Prescription Eyeglasses - Progressive Lenses

[cairene]

Hello All, Where am I most likely to find the most affordable/ best quality prescription eyeglasses in SEAsia (Chiang Mai, Laos (LP and Vientiane), Cambodia (Siem Reap), or Vietnam (Hoi An) ? Are any of these places similar in cost and quality to Malaysia? All suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

Cai Rene

[shaggy851]

I don't know about Malaysia but standards are fine in comparison to Australia. I get hardened plastic same grade safety glasses and replacement lenses yearly from Top Charoen. I recommend them and they are in most major cities across Thailand.

[lopburi3]

Thailand optics are very much overpriced (which is why you find several competing stores from the same chain on the same block repeatedly here). I have been using mail order (shipped from China) using Zenni for last decade and very happy with quality and price (received progressive lens glasses with clip-on sunglasses this week and cost was US $58).

[MaeJoMTB]

Thailand optics are very much overpriced (which is why you find several competing stores from the same chain on the same block repeatedly here). I have been using mail order (shipped from China) using Zenni for last decade and very happy with quality and price (received progressive lens glasses with clip-on sunglasses this week and cost was US $58).

Same here, less than 2 weeks from ordering to delivery, no tax or added expense.

[cairene]

Great. Thanks.

[Aforek]

Thailand optics are very much overpriced (which is why you find several competing stores from the same chain on the same block repeatedly here). I have been using mail order (shipped from China) using Zenni for last decade and very happy with quality and price (received progressive lens glasses with clip-on sunglasses this week and cost was US $58).

How can you do this ( pay with paypal ) ?: how do they know your vision caracteristic ?

I got already plastic and glass lenses, I prefer glass lenses because plastic lenses scratche very easily

[lopburi3]

I have used both PayPal and credit cards for payment. I have prescription from hospital eye department - you could obtain from any such facility with no expectation of buying from them. Have not had scratch issues for decades and glass has not been used by most makers for decades (too heavy and too much a danger if broken).

[Aforek]

Ok, thanks for your response . I can have a prescription here and do the rest like you

for the lenses, I have never broken glasses lenses ( not heavy at all ) but had two times plastic lenses scratched ( bad luck , maybe my fault )

[rak sa_ngop]

Progressive lens come in different thicknesses.The cheapest are the thickest and the one time I bought a pair I dumped them pretty quickly. The sideways vision is very poor (distorted) and of course they look very thick and cheap.

The most expensive lens are the thinnest with excellent all round vision, and I was told come from Germany.

And there are different thicknesses in between.

Buyer beware!

[lopburi3]

All lens come in different thickness depending on what you require - the relative thickness is subject to your requirements for correction so for some thick lens is fine - for others a thinner version makes appearance/weight/optical sense justifying the higher expense. Most of us who have tried progressive lens have not gone back to bifocals and adjust very well to them.

As for Germany agree they used to have the best optics in the world - but we are not talking Leica compound camera lens - glasses are fine from most suppliers.

[partington]

Progressive lens come in different thicknesses.The cheapest are the thickest and the one time I bought a pair I dumped them pretty quickly. The sideways vision is very poor (distorted) and of course they look very thick and cheap.

The most expensive lens are the thinnest with excellent all round vision, and I was told come from Germany.

And there are different thicknesses in between.

Buyer beware!

Zenni lenses come in a variety of refractive indices, and the higher the refractive index of the material the thinner the lenses are. They recommend the best refractive index for your prescription, and unless your prescription is very extreme the lenses are not unusually thick.

I have just received a progressive lens pair from Zenni (they are cheap enough so you can buy extra pairs just to vary the frames you wear) that cost $49. The lenses are the same thickness, and my vision is the same as using a pair I inadvisedly got from Top Charoen here at very nearly 10 times the price (though the frames are admittedly higher quality).

[lujanit]

I have just received a progressive lens pair from Zenni (they are cheap enough so you can buy extra pairs just to vary the frames you wear) that cost $49. The lenses are the same thickness, and my vision is the same as using a pair I inadvisedly got from Top Charoen here at very nearly 10 times the price (though the frames are admittedly higher quality).

I have used Zenni since I first read about them here (Lopburi post somewhere, thanks). I used the advice and went to St Louis Hospital to get a prescription and for the cost of 1300 baht I received a full eye examination plus a prescription from an eye specialist. I used Top Charoen about 7 years ago and couldn't even see through the glasses. Headaches for two weeks until I ditched them. Obviously the script was wrong but TC staff wouldn't admit it.

You can buy good quality frames from Zenni. Of course they are more expensive yet the choice is yours.

[cairene]

Thanks. I'll try Zenni.