Cataracts

[edandpranee]

 My cataract surgery--I share this because most of us will develop cataracts if we live long enough: .I did the left eye on Monday April 3rd. Went in 4 hours before surgery during this time they put drops in my eye every half hour until the surgery to dilate and numb my eye. The surgery is done in a real operating room and only takes about 45 minutes, you sit in what looks like a dentists chair that reclines for surgery. There is no pain but you see the different instruments inserted into your eye as the doctor removes your lens and inserts a new one--this is the scary part kinda glad he gave me a pill to relax. After a quick stay in the recovery room I'm headed home to return tomorrow for the right eye. Recovery--You can actually see right after surgery, but things are a bit blurry. After a week I'm seeing better without glasses than I was with them. I have to cover my eyes every night for a month with plastic goggles to keep all pressure off my eyes and use eye drops every 4 hours for three to stop any infection. Cost and options----I have no insurance in Thailand so my cost was right at 6 thousand dollars, I went to one of the best hospitals in Thailand and picked a lens that is progressive allowing me to see both near and far. In the States insurance will pay for the surgery but only for the entry level lens that allows you to see near or far requiring glasses to see good at all distances. Why did I have the surgery---Cataracts are clouding of your natural lens in your eye, mine were clouded to the point that 40% of the light was blocked from entering my eye. It's a very slow progression and you don't realize you have the condition--until after sugary, it's like someone turned the lights on in a dark room. My advice---Do the surgery don't put it off and pay a little extra to get the progressive lens. Many people do the surgery because they don't like wearing glasses and improve their vision at the same time.

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[Rimmer]

Moved to Health Forum

[lopburi3]

Actually the multi focal lens has had more issues than single and is the reason it is not covered by insurance.  We may have questions on that but cost difference is often not that much so expect some truth in it.

 

The cost of more than 100k per eye would, I suspect, be on the high side - but that would vary by the lens used.  For single focal lens cover plastic when sleeping was only required for one week - and normally you would have more than a day between surgeries I suspect - mine were a week or two apart.  

[Sheryl]

By point of contrast, cataract surgery at government hospital with standard lens is under 20,000 baht (about US $600). At medium price-range private hospitals, 65,000 baht (about US $2,000).

 

$6,000 seems quite high even allowing for the added cost of progressive lenses.

[edandpranee]

I had the surgery done at Pattaya Bangkok Hospital, it was close to home and my cost was 95k per eye including follow up.  I know the price was high but I liked the Doctor and he sold me on a new lens made by PhysIOL.  I did check at a government hospital and the price was 25k per eye but there was a 5 month waiting list with a 6 month wait for the second eye for the standard lens.  I opted to pay the price and get the lens I wanted in my time frame.  I'm 70 years old and have wore glasses all my life just the idea and now the thrill of not wearing eyeglasses was well worth the price for me.  The post was meant to  make people aware that cataract surgery is not to be afraid and results in a better quality of life. Thank you Sheryl and Lopburi3 for your comments on my post

[Sheryl]

OK so it was $6000 for both eyes - $3,000 per each.  I though from your post $6000 for one eye.

 

95K not unsual for a for-profit private hospital using progressive lens

[lopburi3]

Expect your also noticed how much more vivid colors are now?  Believe that will fade in time as our brain adjusts (at least that was my experience).  But you will likely need to wear sunglasses a lot more than before so there will still be a need for some glasses.  

[edandpranee]

 Sheryl I do feel a tad bit better now knowing the price was within the norm.  lopburi3, oh yes the colors are vivid and it was exciting to look for a new pair of sunglasses,  that I wear in the sun and take off when I come inside. I go back in two weeks and my doctor will check for secondary cataracts that sometime form after surgery,  if found he will remove them with a laser hopefully that will keep the colors vivid.  Thanks again Sheryl and lopbuie3--Life is good     

 

[MMan]

Thanks Edandpranee,

I need cataract surgery but have been putting it off, so thanks for the advice.  Nice to hear there was no pain and things went well for you.

[Sheryl]

As it happens my sister had cataract surgery today for the second time (other eye) at local army hospital. 17,000 baht per eye (plus pre op check costs), standard lenses. As before, the only pain was momentary during injection of local anesthetic.

[sometime]

You seem very pleased with the outcome, just wondering who was the surgeon who did the op.

[oxo1947]

Somchai.....I am guessing... He also did mine some 6 years ago , I am surprised you didn't stay overnight--that was a requirement at one time.  With Dr Somchai there is always a new lens....or something like that--but he is a good doctor, in fact they seem to have built that clinic around him.

Yes its bright after, and colours abound, I made the mistake of painting out a condo I had brought in Ban Chang at the time. Remember driving the girl in the paint shop mad as I kept trying to tone it down......"do you have that -but in an even  lighter shade"........"yes sir we call that White".

[lopburi3]

Old thread so a bit hard to know which post but staying overnight is not normally required at private hospitals in my experience or from most posts I have read.  You want to have a pair of sunglasses for the ride home (no driving) and operation eye will be covered with bandage but no other restrictions.  You visit the next day to remove bandage/check and start eye drop medications (have have to use a plastic cover over eye for sleep for a week to make sure you do not scratch it).  And indeed the color change can be huge.  But just like paint - it fades in time.

[sometime]

1 hour ago, sometime said:

You seem very pleased with the outcome, just wondering who was the surgeon who did the op.

Sorry I was referring to the original poster, edandpranee, who had the surgery at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital