thailandusauk Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Hi dudes, For people who don't know everywhere in the word optical shops have the best revenue because they sell $200 glasses minimum glasses that they pay $20. And it seems to also be the same situation in Thailand. If you are not sure just wonder why there are almost as many optical shops as 7/11 with staff doing nothing all day long. Now in some countries you can pay your eyesight glasses less than $50 and I am sure that it could be even cheaper in Thailand. So the question is, where did you buy your glasses and how much did you pay ? If you paid more than 2000 baht you have been cheater, easy. Please help me to find good glasses at a real honest price. And if you believe that cheap is not good for glasses just keep doing, you are smart <3 but I read reports from court experts checking very cheap glasses and glasses who confirmed that the quality is similar. Thanks dudes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thongkorn Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 why gamble with your eye site. cheap sun glasses don't stop u v rays. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachproperty Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 (edited) I buy my glasses online....Zenni is one company (google online eyeglasses)...pay anywhere from 1500 baht and up I have progressive lens with photo sensitive (which become sunglasses when outside).....cost about 3000 baht. I believe they come from China but have no problems with them. Actually really good! Edited January 4, 2015 by beachproperty 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thailandusauk Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 I buy my glasses online....Zenni is one company (google online eyeglasses)...pay anywhere from 1500 baht and up I have progressive lens with photo sensitive (which become sunglasses when outside).....cost about 3000 baht. I believe they come from China but have no problems with them. Actually really good! Why, do you believe that anything sold anywhere in this world, especially glasses, does not come from China ? Even the one sold $400 of course... Thank you for your insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyLew Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Bought my glasses at Top Charoen Paid 1300 for their brand gllasses Work perfectly and if the glass have problems, free maintenance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumballl Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I just recently bought 'cheapo' glasses here in the US; cost was $200. I'm not sure why you think that something similar could be had for $50? Each prescription lens runs about $45; frames typically around $100-$400. I suspect that in Thailand the costs are about the same, and a lot of it is driven by simple greed by the ophthalmologist. Fair enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenKong Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I always get my glasses done in the UK by a professional. I get a full and complete eye-test and two new pairs of glasses to my prescription for under 5000B (equiv). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenKong Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Bought my glasses at Top Charoen Paid 1300 for their brand gllasses Are they specifically made to your full prescription or are they just off-the-shelf lenses that more or less fit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thailandusauk Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 I just recently bought 'cheapo' glasses here in the US; cost was $200. I'm not sure why you think that something similar could be had for $50? Each prescription lens runs about $45; frames typically around $100-$400. I suspect that in Thailand the costs are about the same, and a lot of it is driven by simple greed by the ophthalmologist. Fair enough. What I am sure is that you know nothing about business. One lens costs 50 cents at the factory in China... And I am talking with knowledge, I know the price of most items when they leave the factory. So pay $400 if you like, this is why all optical shops owners are millionaires. <3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachproperty Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I just recently bought 'cheapo' glasses here in the US; cost was $200. I'm not sure why you think that something similar could be had for $50? Each prescription lens runs about $45; frames typically around $100-$400. I suspect that in Thailand the costs are about the same, and a lot of it is driven by simple greed by the ophthalmologist. Fair enough. Yeah ....I went to Lensecrafters in the US.....quote was $450 for my prescription (progressive ...no line bifocal) with photo sensitive lens...Titanium frames . Bought them online for $100 and they're perfect. So you see ....something similar can be had for a LOT less 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony5 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I just recently bought 'cheapo' glasses here in the US; cost was $200. I'm not sure why you think that something similar could be had for $50? Each prescription lens runs about $45; frames typically around $100-$400. I suspect that in Thailand the costs are about the same, and a lot of it is driven by simple greed by the ophthalmologist. Fair enough. What I am sure is that you know nothing about business. One lens costs 50 cents at the factory in China... And I am talking with knowledge, I know the price of most items when they leave the factory. So pay $400 if you like, this is why all optical shops owners are millionaires. <3 So you know it all, yet come on here to ask where to buy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony5 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I just recently bought 'cheapo' glasses here in the US; cost was $200. I'm not sure why you think that something similar could be had for $50? Each prescription lens runs about $45; frames typically around $100-$400. I suspect that in Thailand the costs are about the same, and a lot of it is driven by simple greed by the ophthalmologist. Fair enough. Yeah ....I went to Lensecrafters in the US.....quote was $450 for my prescription (progressive ...no line bifocal) with photo sensitive lens...Titanium frames . Bought them online for $100 and they're perfect. So you see ....something similar can be had for a LOT less You should know that there are lenses and there are lenses. If you go to any optical shop and look at their gamma, you will see that each brand has at least 6 price categories, for the same prescription lens. So Hoya has at least 6 different prices for the same prescription, same index progressive lens and so does Essilor, Rodenstock or whatever brand you choose. Since the cheapest lens will at first sight look exactly the same as their most expensive lens, do you really think there is no difference between? And do you think that the Zenni lens will be the most expensive, which they give you at the cheapest price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thailandusauk Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 (edited) I just recently bought 'cheapo' glasses here in the US; cost was $200. I'm not sure why you think that something similar could be had for $50? Each prescription lens runs about $45; frames typically around $100-$400. I suspect that in Thailand the costs are about the same, and a lot of it is driven by simple greed by the ophthalmologist. Fair enough. Yeah ....I went to Lensecrafters in the US.....quote was $450 for my prescription (progressive ...no line bifocal) with photo sensitive lens...Titanium frames . Bought them online for $100 and they're perfect. So you see ....something similar can be had for a LOT less You should know that there are lenses and there are lenses. If you go to any optical shop and look at their gamma, you will see that each brand has at least 6 price categories, for the same prescription lens. So Hoya has at least 6 different prices for the same prescription, same index progressive lens and so does Essilor, Rodenstock or whatever brand you choose. Since the cheapest lens will at first sight look exactly the same as their most expensive lens, do you really think there is no difference between? And do you think that the Zenni lens will be the most expensive, which they give you at the cheapest price? So funny that after someone explains them people still believe the bullshot of the optical lobby... So ridiculous not to understand that they could just sell one lens with all the options FOR CHEAP ! But this is just marketing and it works !!! Knowing that the cheapest lens come at 50 cents from factory how much do you estimate the most expensive ? Wow, you were so right... People really deserve to be cheated all their life and just pay everything 10 times the price it should cost, that's all I understand. I believe that the 1300 baht glasses at top charoen are not so bad because they are far from being cheap anyway. So it's the cheapest that anyone has bought good glasses in Thailand ? Edited January 4, 2015 by thailandusauk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time Traveller Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 (edited) I just recently bought 'cheapo' glasses here in the US; cost was $200. I'm not sure why you think that something similar could be had for $50? Each prescription lens runs about $45; frames typically around $100-$400. I suspect that in Thailand the costs are about the same, and a lot of it is driven by simple greed by the ophthalmologist. Fair enough. What I am sure is that you know nothing about business. One lens costs 50 cents at the factory in China... And I am talking with knowledge, I know the price of most items when they leave the factory. So pay $400 if you like, this is why all optical shops owners are millionaires. <3 so buy your lens at the chinese factory and stop complaining already. The rest of us are not living in cardboard boxes - we can actually afford to pay for the eye test, the shipping of the lens, the fitting of the correct lens in to our preferred frame at a shop in a convenient location close to my home. All of which I am happy to pay more than 50 cents per lens that the chinese factory charges. Edited January 4, 2015 by Time Traveller 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendejo Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I get my glasses done in Penang. Chinese family, presently run by the 40-ish son, papa is still there, hangs around the shop. Son is fluent in English. I think his wife handles the non-optometrist duties. Exam is free. Multi-focals with UV coating cost me around US$100, fairly plebian frames, but they have overpriced designer frames if you like. Not far from Komtar, and not in a prominent location, but seems pretty popular with the community, have never gone in there to find no other customers. It might take a few days to a week, depending, so it won't do if you're on a 2-day visa run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DP25 Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 My glasses were 99 baht from a vendor at a night market. With regards to how well I can see, I can't tell any difference from my last pair which were 1500. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurwait Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 If you want glasses made to your prescription you can buy good quality in opticians in malls for about 1500 if you just want standard lenses. You can get cheaper from local shops, but the paint will come off very quickly and the lenses wont take much to separate from the frames. If you want reading glasses you can buy them anywhere for a few hundred baht. Buy quality and buy once. You don't seem to take mall rents, staff costs, taxes, franchise fees, etc into account in your prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briley Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) Personally I need bog standard reading glasses and both eyes are the same so, I buy at 35 Baht a pair from Robinson's or sometimes in the 20 Baht shop. Maybe not very strong but then I keep about 5 pairs around so I have one wherever I am and do not worry when the grandchildren bend them or they get scratched. I also have stronger pairs for doing detailed work. These shops also sell the distance glasses that my wife buys and find preferable to the more expensive ones as she can have lots of different pairs depending on whether she wants to look at something far away, read a book or use the computer. But it is horses for courses. Some people need special prescriptions, some like to show off their expensive glasses so really the OP can take a choice from 20 Baht to 20,000 Baht depending on their own wishes. Edited January 5, 2015 by briley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyLew Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Bought my glasses at Top Charoen Paid 1300 for their brand gllasses Are they specifically made to your full prescription or are they just off-the-shelf lenses that more or less fit? They gave me an eye test first Then they ordered in the correct lenses to suit my vision or lack of vision Was a 24 hour turn around I sat in glasses once, lenses came out, Top Charoen fixed lenses back in place for free They say the will do maintenance like this for free as long as I have these glasses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkerry Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Thai in-laws pay 1500-2000 baht for their prescription glasses at Top Charoen. Nothing fancy but no complaints from them. The 50 baht reading glasses you get at the market do the job for many people. My optometrist in Australia told me they were fine for occasional use. I have a 4000 baht pair of prescription reading glasses and while they are more comfortable and scratch resistant, the reading experience is about the same as the throw-away cheapies I keep in the car and scattered around the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoshowJones Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I just recently bought 'cheapo' glasses here in the US; cost was $200. I'm not sure why you think that something similar could be had for $50? Each prescription lens runs about $45; frames typically around $100-$400. I suspect that in Thailand the costs are about the same, and a lot of it is driven by simple greed by the ophthalmologist. Fair enough. What I am sure is that you know nothing about business. One lens costs 50 cents at the factory in China... And I am talking with knowledge, I know the price of most items when they leave the factory. So pay $400 if you like, this is why all optical shops owners are millionaires. <3 I just hope the people who work in a Thai opticians are not on commission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenKong Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Bought my glasses at Top Charoen Paid 1300 for their brand gllasses Are they specifically made to your full prescription or are they just off-the-shelf lenses that more or less fit? They gave me an eye test first Then they ordered in the correct lenses to suit my vision or lack of vision Was a 24 hour turn around That sounds reasonable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saakura Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 A progressive lens, highest quality (brand Essilor/Varilux) with Crizal anti-glare and anti-smudge coating, costs about 14 to 17000 baht on a good frame, at a good optical shop in Central. It has given very good service last 2yrs. Before that i bought very cheap 40-100 baht reading glasses from the footpath but gave me endless trouble as i need to read my PC screen at least 6-8hrs a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thailandusauk Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Finally good to know that some people understand that paying $400 for glasses is a pure scam that only Pattaya jetski cheaters could organize ! I agree that the glasses at the market might not be as good and 100 baht is really too cheap to get quality lenses, but between 100 and ridiculous 20000 baht there is a large gap and you can be sure to get very good quality lenses for few thousand baht MAXIMUM. Frames are not better because you pay them 10000+ Lenses are not better because you pay them 5000+ So now you know, but I guess that many still believe in god... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenKong Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 A progressive lens, highest quality (brand Essilor/Varilux) with Crizal anti-glare and anti-smudge coating, costs about 14 to 17000 baht on a good frame, at a good optical shop in Central. It has given very good service last 2yrs. Before that i bought very cheap 40-100 baht reading glasses from the footpath but gave me endless trouble as i need to read my PC screen at least 6-8hrs a day. The focal length of your glasses was wrong. This is why off-the-peg glasses are rarely satisfactory. I have two types of glasses made for me. Both have the same prescription but one type has a focal length suited to a PC screen and the other type has a focal length suited to reading. I cant comfortably use one pair for the other job. I tried progressive lenses but didnt like them. My two-pair solution suits me fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roamer Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Is it only me that thinks the OP sounds like Sandman after a software update ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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