Glasses

[mangolover]

I saw some posts on this topic but nothing in the past year.

Previously I have gotten glasses (progressive, transition--i.e., darken in the sun) at Top Charoen. They weren't cheap (I think 8-9,000) but I was happy with them. Now the prices seem awfully high (maybe 12,000 or more). Can anyone recommend a more economical, good quality place?

Thanks,

Rick

[Gone]

Most of the places (blue and white) are the same prices. Prices do go up over time.

[johng]

Try First Optic

Its on the road behind TukCom soi 16 I think

12.920716,100.878465 in Google maps

[watcharacters]

Most of the places (blue and white) are the same prices. Prices do go up over time.

.

yes but that much over a one year period?

that's a big percentage increase.

[mangolover]

Thank you, gentlemen. I have since had a personal recommendation for Pattaya Optical, on the north side of Pattaya Klang near Second Rd., and will give it a try, then post my impressions.

[jbrain]

Most of the places (blue and white) are the same prices. Prices do go up over time.

Almost all places are now blue and white, even most of those those that have other names and colors, have now a sticker on the window run by top charoen.

[pinfold]

Try First Optic

Its on the road behind TukCom soi 16 I think

12.920716,100.878465

Try First Optic

Its on the road behind TukCom soi 16 I think

12.920716,100.878465 in Google maps

This guy is good,tell him he was recommended on the comp and he will knock off 25%

[Theo007]

I gave up attempting to get glasses in Thailand. Some time ago I went along in Bangkok to get a pair and they tried 3 times to get them right but I could't read the paper with them. The girl said that I should really take them because they looked so nice on me! I eventually got my deposit back and had them made up the next time I went home.

[pinfold]

Its that spot that is the most important,the one that's etched on while looking at the guy with the felt tip,get that wrong and its all tits up,Ive had it wrong 3xs at various shops changed each and every time, the guy above seems to get it right first time

The Top Charoen chain is now a cartel,the shops are all fronts for the Charlie Chan shove 'em all together located in the basement level of Foodland store

[paulchiangmai]

Look up Zenni optical on the web, an American company in China, if you are not absolutely satisfied with their product and their price then I personally will give you your money back. Site can be a little tricky to negotiate but believe me you will be very happy with both the product and the price. Quality is 100% and price is a third of what you will pay here or the US or Australia etc. You obviously must send the prescription which is obtainable at any decent optical shop in Thailand free of charge, go to two places if you like to compare. A number of friends and relatives are using this company and I have not heard a single complaint yet. Express postage for one or a hundred pairs is ten dollars, no tax or customs. If people knew of this service they would never use local rip off merchants again.

[jbrain]

Look up Zenni optical on the web, an American company in China, if you are not absolutely satisfied with their product and their price then I personally will give you your money back. Site can be a little tricky to negotiate but believe me you will be very happy with both the product and the price. Quality is 100% and price is a third of what you will pay here or the US or Australia etc. You obviously must send the prescription which is obtainable at any decent optical shop in Thailand free of charge, go to two places if you like to compare. A number of friends and relatives are using this company and I have not heard a single complaint yet. Express postage for one or a hundred pairs is ten dollars, no tax or customs. If people knew of this service they would never use local rip off merchants again.

I don't think any optical shop in Thailand will give you a description for free.

Then, Zenni is not an American company, it is a pure Chinese company, and however they migfht be reliable and cheap for reading or distance lenses, the OP is talking about progressive lenses.

Progresxsive lenses can't be ordered online as they require the pupillary height to be measured. There is no online company, including Zenni, that allows you to enter the pupillary height in the description.

Pupillary height is not the same as pupillary distance.

Edited March 27, 2013 by jbrain

[paulchiangmai]

Look up Zenni optical on the web, an American company in China, if you are not absolutely satisfied with their product and their price then I personally will give you your money back. Site can be a little tricky to negotiate but believe me you will be very happy with both the product and the price. Quality is 100% and price is a third of what you will pay here or the US or Australia etc. You obviously must send the prescription which is obtainable at any decent optical shop in Thailand free of charge, go to two places if you like to compare. A number of friends and relatives are using this company and I have not heard a single complaint yet. Express postage for one or a hundred pairs is ten dollars, no tax or customs. If people knew of this service they would never use local rip off merchants again.

I don't think any optical shop in Thailand will give you a description for free.

Then, Zenni is not an American company, it is a pure Chinese company, and however they migfht be reliable and cheap for reading or distance lenses, the OP is talking about progressive lenses.

Progresxsive lenses can't be ordered online as they require the pupillary height to be measured. There is no online company, including Zenni, that allows you to enter the pupillary height in the description.

Pupillary height is not the same as pupillary distance.

This is all totally wrong as I have done it and family and friends have done it many times satisfactorily every time. The company say they are American and I have no reason to not believe that. I believe all optical shops in Thailand will give you a free complete test and prescription, obviously they hope to get your bussiness but it is not a requirement. My last three prescriptions have come from Australia and on each occasion I have then gone to at least two optical shops here in Chiang Mai and their prescriptions have always agreed with the ones from Australia. As for optical height, I have never heard this term and have every reason to believe that it is adjusted by the nose clips. I can assure you that anyone who uses Zenni optical will never again use an optical shop here in Thailand or any other western country I have lived in, Australia, New Zealand , the US and also the UK.. I have used progressive lenses for the past thirty years or more and from Zenni the past few years. I know who I will stick with.

[rak sa_ngop]

I agree that prices have increased a lot in the past few years. I have taken my progressive glasses to a number of shops and asked them the replacement price for the same quality (thickness) of progressive lens. I always emphasise I want the same thickness, as there are cheaper, thicker lens available. The thicker lens have poor sideways vision.

I was initially quoted 10,500 in a shop set up in a Bangkok hospital. Down to 8,000 baht in MBK, and finally 5,000 baht in a Thai shopping mall (BKK) (i.e. mainly Thai shoppers). This gives one an idea of the mark-up available.

I still haven't ordered the glasses so cannot say whether the 5,000 baht lens are a good buy or not.

But when the pound recovers....

[jbrain]

Look up Zenni optical on the web, an American company in China, if you are not absolutely satisfied with their product and their price then I personally will give you your money back. Site can be a little tricky to negotiate but believe me you will be very happy with both the product and the price. Quality is 100% and price is a third of what you will pay here or the US or Australia etc. You obviously must send the prescription which is obtainable at any decent optical shop in Thailand free of charge, go to two places if you like to compare. A number of friends and relatives are using this company and I have not heard a single complaint yet. Express postage for one or a hundred pairs is ten dollars, no tax or customs. If people knew of this service they would never use local rip off merchants again.

I don't think any optical shop in Thailand will give you a description for free.

Then, Zenni is not an American company, it is a pure Chinese company, and however they migfht be reliable and cheap for reading or distance lenses, the OP is talking about progressive lenses.

Progresxsive lenses can't be ordered online as they require the pupillary height to be measured. There is no online company, including Zenni, that allows you to enter the pupillary height in the description.

Pupillary height is not the same as pupillary distance.

This is all totally wrong as I have done it and family and friends have done it many times satisfactorily every time. The company say they are American and I have no reason to not believe that. I believe all optical shops in Thailand will give you a free complete test and prescription, obviously they hope to get your bussiness but it is not a requirement. My last three prescriptions have come from Australia and on each occasion I have then gone to at least two optical shops here in Chiang Mai and their prescriptions have always agreed with the ones from Australia. As for optical height, I have never heard this term and have every reason to believe that it is adjusted by the nose clips. I can assure you that anyone who uses Zenni optical will never again use an optical shop here in Thailand or any other western country I have lived in, Australia, New Zealand , the US and also the UK.. I have used progressive lenses for the past thirty years or more and from Zenni the past few years. I know who I will stick with.

Fitting: Progressive lenses require careful placement relative to the wearer's pupil centre for a distance-viewing reference position. Incorrect specification of the fitting location can cause problems for the wearer including (depending on the design of the lens) narrow fields of view, clear vision in one eye only, on-axis blur, and the need to alter the natural head position in order to see clearly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_lens

Of course you can adjust this with the nose clips, but that would make your frame not sitting straight on your face.

A closer look at online shopping for eyeglasses

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-02-22/health/sc-health-0222-online-eyewear-20120222_1_eyeglasses-prescription-optometry

[infinity11]

I have been meaning to search about opticians here.

I would like to get some sturdy flex glasses because i always manage to break mine.

Of course at a reasonable price with GOOD service.

Ideas? thanks

[paulchiangmai]

jbrain, you are now making reference to the pupil centre, this must surely be pupillary distance either taken from one pupil to the other or from the centre of the nose to the centre of the pupil. Generally you will have to ask the optician to measure this as it is not usually put on the prescription unless you ask for it. You can do this yourself if you are carefull. But listen, I don't care where people buy their glasses or what they pay, I am just pointing out that Zenni offer superb quality at a very good price.

[pinfold]

Bought some in Mynamar,cheap. Too much of a rush to test,got back to Patts,tried them,what a cock up,took lenses out after the guy at First Optic re tested them,sent lenses back to Mynamar,came back OK Thank God for First Optic

[jbrain]

Bought some in Mynamar,cheap. Too much of a rush to test,got back to Patts,tried them,what a cock up,took lenses out after the guy at First Optic re tested them,sent lenses back to Mynamar,came back OK Thank God for First Optic

Did first optic charge you for the test ?

[Spoonman]

Look up Zenni optical on the web, an American company in China, if you are not absolutely satisfied with their product and their price then I personally will give you your money back. Site can be a little tricky to negotiate but believe me you will be very happy with both the product and the price. Quality is 100% and price is a third of what you will pay here or the US or Australia etc. You obviously must send the prescription which is obtainable at any decent optical shop in Thailand free of charge, go to two places if you like to compare. A number of friends and relatives are using this company and I have not heard a single complaint yet. Express postage for one or a hundred pairs is ten dollars, no tax or customs. If people knew of this service they would never use local rip off merchants again.

I don't think any optical shop in Thailand will give you a description for free.

Then, Zenni is not an American company, it is a pure Chinese company, and however they migfht be reliable and cheap for reading or distance lenses, the OP is talking about progressive lenses.

Progressive lenses can't be ordered online as they require the pupillary height to be measured. There is no online company, including Zenni, that allows you to enter the pupillary height in the description.

Pupillary height is not the same as pupillary distance.

The Zenni website has a check box for progressive lenses.

[pinfold]

Bought some in Mynamar,cheap. Too much of a rush to test,got back to Patts,tried them,what a cock up,took lenses out after the guy at First Optic re tested them,sent lenses back to Mynamar,came back OK Thank God for First Optic

Did first optic charge you for the test ?

No,but gave the guy 100 baht. He fixes up anything he previously sells,for free. Had a few progessives over through the years,he darkened them for me for free ie made them into sunglasses,one good guy,really genuine

[jbrain]

Look up Zenni optical on the web, an American company in China, if you are not absolutely satisfied with their product and their price then I personally will give you your money back. Site can be a little tricky to negotiate but believe me you will be very happy with both the product and the price. Quality is 100% and price is a third of what you will pay here or the US or Australia etc. You obviously must send the prescription which is obtainable at any decent optical shop in Thailand free of charge, go to two places if you like to compare. A number of friends and relatives are using this company and I have not heard a single complaint yet. Express postage for one or a hundred pairs is ten dollars, no tax or customs. If people knew of this service they would never use local rip off merchants again.

I don't think any optical shop in Thailand will give you a description for free.

Then, Zenni is not an American company, it is a pure Chinese company, and however they migfht be reliable and cheap for reading or distance lenses, the OP is talking about progressive lenses.

Progressive lenses can't be ordered online as they require the pupillary height to be measured. There is no online company, including Zenni, that allows you to enter the pupillary height in the description.

Pupillary height is not the same as pupillary distance.

The Zenni website has a check box for progressive lenses.

Of course it has a check box for progressive lenses, but there is nowhere to enter the pupil height measurement.

This is something different from pupil distance, and only of importance with progressive lenses as they have a reading field and far sight field.

A pupil is never right in the middle of your eye, and even can differ in height from your left to your right eye, so how can they know where the invisible transition between the two fields have to be?

[jbrain]

Bought some in Mynamar,cheap. Too much of a rush to test,got back to Patts,tried them,what a cock up,took lenses out after the guy at First Optic re tested them,sent lenses back to Mynamar,came back OK Thank God for First Optic

Did first optic charge you for the test ?

No,but gave the guy 100 baht. He fixes up anything he previously sells,for free. Had a few progessives over through the years,he darkened them for me for free ie made them into sunglasses,one good guy,really genuine

Good to know, I have visited him once for an eye test and I had the impression that he was very knowledgable and and trustworthy

Edited March 27, 2013 by jbrain

[pinfold]

Another reason for using a guy such as this is spotting eye problems,cataracts forming etc,had painful red eyes awhile ago coupled with blurred vision,instead of running to BPH for expensive remedy went to him,was bacterial infection,high spectrum anti bacterial tablets for a few days couples with cream did the trick. Think the cause was using lubricated eye drops not used in time frame suggested IE not used within a day of opening

[sometime]

Hi

I have had two pairs of progressive, one with tint and one clear, 6000 Baht per pair,from the opticians inside tesco on Sukumvit, couldnt fault the service.

[Rimmer]

Hi

I have had two pairs of progressive, one with tint and one clear, 6000 Baht per pair,from the opticians inside tesco on Sukumvit, couldnt fault the service.

I also have had good experiences from them

[BlackPuddingBertha]

I looked briefly at getting some reading glasses here and rapidly gave up. Got 2 pairs made in the UK with a full eye test by a fully qualified professional, and proper cases for the glasses, all for less than the cost of one pair here. Quite ridiculous.

[luudee]

Slightly of topic, has anybody here ever user "SuperFocus" glasses ? http://superfocus.com

They basically have a slider on top and allow you to adjust focus from far sight to reading position.

The above website is extremely expensive ...

I wonder if anybody has tried this system and if there are cheaper versions available ?

Thanks,

luudee

Edited March 28, 2013 by luudee

[leisureboy]

3 pairs of progressive glasses in 4 years here. Around 1500 baht from Zenni. Takes 1 week. Obviously cheap, no spring to the hinges, and have to be extra gentle with cleaning, the coatings degrade easily. Noticed 2 shops, not chains, in my area that advertise free eye tests. Can probably get a free description with your prescription too!

[paulchiangmai]

3 pairs of progressive glasses in 4 years here. Around 1500 baht from Zenni. Takes 1 week. Obviously cheap, no spring to the hinges, and have to be extra gentle with cleaning, the coatings degrade easily. Noticed 2 shops, not chains, in my area that advertise free eye tests. Can probably get a free description with your prescription too!

With something in the order of three and a half thousand frames you are telling us that you can't get springs if thats what you want? My present frames are titanium memory, over one year old and appear indestructible.

[LeCharivari]

Hi

I have had two pairs of progressive, one with tint and one clear, 6000 Baht per pair,from the opticians inside tesco on Sukumvit, couldnt fault the service.

I also have had good experiences from them

I went there for some lenses, following this post. Excellent service and price - better service than TopCharoen (no orange juice, etc just decent service), better quality, and around 75% of the price.

Tesco Lotus Thepprasit/Sukhumvit.