Progressive Lens Eyeglasses - did I buy wrong?

[geisha]

In France they cost a fortune. About 150 per lens. I think I paid about 650 because I had a designer frame. There are about three or four different qualities too. Anti scratch, anti glare etc etc. each costing more to the original price. So just the lens in France would cost at least over a hundred thousand Baht. Yes, took me about 6 weeks to adjust to them, it nearly drove me mad! But now they are great!

[geisha]

Ps the prices I mentioned are euros by the way .

[Mudcrab]

Eye test in Thailand is around 200bht.

If you pay more, special foreigner price.

Also eye tests these days don't need much talent from the ophthalmist, there is a computer operated machine that does the lot.

You just peer in the device and watch the farm scene. Prescription comes up on the computer screen.

Vision Express in Chiang Mai have the machine.

Lots of con artists selling glasses because it's easy money.

All the stories here about people being able to use progressive or not, mainly irrelevant.

If you bought them from a con artist (or incompetent), they are unlikely to work, you will need time to learn to use them (eyes can adjust to a slightly wrong prescription), or you will tell everyone they didn't work for you (eyes can't adjust to a completely wrong prescription).

Progressive lens with the correct prescription will work for everyone, no 'training' needed.

i disagree with lot of what you have posted.

A good ophthalmologist will check your retina for deterioration/damage and also carry out an eyeball pressure test to detect any signs of glaucoma.

A machine cannot do that.

I've worn spectacles for 35 years and have only once had a machine prescription due to an emergency overseas (UK). The turnaround was quite quick - a couple or three days if I remember correctly, but the glasses were rubbish.

Admittedly better than being blind without any specs, but I went to a proper doctor as soon as I could.

You need to make up your mind whether it takes time to learn to use progressives or if anyone taking longer then 30 minutes is a retard. Be consistent and you might just gain some credibility.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Mudcrab

[Jonathon]

The problem with these large companies operating many branches is the wide range of skill levels and/or experience. It is just the same in the UK if you require a complex prescription.

However they should have someone somewhere with the right skills and experience. Maybe ask to see a more senior optician or find an independent one.

[lopburi3]

A good ophthalmologist will check your retina for deterioration/damage and also carry out an eyeball pressure test to detect any signs of glaucoma.

A machine cannot do that.

Actually machines have been used for pressure testing for years - although a doctor may double check it. And a primary test for glaucoma will be done with another machine that measures visual field.

Computerized Tonometer

Hunphrey VF machine

[Bosse137]

20 years ago I was swindeled out of 20000 for glasses in one of TS shops.It was the worst glasses I have ever had.The frames,some famous name,lost their colour in a few months and also broke shortly after that.The glass was destroyed as well.Actually,glasses I bought in the market for 100 Bath have been better! I was new to this country;had it happened now,I would have raised hell!

[ggt]

Bought expensive progressive eyeglasses once...never could get adjusted to them...especially while driving...could not see the instrument panel without moving my head up or down to get a focus...not good idea for driving...especially in Thailand...

Now I pay a few bucks for commonly found glasses in department stores...works fine for me...

[oncearugge]

Eyes are precious and humans only have two!

No one should IMO entrust a shopgirl using an Autorefractor to prescribe lenses.

An outline of the training, education, qualification and regulation of optometrists in the West can be found in the links.

https://www.optical.org/

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/healthcare-science/careers-in-healthcare-science/careers-in-physiological-sciences/ophthalmic-and-vision-science/

Ask about the qualifications of the "prescriber" before accepting advice !

NB

Progressive lenses are not suited to everyone and a professional optometrist/dispensing optician would not experience the level of disatisfaction which is expressed by some in this thread as a suitable individual product would be advised, not one that generates the most profit!

Edited September 19, 2015 by oncearugge

[chill]

Yes, one problem I find in Thai opticians is that when they measure the distance between the eyes they hold a pencil or something about three feet away and tell you to focus on that and then they mark the lenses or measure the distance with a ruler. However if you are short sighted you need the eyes to be able to see into the distance when your eyes will naturally be further apart. The net result is that the centre of the final lenses is actually closer than they should be having been measured for reading and not looking at distances and you end up with a headache.

[gemguy]

First of all ...if you have never worn progressive lens eye ware it does take some time to get used to adjusting your head and eyes to find the progressive levels...usually 1, 2, 3 levels while it is somewhat irritating having to be moving your head up and down all the time .....but that is the way it is with progressive lens.

You will get used to it.

Meantime Top Charoen is amongst the more expensive shops as I learned by shopping around to learn that there are no cheap cost progressive lens ( that is if you want some measure of quality) but many shops can and do beat the price quotes given at Top Chareon.

Also...if you go into most shops and ask about having your eyes checked with their optical eyesight measuring equipment most shops will do that for you as a service ( in hope of you buying some product ) and print out the data so you can see what the specifications are or would be for a custom made pair of progressive lens that might even be slightly different for each eye...to be precise.

If you go to say 2 or 3 shops and the test data they give to you is the same and the same as the lens you recently purchased then you would know if the custom made set of progressive lens recently made for you are correct or not ...but they are never cheap....usually 20,000 baht and up for quality precision ground and polished progressive lens.....English brand name or German brand name or French brand name custom made progressive lens.

I recently had a new pair made with scratch resistant quality for 25,000 baht after shopping around at several places before deciding that particular shop was giving me the best or better price while Top Chareon quoted me a price of 44,000 baht for the same name brand with scratch resistant qualities.

It pays to shop around....while it is interesting to learn about the latest precision eye ware technology.

Mind you I would not be surprised if there is a Farang price and a Thai price...even if you shop around diligently.

Also you will not like the price of the eye glass frames as the frames alone can be 50,000 baht if you like ultra like sleek looking frames made from exotic alloys such as titanium with all kinds of trick features.

Cheers

Edited September 19, 2015 by gemguy

[williet98248]

Ok, thanks guys. Looks like I'll have to keep my cheap reading glasses just for the computer which I spend most of my working day on. So far only find progressive comfortable looking down at something like a watch or phone but not much practical use. I've switched to my old glasses to type this.

Yes the price was 32,000THB! The frame was about 6,000THB and the lenses 26,000THB. They told me I was getting a 50% price deduction as well as list price was over 60,000THB! They had some more expensive than that. Not surprised the shops are mostly empty when I go by.

I think I'll take them back next week if no improvement and tell them they are useless.

Don't expect to get your money back. Years ago I bought some reading glass from TC and two days later a lens fell out and broke. Wouldn't replace it or even give a discount on a new lens. Never went back. I never see customers in TC shops.

[TheCruncher]

Yes the price was 32,000THB! The frame was about 6,000THB and the lenses 26,000THB. They told me I was getting a 50% price deduction as well as list price was over 60,000THB! They had some more expensive than that. Not surprised the shops are mostly empty when I go by.

I think I'll take them back next week if no improvement and tell them they are useless.

You were conned, Vision Express in CM charged me 8,000bht.

Zenni Optical, mail order charged me 3,500bht for the same.

(this is for progressive lens to correct for far vision, near vision and serious astigmatism)

As for 'learning to use them'

I would class someone who took longer than 30 seconds as 'mildly retarded'.

Zenni didn't sell you the same. They only sold you something with the same name.

Same as you can buy a CAR at Toyota and you can buy a CAR at Mercedes, but the price will be wide apart however they are both CARS.

Edited September 19, 2015 by TheCruncher

[BngkkB]

I have a set of frames I picked up in the USA a couple of years ago. Last year took the frames and new Rx from USA to the corner eye shop, not a chain a family business. One day later had new progressive lenses in my frames, PERFECT. Cost was the same that Costco in USA quoted me me just for lenses, but they needed a week to turn them around. I paid 4,000 ( Four Thousand) Baht for the lenses.

[MaeJoMTB]

Yes the price was 32,000THB! The frame was about 6,000THB and the lenses 26,000THB. They told me I was getting a 50% price deduction as well as list price was over 60,000THB! They had some more expensive than that. Not surprised the shops are mostly empty when I go by.

I think I'll take them back next week if no improvement and tell them they are useless.

You were conned, Vision Express in CM charged me 8,000bht.

Zenni Optical, mail order charged me 3,500bht for the same.

(this is for progressive lens to correct for far vision, near vision and serious astigmatism)

As for 'learning to use them'

I would class someone who took longer than 30 seconds as 'mildly retarded'.

Zenni didn't sell you the same. They only sold you something with the same name.

Same as you can buy a CAR at Toyota and you can buy a CAR at Mercedes, but the price will be wide apart however they are both CARS.

You're right, the Zenni glasses are considerably better, and at less than 1/2 the price.

[TheCruncher]

Yes the price was 32,000THB! The frame was about 6,000THB and the lenses 26,000THB. They told me I was getting a 50% price deduction as well as list price was over 60,000THB! They had some more expensive than that. Not surprised the shops are mostly empty when I go by.

I think I'll take them back next week if no improvement and tell them they are useless.

You were conned, Vision Express in CM charged me 8,000bht.

Zenni Optical, mail order charged me 3,500bht for the same.

(this is for progressive lens to correct for far vision, near vision and serious astigmatism)

As for 'learning to use them'

I would class someone who took longer than 30 seconds as 'mildly retarded'.

Zenni didn't sell you the same. They only sold you something with the same name.

Same as you can buy a CAR at Toyota and you can buy a CAR at Mercedes, but the price will be wide apart however they are both CARS.

You're right, the Zenni glasses are considerably better, and at less than 1/2 the price.

Cheaper is always better.................for a certain group of the population.

[saakura]

Yes the price was 32,000THB! The frame was about 6,000THB and the lenses 26,000THB. They told me I was getting a 50% price deduction as well as list price was over 60,000THB! They had some more expensive than that. Not surprised the shops are mostly empty when I go by.

I think I'll take them back next week if no improvement and tell them they are useless.

You were conned, Vision Express in CM charged me 8,000bht.

Zenni Optical, mail order charged me 3,500bht for the same.

(this is for progressive lens to correct for far vision, near vision and serious astigmatism)

As for 'learning to use them'

I would class someone who took longer than 30 seconds as 'mildly retarded'.

Zenni didn't sell you the same. They only sold you something with the same name.

Same as you can buy a CAR at Toyota and you can buy a CAR at Mercedes, but the price will be wide apart however they are both CARS.

Lexus and Harrier from Toyota are better value for money than a mercedes.

[misterphil]

Top Chareon are the worst opticians in Thailand. Those clowns don't know what they're doing. They sold me a pair of expensive RayBan glasses before. They tested my eyes and said I needed a certain prescription. They were ready a week later and I tested them in the shop and didn't think they were very good and they said the same shit to me, that my eyes needed to get used to them. A few months later I found them to be useless so went to another opticians. I used Eyelab in Central Festival Pattaya. I gave them my old glasses and the prescription from Top Chareon and they didn't even match after Eyelab tested them. Wrong prescription given, wrong lenses were sold and to top it off they said that they were ploy carbonate lenses which they weren't

I got tested at Eyelab and they prescribed me something different to Top Chareon. Im wearing them now and my vision is crystal clear and bright.

Nobody should use Top Chareon

Eyelab in Central is the only place I'll ever use again in Thailand.

30K is a bit steep. My carbon fibre frames with reactions lenses were 12K

What make are your frames? They must be Armani at that price.

[Si Thea01]

Yes they take time, because you have to get used to automatically look in a certain angle.

And surely you paid 3.000, not 30.000?

Bought my multifocal glasses from the same company at a cost of B13k, if he was charged B30k they say him coming. You will not buy multifocal glasses for B3k

Edited September 20, 2015 by Si Thea01

[WorriedNoodle]

I think my problem is one I had before when I bought my first pair of reading glasses - also from TC but I don't want to hit on them - just stating what happened.

I asked for reading glasses because I wanted to read my computer screen. They provided me with lenses I could only read close up with - at short arm distance or near vision. I explained to the shop in this day and age computer screens are the norm, so they changed the lenses free of charge,

Now I notice with these progressive lenses the same problem - whereby I cannot read the computer screen - referred to as intermediate zone. However the near and far zone vision is clear. It seems that in my limited knowledge of progressive lenses which wasn't clearly explained at the shop the lens can be built to have a wider intermediate zone (soft corridor type?) and I haven't got that.

[lopburi3]

Yes they take time, because you have to get used to automatically look in a certain angle.

And surely you paid 3.000, not 30.000?

Bought my multifocal glasses from the same company at a cost of B13k, if he was charged B30k they say him coming. You will not buy multifocal glasses for B3k

If you mean at a shop in Thailand suspect you are right - but you most surly can buy multifocal glasses for the equivalent of 3,000 baht online while in Thailand.

[WorriedNoodle]

NEVER depend on a shop selling frames to make an eye examination.

That mistake that cost me 10,000 Baht

I went to Bangkok Hospital, got an eye exam and written prescription.

Then I ordered a pair on-line from Zenni Optical ... flexible titanium progressive lens and they look better than what I see in shops. This cost 3,000 Baht, no import tax ... shipped from Hong Kong ... about 10 days from placing order to my post box.

The first place I went to when my eyes started aging was the Bamrungrad hospital eye clinic. Until then my eyes had never been an issue so I was inexperienced at eye care. I thought I would get some professional advise and the correct glasses as well! The hospital said they don't do glasses. They just wrote out my eye test result and suggested I get eye glasses for Presbyopia at any shop. Cost me over a 1000THB for what I already knew. I took the hospital note anyway to TC but they just did their own tests anyway and gave me what they suggested.

[ignis]

OK I get mine from a Private house, he has everything in the front room he is a old retired optician ....... single lenses = 1,000 baht, Bifocal = 2,250 baht and the multi focal = 5,000 baht..

had glasses since i was 14 years old. mostly always multi-focal .. My last multi-focal cost me 13,xxx baht here in 2003, since then have been using this old guy.. he pointed out a lot of things, so now for some years have the same set up... I have for everyday normal use. Bifocal, at the PC table I have a pair of what would normally be the middle lenses and on the coffee table have a pair of reading glasses.

A new test every 2 years. in the last 10 years have had New prescriptions 1x reading glasses, 2 x bifocal. so saved a lot of money

[ignis]

I think my problem is one I had before when I bought my first pair of reading glasses - also from TC but I don't want to hit on them - just stating what happened.

I asked for reading glasses because I wanted to read my computer screen. They provided me with lenses I could only read close up with - at short arm distance or near vision. I explained to the shop in this day and age computer screens are the norm, so they changed the lenses free of charge,

Now I notice with these progressive lenses the same problem - whereby I cannot read the computer screen - referred to as intermediate zone. However the near and far zone vision is clear. It seems that in my limited knowledge of progressive lenses which wasn't clearly explained at the shop the lens can be built to have a wider intermediate zone (soft corridor type?) and I haven't got that.

Maybe a larger Computer Screen would help ?

4 years now have been using 32" so much better and easier to use

[loumaripol]

I have been using progreeive lens glasses for a few years now. It took me a couple of weeks to adjust. I still use reading glasses when my eyes are tired in the evening. One pair was purchased from the optical shop at Bangkok Hospital, the other from a Peruivian shop. Give it a little time. I hope that they work out for you.

[WorriedNoodle]

Maybe a larger Computer Screen would help ?

4 years now have been using 32" so much better and easier to use

A 32 inch PC screen, that is large. I don't think I need that, besides I have a laptop I take on the road. The progressive lenses I have just got can focus on the screen but only on a very small area of about 1 inch at any time, whereas my cheap 5 dollar plastic reading glasses with a diopter of 1.25 enables me to see the whole screen including periphery as I rotate my eyeballs all over it.

[taiwanatoa]

NEVER depend on a shop selling frames to make an eye examination.

That mistake that cost me 10,000 Baht

I went to Bangkok Hospital, got an eye exam and written prescription.

Then I ordered a pair on-line from Zenni Optical ... flexible titanium progressive lens and they look better than what I see in shops. This cost 3,000 Baht, no import tax ... shipped from Hong Kong ... about 10 days from placing order to my post box.

I have been considering and hesitating to order from Zenni. Because I'm just leary about buying expensive progressive lenses online. Although they have assured me that they are high quality. They said their best quality ones cost about $200. But yours you only paid 3000 baht for. Are they high quality do you think?

Edited June 6, 2016 by taiwanatoa

[lopburi3]

I have bought several pairs from Zenni and in 3,000 baht area and less and they appear fine to me - very thin lens - but they do push the more expensive/thinner lens I noticed in recent years as "recommended" - but last year only needed correction for reading and cost with s/g was $57 and 2 years before for -5.5 and -4.5 to 2.5 cost for about same frame type was $75 - not expensive frames but mid priced and seem to last well and fit well.