SuperSight Surgery by Dr. Somchai at BPH .

[peterb17]

Was in BPH not so long ago picking up a friend. Picked up the leaflet about this procedure- needing glasses for reading and suspecting will need some for driving soon it sounds very tempting.

Glasses are a pain, but personally would not dream of letting anyone near my eyes ( unless it was really necessary ) any risk of something going wrong is just not worth it.

You must not forget they are there to make money , why else do you think there are cashiers on every floor!

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[keemapoot]

I am getting ready to do a cataract surgery in early May. This is following on a retina detachment surgery I had last year, which contributed to the advancement of the cataracts. Further complicating is that I had lasik surgery 10 years ago. The opthalmologist who will performing the cataract surgery is the same one who did my retinal reattachment.

However, this surgeon has instructed me to return to the doctor who did the lasik surgery for a corneal measurement. So, I will do that next week. I'm not sure why I have to return to this doctor, but I'm wondering if I will have the return of my good sight in that eye because I had the lasik surgery previously? Anyway, I will ask the lasik doctor all these things and also enquire about this supersight deal. FYI, the doctors who did the lasik are TRSC (lasikthaidotcom), and they also do cataracts there, so I will report back on this thread after Thursday.

[seadoo]

I am getting ready to do a cataract surgery in early May. This is following on a retina detachment surgery I had last year, which contributed to the advancement of the cataracts. Further complicating is that I had lasik surgery 10 years ago. The opthalmologist who will performing the cataract surgery is the same one who did my retinal reattachment.

However, this surgeon has instructed me to return to the doctor who did the lasik surgery for a corneal measurement. So, I will do that next week. I'm not sure why I have to return to this doctor, but I'm wondering if I will have the return of my good sight in that eye because I had the lasik surgery previously? Anyway, I will ask the lasik doctor all these things and also enquire about this supersight deal. FYI, the doctors who did the lasik are TRSC (lasikthaidotcom), and they also do cataracts there, so I will report back on this thread after Thursday.

Please read my story about my retinal detachments - please go and see Dr Roy at Rutnin Eye Hospital he saved my sight - he is a Thai Doctor but speaks with an American accent as he lived and trained in the USA.

Again as a fellow sufferer of multiple retinal detachments please use Rutnin.

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[keemapoot]

I am getting ready to do a cataract surgery in early May. This is following on a retina detachment surgery I had last year, which contributed to the advancement of the cataracts. Further complicating is that I had lasik surgery 10 years ago. The opthalmologist who will performing the cataract surgery is the same one who did my retinal reattachment.

However, this surgeon has instructed me to return to the doctor who did the lasik surgery for a corneal measurement. So, I will do that next week. I'm not sure why I have to return to this doctor, but I'm wondering if I will have the return of my good sight in that eye because I had the lasik surgery previously? Anyway, I will ask the lasik doctor all these things and also enquire about this supersight deal. FYI, the doctors who did the lasik are TRSC (lasikthaidotcom), and they also do cataracts there, so I will report back on this thread after Thursday.

Please read my story about my retinal detachments - please go and see Dr Roy at Rutnin Eye Hospital he saved my sight - he is a Thai Doctor but speaks with an American accent as he lived and trained in the USA.

Again as a fellow sufferer of multiple retinal detachments please use Rutnin.

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Actually, my retina was done by a leading surgeon, not at Rutnin. He warned me before the surgery I had cataracts and the retina surgery looong recovery could make the cataracts worse. (Spent weeks lying on my stomach etc, because of gas bubble placed in eye to hold retina in place, but sleeping on back accidently at night caused irritation to lens resulting in more cataracts.

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[ThaiBob]

Interesting read on retina problems. In America, procedures as described above are done by a retinologist and not an ophthalmologist.

[seadoo]

Interesting read on retina problems. In America, procedures as described above are done by a retinologist and not an ophthalmologist.

This is correct if you have problems with your Retinas they should only be treated by a Retinal Specialist.

People who are short sighted are the most likely to have a retinal detachment as the shape of their eyeball is different and it pulls on the retinal membrane which makes it easier for detachment or tear.

Statistics show that 1 in 10,000 people will suffer from a retinal detachment - I've had a few so my odds are against the wind.

If you have a large flash in your eye or repeated flashes don't waste time go and get it checked immediately - if it detaches or tears you have around 24 hours to get it fixed before the retinal membrane starts to die.

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[brownknees]

I had both lens replaced in January 2013 due to cataracts in both eyes .My glasses were not really helping my sight any more.I had one eye done then the other after three days (check for no infection in first op).The procedure was only about 30 minutes per eye and I experienced no pain at all.I was so surprised after coming out the hospital after the first at the now vibrant colours I could see!!Three months later I had laser adjustments done and that was that.I had varifocals as well so other than not reading TV captions on a cheap flat screen all is well.This at the BPH.

[keemapoot]

Had my appointment at TRSC yesterday (BTW, gotta be the most upscale clinic in Bangkok - expensive massage loungers while you get your pupils dilated, 1st class all the way, service too, just as I remember from when I had my lasik 10 years ago.)

This comment will be mostly about those who need cataract surgery after having had Lasik. There are special considerations. Basically, the cornea changes with Lasik, and in order to order the right IOL lens they have to estimate the corneal power, and other measurements. This is best done by the doctors who initially did the Lasik, so if when you need cataract surgery in the future, it is best return to your Lasik doctors for this measurement.

Regarding multi-focal IOLs, I am going to opt not to get this, because I only need cataracts to be done in one eye due to earlier retina surgery. Therefore, I will just get a normal lens. Interesting discussion, however, with the doctor at TRSC. They offered to "touch up" my Lasik for very cheap price, 3,000/eye to return my vision to perfect about 6-10 months after the cataract surgery if it is not perfect. I was surprised how low the price was because I remember I paid about 80,000 for the Lasik 10 years ago. The reason is that the "flap" has already been opened to the cornea in the initial Lasik procedure, and will be easy and quick to access again.

I honestly didn't discuss cataract surgery with them much, because they will not be doing it, I have another retina specialist who will do that. But for anyone needing Lasik, I recommend this place.

[Arkady]

My situation was similar to bahtboy's but I had each eye down separately. The first surgery went without a hitch but on the second, the lens sac broke when the doctor tried to suck out the cataract. The old shattered lens fell back into the eye and I had emergency eye surgery. Four years later would I do it again?.... Yes. Apparently the greatest danger is removing the cataract which is not done in Supersight surgery so the risk is less(?). There is no medical reason for this surgery and consequently insurers will not cover it. Only the OP can make this decision whether the risk(small) outweighs the benefit.

Not quite sure what is different. I thought the lenses were removed in both surgeries which are essentially the same except that SS surgery removes perfectly healthy lenses, while cataract surgery removes lenses that are clouded with cataracts.

[Nepal4me]

I had both eyes done at BHP by Dr. Somchai. I paid 230,000 baht, I had to pay an extra I think it was 30,000 baht because I had an astigmatism in my corneas so I needed special lenses made by Zeiss (the Carl Zeiss camera lens company). It has been a couple of years since my surgery and in general I'm satisfied with the result. However, if I knew then what I know now, I would not have had the surgery done. My reading vision is fantastic, my distance vision is fantastic, I have halo's at night 100% of the time but it's not a problem. The biggest downside and this is significant is my middle vision is terrible. I can read the speedometer in my car ok, a bit blurry but I can read it, the GPS is another thing altogether, I have to move my head about 12 inches towards the screen to be able to see it.

This was all a big surprise to me. I went back to Pattaya for a check up after 2 weeks and asked Dr.Somchai about my middle vision. He said to wait a while to see if it got better and all patient's eyes reacted differently. He also showed me a picture from the perspective of a guy driving a car holding a coffee cup. The vision in the distance through the windshield was perfect, the words on the coffee cup were perfect but the speedometer was blurry. He said, "it's like this right?". I confirmed it was. The thing that makes me wonder is, why didn't he show me this before the operation or give me this information? I guess the answer is, fewer people would elect the surgery if they knew they would have middle distance sight issues. I questioned him on it and he responded in a sickly sweet voice "you need to remember to have a good attitude about it, a bad attitude will not help things". Thanks bud!

Dr. Somchai is the most experienced doctor in Thailand doing this procedure so from a technical standpoint, he is probably a good choice. From an ethical standpoint, maybe less so.

One interesting note about his bedside manners. I was sitting down in the operating room waiting to get started and the room was cold and I started to get a chill. I asked him for an extra blanket because I was shivering and he yelled at me to stop wasting time. I was given some kind of sedative, I forget what and it really knocked me out, I have little memory of the surgery other than after he finished one eye, he told me "we are going to do the 2nd eye now" and I asked him if I moved or was there any issue, he again yelled at me "I don't have time to answer your questions", I then don't remember anything until waking up in my room. The guy pissed me off so much that after going back for my 2 week check up and found that he knew I would have middle distance issues and didn't tell me that I never went back. I went get subsequent check ups at 2 different hospitals and they both said, everything was great with my eyes.

Further on the middle distance issue, when I'm shopping in the grocery store, I have to get to within 15 inches to see anything on the shelves or when I'm at a buffet, I have to bend down to look at every dish. My eye level is about 2 or 2.5 feet above the food so I can't see it clearly. This is all a pain in the ass but overall, I have to say my live is radically improved overall. Previously I couldn't see anything in the distance without glasses or contacts and if I wore contacts, then I needed reading glasses for close up. Now I can see the clock across the room when I wake up, I don't have to futz around with reading glasses so in that sense it is a huge improvement for me.

I should also note that this would be devastating for me if I were a carpenter or other worker of that type. When I go to Ixia and buy a table or whatever that has to be assembled it is a major pain in the ass. When you're assembling stuff you are constantly changing your distance from 6 inches to 2 feet and everywhere in between, it's a royal asspain to do this and have to put reading glasses on and off, especially when you're in awkward positions. If I had a job like that, this would be horrific.

[Jingthing]

Hmmm. Not exactly a stellar review that.

[dragonaus]

My wife is Australian and wears +3.00 monthly disposable contact lenses. She can not get any in Pattaya, so we have been looking at buying online such as clearlycontacts.com. Not sure if buying contacts online is a problem living in Thailand.

So she is very interested in Supersight Surgery and all your comments are very much appreciated.

A couple of questions for you, (a) One eye or both, she would prefer to get out of the way. ( her sister got both lens replacement surgery done in Australia at $10,000 per eye and is very happy with the result. would this surgery be the same and use top quality lenses everytime.

thanks for your time.

Edited August 6, 2014 by dragonaus

[seadoo]

I'm an Australian living here over 10 years I've lost a good portion of my vision due to negligence here and i would be technically classified as partially blind if i was in Australia. Don't do it and if you have to go to the Rutnin Eye Hospital in Bangkok which is a large hospital that only works on eyes. My Dr there although Thai trained and learned to become a Doctor and specialist in the USA.

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Edited August 6, 2014 by seadoo

[losgrad]

Just to share my eye surgery experience, but sorry not specifically on SuperSight.

More than 20 years ago, I had lasik surgery on 'one' eye only as I am 'near-sighted.' I wanted mono vision so I could take my contact lens out and have excellent very close vision as my friends (all near-sighted) who had lasik on both eyes or another friend years earlier who had 'radial kerototomy' all have to wear reading glasses. They are happy with their surgery results for medium and far vision and never had to wear contact lens for driving or playing sports, but I wear one lens for the non-operated eye. However, my contact lens supply lasts twice as long since I only use in one eye .

Anyway, I agree with a few posters about getting "elective" surgery on one eye only.

As I approach super senior status, I'll keep up with the technological advancements for required cataract or elective surgeries to improve my vision. Thanks for the excellent thread of information specifically for SuperSight and related topics.

P.S. I had the 'halo' effect with contact lens and also have it on the lasik operated eye. I just learned to live with it especially when viewing oncoming vehicle headlights or the moon and stars at night .

P.S.S. I remember in 1980 when Stanford University Hospital was doing the lens replacements while others were perfecting the laser operations. The lens replacement was considered as one could change the lens as one's vision changed - a novel idea.

My apologies for going tangent to the OP's topic....

Edited August 6, 2014 by losgrad

[moonseeker]

Definite & only choice RUTNIN BKK. Plenty of reasons. Do your homework, as your eyes are the only ones you have. MS>

[loppylugs1]

EyeSpeciality hospital India with price list

prices are in rupees £1 = 103 rupees

[paddyjenkins]

I'm an Australian living here over 10 years I've lost a good portion of my vision due to negligence here and i would be technically classified as partially blind if i was in Australia. Don't do it and if you have to go to the Rutnin Eye Hospital in Bangkok which is a large hospital that only works on eyes. My Dr there although Thai trained and learned to become a Doctor and specialist in the USA.

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Anyone noticed there are vast numbers of clinics in Bangkok? It's just incredible. Clinics everywhere you go. And I've spoken to a few and compared prices and found that prices in Thailand are not really much lower than prices in countries with far better regulation and reputations. Plus, I've found many of the doctors and marketing people to be unable to answer questions properly and often to be worryingly young. In fact, I'd say the trick to the ongoing existence of so many clinics is they are getting away with offering close to top of the market prices but with lower expenses, but most importantly, a willingness to cut corners. Look, the volume of patients can't be there as there are too many clinics so they must be making money in some other way. I am not referring to actual hospitals by the way, I'm talking about small clinics, especially those catering to foreigners.

A lot of foreigners just assume prices in Thailand are lower and don't do much research. And if things go wrong in Thailand, as a foreigner you have no rights, you will be stone walled by the clinic, your stories on the internet will be deleted, and in fact if you mention the name of the clinic or doctor then you may well be sued. There are companies that exist solely to clean histories on the internet....they delete negative stories.

And after certain clinics gain a poor reputation, that's no problem, they just change their name and reopen. One I looked into had been raided several times by the police. It turned out the doctor wasn't a doctor at all...he was a vet. This clinic is still in business and the same doctor is still there taking people's money.

Believe me, that's why vast numbers of clinics can remain in business..cos they are charging too much for the services they are offering. If I had an operation on my eyes it wouldn't be good enough to read a few glowing testimonials...I'd want to know that doctor had done hundreds or thousands of operations and that the vast majority had gone perfectly, but if not, that the clinic had supported the patient and treated the complications.

Sorry, would not risk my eyes in Thailand, not to save a few baht.

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Edited August 6, 2014 by paddyjenkins

[Jingthing]

SuperSight surgery is basically cataract surgery for people without cataracts (using a high end replacement lens which you can also get if you DO have cataracts).

It is not the same thing at all as Laser corrective surgery.

They surgically remove the lens and replace with an internal lens.

When looking at SuperSight and it's competitors, compare to places doing CATARACT surgery, and no not every street "eye clinic" does that! It's basically at hospitals.

A recent possible advance in cataract surgery is called Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract surgery. That basically automates the first part of the surgery so there aren't any cuts needed ... but it's largely the same concept of removing old lens, inserted new one.

Edited August 6, 2014 by Jingthing

[sanuk711]

I had it done about 4 years ago baglay--& have 3 different friends also had the procedure , its possible you can get it cheaper at different places, as has been written the procedure has been around for many years, & the Pattaya doctor done his time in the Munich hospital I believe.

If you have BUPA, or probably any insurance they will cover part of it as everyone does have Cataracts to a certain extent. The lenses as mentioned are flown in from USA & the insurance wont cover that, I was in my mid 60s when I had it done, & walked out with 20-12 vision, which after about 6 months settled at 20-16 last time I took a test, their is a little "Halo" effect around lighting especially from oncoming cars---apparently it is always there for normal sight but the brain just adjust to it, & after a year or so that did seem to happen.

Its expensive-----but really what a great gift to give to yourself, they like you to stay in overnight.... its not needed but is a precaution against infection, I woke up the next day with the Doctor standing at the foot of my bed waving my glasses around and saying........ These now are wellicks.....just wellicks....(relics) which proved to be the case, never been near a pair again.

[ZiggyTelling]

Supersight is EITHER Clear Lens Extraction or Cataract Surgery. They are identical, except in the former the lens is clear. Supersight is a marketing term. It is pure & simple, cataract surgery.

I had 2 cataracts done by Somchai at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. I do not recommend anyone doing the same. The reason is not the operation. The results have been ok. The reason is he blatantly tricks and lies to you.

First trick. He says that during surgery, you can make the decision to do the 2nd eye or not. He then holds up something for you to read after the first eye is done. In the eye with the new lens, the text is clear. In the eye not done, it is blurry. Sound ok? Well, yes, except for the minor fact that the unoperated eye is highly, highly dilated, and would have blurred vision no matter what. For me, this was deceiving and I didn't like it, although at the time I understood the game and went ahead, as I'd already made that decision pre-op.

First major lie. After my surgery, I had the appearance of floaters and minor Posterior Vitreous Detachment (manifested as flashing lights in the corners of your eyes). Floaters are not serious. PVD is the first sign of potential retinal tearing or detachment. That is serious. Both happened within weeks of the surgery, although both can be due to age. However, the proximity to the surgery makes it undeniable to me it was the cause.

Now, I read extensively on these since then and prior to visiting him for a checkup. During the checkup 2 weeks ago, he told me "Nothing to do with me! Cataract surgery has nothing to do with floaters and PVD. I work at the front of the eye and these are at the back of the eye." And he more or less told me to get out of his office as it wasn't his problem. It's hard to describe his visual expression when I said I'd read extensively on these. He said, "You can't believe what you read", and his face had this "Get the f--- out of my office look.

I then went to another doctor in the hospital who told me (as I knew), cataract surgery has one potential side effect - floaters, PVD, and ultimately retinal detachment. This is well documented. Just try a search. The lens extraction and IOL implantation can reduce the pressure in the eye resulting in PVD. Yag laser, while it seems harmless, is like launching mini-explosions in your eye, that can cause PVD and retinal detachment. I also confirmed this in Canada with another doctor.

So for me, the surgery seems to have been done well. However, I cannot contemplate a doctor who uses trickery during an operation and then spews blatant lies post operation to avoid being blamed for side effects of his operation.

If he had told me "You're right. Cataract surgery introduces risks of floaters, PVD and retinal detachment. And I should have told you that pre-op. But the risks are low. So now we are post-op, let's see if this is serious or not and I will do everything to help you along the way." I might be ok.

I am now taking this case to the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital first, and the Medical Association of Thailand, for breach of ethics.

[Nepal4me]

If he had told me "You're right. Cataract surgery introduces risks of floaters, PVD and retinal detachment. And I should have told you that pre-op. But the risks are low. So now we are post-op, let's see if this is serious or not and I will do everything to help you along the way." I might be ok.

I am now taking this case to the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital first, and the Medical Association of Thailand, for breach of ethics.

Ziggy,

I'm curious how your case is progressing with the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. I posted my experience with Somchai a few posts back and I do agree, he only says what a patient wants to hear. As I mentioned, I am constantly inconvenienced by my lack of middle distance vision but overall, it's still a huge improvement to what I was like before. I had the surgery a few years ago and am now getting floaters, I need to make an appointment to see an eye specialist (for sure, not Somchai). You're right, a simple google search will tell you "one cause of floaters is cataract surgery" but him denying that is kind of his M.O.

[infinity11]

IMHO i would rather wear glasses over having any surgery, think of all the things that could go wrong no matter how slim the chance.

Also if serious, i would look into non-invasive ways to improve eyesight, like the bates method.

Edited March 6, 2015 by infinity11