Looking for inexpensive-good quality eyeglasses with eye exam

[SteveSamui6262]

Hoping for suggestions to optometry offices in Bangkok.  Hopefully around the Rachada or Sukhumvit areas, but open to other areas.  Trying to avoid the Farang price tag for a simple exam & glasses.  All suggestions are appreciated. 

Thanks. 

[lopburi3]

Actually do not believe it is a case of Farang Price.  Glasses are often expensive for anyone if buying from one of the sales chains.  Sorry can not provide answer but people have posted of what they consider reasonable priced places so if you do not get an answer perhaps Google can be of help.  

[Sheryl]

See this thread

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/616470-best-place-to-get-glasses-in-bangkok/

 

 

and

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/834521-prescription-eyeglasses-progressive-lenses/

 

 

Eyeglasses are expensive here and many people prefer to order online. If you do buy locally, prices are best at small independent shops than at chains but in the are of Bangkok you mention, you won't find these.  Even upcountry they are a vanishing breed.

[Dagnabbit]

BVAX chain are good but n my opinion


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[dddave]

While I was recently in the US, I got several pair of glasses (progressives with a very strong prescription) from Zenni Optical, an online seller.  I had checked at several local opticians and chain optical retailers and the best price I could find for a pair of progressive glasses with high index (lighter) lenses was $350+++.

I was able to buy a pair on Zenni for $130.  They have some super inexpensive options as well so I also purchased a pair of single vision sunglasses and reading glasses for less than $25 each.  They actually have light prescription, single vision glasses for as low as $6.95...and they are not bad.

They promised 14 day delivery which just fit with my departure schedule but a glitch in my order for the progressives pushed the delivery date too close to my departure.  I asked if they could ship them direct to Thailand instead and they said they could for $9.50 extra. The single vision glasses arrived in Boston before my departure, the progressives arrived in Bangkok 10 days later.  

The lenses were perfect...my vision was clear and the frames were comfortable. I was very satisfied.

 

My GF in Bangkok was having a problem with her older glasses so I took her to Rutnin Eye Institute on Asoke for a comprehensive eye exam and requested a prescription be included: B1300, appointment suggested.

Her prescription was very light so she did not need high index lenses.  I ordered 4 pair for her from Zenni, including 2 at $6.95 which her light script qualified for.  They charged $9.95 for shipping all 4 pair at the same time.  They arrived in 15 days.  The glasses fit her perfectly, even the 2 cheapo $6.95 pairs and the prescription was spot on.  She had no difficulty adjusting to them. 4 pair of decent and correct prescription glasses for under $50...no way to beat that.

All glasses come with a plastic case and cleaning cloth.

 

Some things to know:  Zenni makes it's own frames and has a large selection. No frames from other manufacturers are sold by them.  They are not the top quality you get with expensive designer frames.

It was clear from the packaging that the glasses and frames are actually made and put together in China...mine and my GF's delivered to Bangkok were shipped directly from there.  I would say the quality is "good" to "very good" and the pair I have now been wearing daily for a month have remained comfortable and I have had no problems.  Even the $6.95 frames were decent and usable, about on a par you would get with a decent pair of department store sunglasses.

Be sure your prescription has the "PD", that is "Pupilary Distance", the exact distance between your pupils. Sometimes there is one measurement, sometimes two.  Also, head width is necessary for proper fit but that is something you can do yourself.

The Zenni website (http://www.zennioptical.com/) is easy to use with tutorials on proper fitting and selection.  The $6.95 bargains are kind of buried in the website and take a bit of work to find.  Only the lightest scripts qualify for that low price.

The lowest quote I ever found in Bangkok for my high index progressives was B20,000, close to $600 so paying $130 was certainly worth taking the chance.  Zenni does have a decent return policy should they not be correct...just make sure your prescription is up to date and correct.

Anybody is welcome to PM me with any questions.

[raro]

if you want a first class eye exam, go to the TRSC Lasik center. It's 1,500 IIRC, takes about four hours and is very thorough. They give you a paper with the full diagnosis and hope to see you again for a lasik treatment. No pushy selling. 

 

Next step, order your glasses online with the prescription you got...

[oldcarguy]

went to Rutnin Eye Institute on Asoke for a comprehensive eye exam and requested a prescription .....

 

as above I went Monday , made appointment at 9;30am for noon , got there about 11;15 and filled out paperwork

 

they called me at 12:02 , had 3 sets of tests , after the 2nd one they put eyedrops in and I had to sit for 20 plus minutes

last person was the real eye doctor , she looked at my eyes after the drops and everything was fine ,

did get a perscription for plain reading glasses , actually 2 , one for book reading , and another for Laptop reading ,

 

Total was 1533 baht and I was out of there at 2:15pm

 

its a decent place , they use way to much paper where a tablet might really help ,

and they run a  lot of people thru there , so there is a wait between tests ,

 

But they do have a big screen with cartoons to keep everyone occupied ,

 

Overall a nice no drama plae that knows their job , and no push at least to me to buy glasses ,

 

the only odd thing was they did not give you the perscription at the cashier but made you go over to the Eyeglass center where she wrote it out by hand .....

 

I would send others there as they know one job very good compared to a hospital

[lopburi3]

Rutnin is a hospital (but dedicated to eye) and has been for several decades - previous to that it was an eye clinic (and the best in Thailand).  Good report of procedure.  Dilation of eyes takes time (and for some of us a lot longer than 20 minutes).