Cataract surgery at Khon Karn Ram Hospital

[kalasinmike]

For anyone living in the Kalasin/Khon Kaen area, I would like to share my experience of very successful cataract surgery at Khon Kaen Ram Hospital.

I have already lost a lot of my sight due to advanced glaucoma but prompted by the fact that my eyesight was getting a lot worse including double vertical vision and bad glare at night, I decided that I would visit KK Ram as my first port of call whilst keeping my options open as I had heard that Rutnin was the place to go. At this point, I had no idea what was causing the additional problems.

I was seen by one doctor and he diagnosed cataracts in both eyes. It was recommended that I see their cataract surgeon Dr Somchai Kittiponghansa. Dr Somchai speaks very good English and explained very well what I could expect from the operations. Dr Somchai explained that the cataracts were causing the double vision and glare and that the operation would improve things greatly but made it very clear, as I already knew, that it could not restore any sight already lost by the glaucoma.

After extensive measurements on several machines, I was admitted for surgery on my first eye two days later on 10^th October and advised I was treated as an in-patient as my blood pressure was rather high. Dr Somchai recommended a monofocal lens giving me good long sight but requiring reading glasses.

The operation was totally painless after being given an extensive course of drops and took about 20 minutes to fit the Alcon AcrysofIQ lens. My wife and I stayed in a private room overnight and I was seen by Dr Somchai the following morning. I cannot describe how good the vision was when the eye pad was removed. The sight is so clear and colours so vivid. I was discharged with the usual carrier bag full of drops and vitamins. Cost including overnight private room with a bed for my wife – 51,000 Baht.

The operation on my other eye, again with incident, was done on 26^th October. The cost for that operation (again as in-patient) was 46,000 Baht. I am just coming to the end of the course of drops in both eye and my final check-up is on Sunday. Why oh why didn’t I have it done earlier.

I cannot recommend Dr Somchai Kittiponghansa highly enough. I have since found out that one of my neighbours had her cataracts successfully done by him but at his Khon Kaen clinic.

[lungbing]

Is his clinic on Mittrapharp on the Frontage Road on the opposite side of the road from, and almost opposite Big C?

[kalasinmike]

Lungbing, I wasn't told but I will try and find out.

[KhunBENQ]

Is his clinic on Mittrapharp on the Frontage Road on the opposite side of the road from, and almost opposite Big C?

I tried hard to find out (search).

For sure there is an "Eye Clinic Dr. Somchai" opposite Big C (but a bit up north towards Central).

But "Somchai" is about the most common first name in Thai. I can not find the family name on the poster.

So there is a small uncertainty.

Somchai Eye Clinic on street view:

http://goo.gl/maps/LOHrR

[Issangeorge]

For anybody from Kalasin, I highly recommend, the Kalasin Hospital, about ฿20,000 with a one night stay in a private room, maybe less, I've had both eyes done there, no complaints. It's a pretty routine operation.