Cataract surgury-my experience

[chrissables]

If you have cataracts, DEFINITELY get them fixed..... a new lease on life and my nearsightedness went away and now I can admire women across the street.

I use reading glasses from Lotus for close work, but can read a newspaper with no aids.

I am one of those people who thinks my health comes absolutely first, so I have gone to only Bumrungrad in BKK for over ten years and, for me, that place has all my trust. I got both eyes done there, one at a time, single vision lenses, and no pain and fast healing. I am overjoyed and I really did not care what it cost because if I am blind, money not well spent is just silly.

Yes, get the surgery done, but check, check and check again. I lost my sight in one eye after a cataract operation went wrong, the INTERNATIONAL demanded more money to rectify the problems they made. (detached retina)

The photo was taken within an hour of being told "no problem" at another hospital!

Rutnin were the best at trying to resolve the problem. But unfortunately the damage was already done.

[UncleE]

I had multi focal intra ocular lens replacement for cataracts and to improve my vision done by Dr. Somchai at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. Cost around 200K both eyes of which 70% was paid by my Thai health insurance and other 30% picked up by my expat insurance.

I started with approx 20/50 vision both eyes and needed 1 diopter reading glasses. Needless to say I was concerned about any complications because my far sight was already good enough to get by without glasses. The objective was to correct the cataracts and to end up with bionic perfect vision.

After surgery I got 20/20 vision and have never used reading glasses. As for night driving (slight starburst etc) all is exactly what Dr. Somchai said it would be, after six months starburst almost gone. Totally acceptable.

In this case I'm very happy didn't try to get by with cheaper options, it's my sight and I've been completely happy since the two surgeries. BTW, I did one first and other a couple years later. It's been 8 years now and everything still fine. I'd recommend getting surgery done a couple weeks apart like this OP did rather than waiting so long between surgeries. I think I can notice a slight difference because lenses not same due to long gap between both surgeries.

Highly Recommend.

Mine was done by Dr. Somchai as well. Maybe I was lucky. But he seemed to have a lot of happy patients around. I had searched long and hard cause I wanted to make sure the Multifocals were done right. That was back in 2005 so Dr.'s at Rutnin (and every other place I called) told me they can't even do Multifocals.

Also, there is a certain amount of risk with eye surgery, had my first one (Lasik) at Rutnin in 1993, it was a bit better at first, but had problems with vision in certain lighting conditions. Didn't actually have them try to correct it but it was an issue. So you wanna be prepared to deal with issues (and make sure not to drink alcohol for at least a week after surgery even though your eyes will feel like everything is fine).

I would always recommend you do one eye (worst one first) and then the other after you're certain of the outcome on the first one. Just don't wait more than six months to get the other one ( unless of course you don't need it or aren't happy with results from first surgery ). That's why I did, and I'm certain the result would have been a little better if both done in the same 1-2 months interval so I would have to matching lenses in terms of brand etc..

[loppylugs1]

I know this is for thailand, but had my first eye done in India, at specialized hospital that do 100-200 per day, i stayed in there beautiful mini mansion, for one week, they wanted to make sure all was fine and not infections before i flew home to USA...

all in all food, room, personal service, and all medical RX costs....$450.00

then they tell me that with this money they can operate on 4 locals for free....

i felt good about the whole thing.. the dr. i saw trained in the states....my 2nd eye is starting to fuzz up, so i am prepping for possible procedure, i would go back to India....same place....

Totally agree about India. price list here prices shown are in rupees not baht £1 = 103 rupees

[atyclb]

I had "supersight surgery" performed by Dr. Somchai at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital in Pattaya in May 2007. Operation was on both eyes (both done at the same time). After a month my eye sight was perfect being able to read the smallest print on medicine bottles with ease and with out glasses. After about 6 months my eyesight had started to deteriorate. Dr Somchai told me it was likely due to scar tissue after the operation and that I may need a laser skim to correct this. I returned to my home country and had this skim performed by a local opthomologist who was very critical of me having the original operation done overseas. He performed the skim ( a scag) on one eye only, to bring it up to the level of the stronger eye. My eyesight has continued to deteriorate since then.

I have seen Dr. Somchai several times afterwards and was advised that there is nothing wrong with my eyes and that the operation was a success. I have given up seeing him and may get advice from others if I can trust them. I have now gone from no glasses immediately after the opp. to my second set of glasses for computer work and another upgrade now necessary, driving glasses and an upgrade necessary, glasses for reading and just for walking around My vision is very blurred. The operation which cost me 210,000 Bhat is in my opinion a complete waste of money and I would advise anyone considering it to be very wary and do lots of research.

Providing you were informed (better in writing) of the possible complications both short and long term it is not unacceptable.

Expressions like "supersight" and other superlatives and explicative s are taught as a "red flag" when they appear on exam questions and the answer not to choose. i googled "supersight surgery" an it seems to be a thailand limited expression.

regarding your home country eye doctor; doubt he has any problem treating patients that travel from abroad and pay cash.

subjectively your vision has deteriorated. has dr somchai found objective evidence of such? have other dr's found objective evidence/findings?

http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Sight-Surgeons-Behind-Changed/dp/1617203793/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376245919&sr=8-1&keywords=saving+sight/

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

http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/2983.html

Edited August 5, 2014 by atyclb

[smileydude]

IOL surgery with phacoemulsification is free for all people under the Universal Health Care program.

The difference is the lens used are manufactured in India and cost around 700 baht.

If you can afford it you can pay an extra +5000 baht for lens made in the US from manufacturers like Alcon.

Most of that extra we are paying is for the quality of service and the competence of top specialists but at the end of the day its still relatively the same results.

[loppylugs1]

I always wondered why the doctors themselves still wear glasses who carry out these procedures,one did explain that there are too many complications that could and would eventually appear

[Jingthing]

Those with cataracts can usually get by wearing glasses for a long time but eventually if you live long enough, you totally NEED the surgery if you don't want to be BLIND. They are generally progressive.

[dddave]

wow...great post.....this site is finally good for something.

Hey, Joshstiles; nice that you were able to find something useful here...Actually, many people in need of hard to find local information have found what they were looking for on this particular forum which is probably one of the best moderated health forums in Thailand.

I guess you only pay attention when you need something.

[mhortig]

Thank you all who have contributed so far. If you have had cataract surgury experience (positive or negative) in Thailand or India, please share your experience, doctor info, cost etc. This will be extremely useful to others who are considering the procedure. The choice of doctor is critical.

It has now been a coupl;e of weeks since my surgury and so far so good. I have had two follow up exams and my vision is very good, though I do wear glasses for reading and close work.

Edited August 11, 2014 by mhortig

[apetley]

Wow...the FIL has just had his cataracts done 6 days ago in a government hospital.

6,000 baht for each eye and 30 baht for the op.

He was out and about this morning on his push bike and can see perfectly without glasses.

Horses for courses I guess.

Have a Nice Day.

It must be nice to have "The Card". Too bad getting one seems to be more about luck and being at the right place at the right time. Lucky you.

He's relating his Thai father in laws experience. No luck involved at all as entitled to the 30bht card.

[apetley]

Wow...the FIL has just had his cataracts done 6 days ago in a government hospital.

6,000 baht for each eye and 30 baht for the op.

He was out and about this morning on his push bike and can see perfectly without glasses.

Horses for courses I guess.

Have a Nice Day.

My own Thai FIL had his eyes done at Kanchanaburi Govt hospital recently for the same price.

I have to say that I was very impressed by the treatment and care he received and he himself is very happy with the results.

[loppylugs1]

Thank you all who have contributed so far. If you have had cataract surgury experience (positive or negative) in Thailand or India, please share your experience, doctor info, cost etc. This will be extremely useful to others who are considering the procedure. The choice of doctor is critical.

It has now been a coupl;e of weeks since my surgury and so far so good. I have had two follow up exams and my vision is very good, though I do wear glasses for reading and close work.

VisionCare Super Speciality hospital Mapusa Goa. India

I might have a go,prices are above,but for what reason I know not India seems to be way ahead at receiving the latest surgery equipment the world produces. Just rang them and it seems they have vastly improved their procedures from just a couple of years ago.

Anyway there is a host more procedures that offer a vastly reduced costing than Thailands

[dsfbrit]

I would like to share my experience so far and ask for some advice.

After being recommended Rutnin hospital for eye surgery by Sheryl, I passed this information to my friend who needs the surgery. The government hospitals would not take on the operation anyway as he is blind in one eye and they did not want to take the risk of something going wrong and leaving him blind.

So last week I went with him to Rutnin hospital and he had all the tests for the operation. He was in there 5 hours. I did not wait for him so I do not know exactly what he was told.

He is having the operation on Friday 29th and the cost is around 65000 baht.

I will go up with him again for the operation. He is 65 years old and does not use the internet, so I am making the arrangements - booking the hotel etc...

I am keen on a hotel next to the hospital, but he wants to book a hotel nearer some nightspots, some distance away.

We are going to Bangkok on the Thursday night and he is under the impression that he can drink and do everything normally on the Thursday night, have the operation on the Friday and then go down the bar on Friday night.

I think he is excited about being away from his wife for a couple of days

However, as the 'responsible adult' in this event, I would very much appreciate knowing how he will feel after the operation and as he is blind in one eye, will I even be able to get him back to the hotel room straight after the operation or will he have to wait until his eye is functioning.

Also, should he even be drinking the night before - or doesn't it matter?

Thanks for setting up this useful thread and your help on this.

[Issangeorge]

He will have a bandage over his eye for one day, I would say the bar is out of the question. I don't think it is wise to drink the night before. Stay two nights after the operation and do your partying then.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Issangeorge

[lopburi3]

Actually I would expect, and insist, such a case to be inpatient for first night with no vision from other eye and the chance of blindness if anything goes wrong. Makes no sense to take any additional risk to me.

[dsfbrit]

Issangeorge, lopburi3, thanks for the quick feedback. I was not there during his consultation or I would know what he was actually told. He likes to drink and relax and does not take much notice of what he is advised.

I on the other hand do not drink and do listen to what I am advised. So him telling me that it is no big deal, just have to wear some sunglasses after the operation, have a nap then go out - does not sound right at all- not from what I have read anyway. I am not his mother, so usually I think it is up to him what he does. However, now he has involved me in this I will make sure it is done 'properly'.

Is it correct then, that his 'good' eye will be covered for that long.

Should he just go back to the hotel and rest? There is no way I could get him to stay in the hospital overnight - just no way.

Will I literally have to guide him back to the hotel room?

[lopburi3]

He will have no sight first day AFAIK (and my wife had both eyes done last year) and the sunglasses are for later and during nights will have to wear a protective plastic cup and sleep on other side. I would insist first night be spend in hospital. He will also be taking medications which may not be conductive to drinking - this is not a new part and leave process as healing must occur and that will take time.

[dsfbrit]

Lopburi3, thanks for the feedback.

He told me after the operation he would just need some help getting back to the hotel, have a rest and he would be fine.

I am beginning to think at the consultation last week, he did not ask any questions at all about what will happen after the operation. I only found out he required a chest x-ray and some other tests carried out when I emailed the hospital to arrange the operation date and time.

He asked me why he needed a chest x-ray - as if I would know - I am qualified in computing I am not a doctor??!

(come to think of it - why does he need a chest x-ray???).

Thanks for your help

Edited August 12, 2014 by dsfbrit

[mhortig]

I just had this procedure done for both eyes in the past 3 weeks. After the surgury he will have a dressing and eye cup over the operated eye, usualy until the next days follow up exam. I actualy felt OK and went to an early dinner with my wife, then to rest. If your friend had actualy asked his Dr., they would have surely told him not to drink before the surgury and not at all during the recovery period. This is what my Thai Dr. told me. Finaly she compromised and said that from the day after the next day follow up exam, I could have one beer a day because there were no problems. I also researched this with some US medical sites. They all agree that drinking the night before and the night of the surgury is a NO NO. After that they express no concern about moderate drinking.

As for the x-ray, sometimes they want a comprehensive physical exam, depends on the patient's situation.

[Issangeorge]

The first cataract operation I had, I had to have a physical and blood sugar test. The second one, four years later, nothing like that, same hospital, but different doctors. The first one was ฿18,000 at the government hospital. The second one I got a bill for ฿15,000, but then they realized I was covered under the health care for foreigners and the price was ฿30

[dsfbrit]

mhortig, thanks for the information. I don't think my friend asked them any questions. I have emailed them several times today (pretending to be him) and they have answered several questions for me:-

- How long after the operation will it be before I can leave the hospital ?

\\ about 1 hour after surgery.

- Will I have enough sight in my eye to be able to walk around on my own later that day as I have to use the operated on eye to see with ?

\\ it depends on your eye pathology.

- Will I have an eye patch or just the sunglasses to wear after the operation.

\\ you may need to have eye patch and shield on surgery date.

Although they have not been precise in what will happen after the operation, it certainly sounds like the experience after the operation will be more complicated than my friend is saying - especially as he is blind in the eye that is not being operated on.

I have asked them also about drinking alcohol before and after the operation. I will let you know what they say, but for me it would seem unlikely they would say it is OK.

Issangeorge, thanks to you as well for the feedback. I have told him to just get the tests done so I can send them off. He is getting them done tomorrow.

[opalred]

i am looking for eye treatment soon will get at govt hospital for sure over years learn about being ripped off dentist number one for frang years ago went to well known one in thailand every time went was 15000 25000 30000 the work never lasted then found through thai friends a dentist same work 5000 8000 12000 i had thai friend before told me every client get from her work to a well advertised dentist she got 10000 for sending them there cheers

[mhortig]

Hello Opalred,

Government hospital could be OK especialy if you are only getting monfocal lenses. If you have a choice try to check up on the available doctors. Also request a cost estimate before you proceed. If you can also ask about the quality of the IOL you are getting.

[opalred]

thanks for that at this stage i donnt know what is wrong as now 70 i got glasses good for distance can read and see computer ok without glasses but problem between there and feet walking have i been sold another story from eye glass firm cheers

[Issangeorge]

Regarding dental work, a friend of mine was having some work done by a recent graduate of KKU and when he got the bill he thought it was a little high. He questioned her about it and she said, oh, this is the price the university told us to charge Farangs, she said we were told to charge Thais this price and Farangs this price.

[loppylugs1]

thanks for that at this stage i donnt know what is wrong as now 70 i got glasses good for distance can read and see computer ok without glasses but problem between there and feet walking have i been sold another story from eye glass firm cheers

Know what you mean. I am +2 distance reading +4 sit in the eye surgery place in India debating,comes up with borderline time after time,would love to ditch the glasses though.

just go outside order a bucketful of titanium framed progressives with tint and leave it at that for a couple of years

[Keesters]

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Wow...the FIL has just had his cataracts done 6 days ago in a government hospital.

6,000 baht for each eye and 30 baht for the op.

He was out and about this morning on his push bike and can see perfectly without glasses.

Horses for courses I guess.

Have a Nice Day.

I know this is for thailand, but had my first eye done in India, at specialized hospital that do 100-200 per day, i stayed in there beautiful mini mansion, for one week, they wanted to make sure all was fine and not infections before i flew home to USA...

all in all food, room, personal service, and all medical RX costs....$450.00

then they tell me that with this money they can operate on 4 locals for free....

i felt good about the whole thing.. the dr. i saw trained in the states....my 2nd eye is starting to fuzz up, so i am prepping for possible procedure, i would go back to India....same place....

I really hate these kind of posts...I had it done for ONLY blah blah blah and then NEVER give the details of where.

[Deerculler]

M

[opalred]

i am going through treatment for glacoma at public hospital for some months now and months ahead and find treatment good and freindly and cheap all required is a little waiting

[AsiaCheese]

I've been looking around, checking options & prices all over Thailand for quite some time - thankful for all the inputs on TV too! During my search, I stumbled over a non-TV forum thread (thanks Google!) where an expat told the story of his father-in-law having had cataract surgery just outside Ayutthaya, inexpensive, totally happy, and was now going back for the second eye. I found some website bits and pieces of the hospital (a new, proper website is in the works now) with a phone number, had my gf call them and ask my list of questions. A few days later I was there, had my cataract surgery the day before Xmas (wonderful present to myself) - and I was blown away by the friendliness, professionality and also the low price. Their all-inclusive package (same for Thais/farangs) is THB 25,000 and includes one night's stay at the hospital, plus everything else (pre-/post-checks etc.). That's roughly a third to a quarter of what "brand name" hospitals charge (base price), and they often don't even include the pre-/post-checks! A potential drawback (for some people) could be the fact that they only use Alcon monofocal IOLs for distance viewing - but totally fine with me; I can live with reading glasses! I was 100% happy++ with everything, and I'll be back there soon for my other eye!

It turned out that it's the hospital with the largest number of cataract operations in Thailand! But: quantity aside, I never got a feeling that this diminished the quality of what they did in any kind of way. Everyone took their time and were super-friendly, and also super-careful in whatever they did. Really great job!

The place is some 20 km from Ayutthaya (route 3263, straight run), pretty easy to find (see GPS coordinates below; just enter those into your GPS or Google Maps). Take a person with you who speaks Thai - very helpful The hospital single room has a sofa/bed for whoever you take with you (customary in Thailand).

The details:

Supamitr Sena Hospital

34/4 Moo 5, Bang Nomko

Sena, Ayutthaya 13110

+66 (0)35 289 572-9 (exchange; Thai)

+66 (0)93 131 23 45 (international customers; English)

Email: [email protected]

GPS: 14.316731 N, 100.411053 E

Edited January 22, 2015 by AsiaCheese