups. Eye glasses also range in price depending on your tastes. It's the lens that cost. And if you do care for your eyes, don't skimp going with the cheapest one. There are good medium range, guaranteed lenses available and good opticians should have choices on offer.

[meand]

I would head to rutnin eye hospital. It is just not worth it not to. They are good. The bumrungrad doc's skills are not worth 2 dead flies. Interestingly, there is one doctor at rutnin that is pretty much a perfect 9 or 10. It is pretty amazing to see her. That isn't why you should go, but it's an interesting and immature sidenote nonetheless.

[tutsiwarrior]

you don't want to get really cheap frames as there's nothing more annoying than having yer specs fall to bits when you are out and about and just trying to mind yer own business...and in Thailand you sweat a lot and the metal bits (hinges, etc) corrode easily and fail...

I use plastic lenses as they are lighter but they scratch a lot easier than glass...with glass lenses you haveta have a chord around your neck to prevent them from falling off yer head with the extra weight and smashing on the floor...but with yer specs dangling from yer neck with a chord you look 'scholarly' and it impresses the right people...

(bar girl to tutsi with specs dangling from a chord: 'are you an engineer?' tutsi: 'yes I am as a matter of fact...' bar girl: 'hmmmm...engineers make a lot of money, don't they?...')

Edited May 12, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[lopburi3]

We are talking about reading glasses. Believe most will be using in home rather than out and about. Are you perhaps making closer than required inspections.

[2unique]

My eyes went suddenly too, one week I could read out the numbers on my phone the next I was bending, tilting and adjusting the range.

I bought a progressive pair for 10k baht that after very little practice you can view from 20cm to 80, so good for books, phone, laptop and desktop. They're not graduated so you don't have to look through different areas of the lens hence the very brief adjustment period.

I carry a 199 baht 1.5x pair in my tablet bag for out and about.

Sent from Android please excuse errors in type or judgement

[gudtymchuk]

Yes, getting old is a pain in the arse... Thought I had actually changed the resolution on my computer screen. After discovering I had actually NOT changed my screen resolution I went to Tesco Lotus and "upgraded from +125 to +150 with the cheapo 200THB readers.

[lopburi3]

I bought a progressive pair for 10k baht

This is what I call excessive price of local market. My last purchase of 1.67 Progressive (No-line multi-focal) from Zenni was about 3,200 baht and delivered to home within 8 days. And included best coating and sunglasses.

[2unique]

I bought a progressive pair for 10k baht

This is what I call excessive price of local market. My last purchase of 1.67 Progressive (No-line multi-focal) from Zenni was about 3,200 baht and delivered to home within 8 days. And included best coating and sunglasses.

That is impressive, I just checked the receipt, the lenses were 4k, 2k for some sort of process and 4k for the frames with a 4k (equal value) pair of sunglasses thrown in. I think I paid 2k for that coating and grinding maybe.

Sent from Android please excuse errors in type or judgement

[lopburi3]

Sunglasses were just normal clip-on rather than glasses with frames so you did get the free gift that paying the high price normally provides.

But have been very happy with Zenni here and this is third time I have ordered from them. Wife will not change to progressive and only wanted bi-focal and price with anti-reflective coating and frames was about 1,400 baht.

[tutsiwarrior]

We are talking about reading glasses. Believe most will be using in home rather than out and about. Are you perhaps making closer than required inspections.

well lop, one always must be prepared...like when a bar girl has an obscene or lewd slogan on her t-shirt emblazoned across her breasts and then there you are without yer specs looking closely and with a squint...and then yer nose may make inadvertent contact with the fabric and then: 'that'll cost ye 2000 baht, honey...'

and yeah...I always use clip on shades rather than prescription...with the little grandson I flip up and flip down in the van on the road with the rest of the family and then he squeals with 3 y.o. laughter...

Edited May 13, 2012 by tutsiwarrior