Does anybody understand eyesight prescriptions on here?

[mrjohn]

 

I am trying to order glasses with progressive lenses from Zenni optical, for obvious reasons.

 

I live in a fairly small town so there aren’t too many opticians available. They only want to sell glasses (at ridiculous prices) and don’t really want to do eye tests without a sale.

I eventually managed to obtain 2 prescriptions from different opticians but they are not the same.

In fact, to my untutored eye they are not even remotely similar. But then, I don’t know much about eyesight prescriptions.

 

So, I would welcome some advice from anybody on here as to whether these prescriptions are in any way similar or usable.

 

 

Edited May 7, 2017 by mrjohn

[ignis]

Think you hit the nail on the head  'They only want to sell glasses'

 

For me was a test every 2 years + always needed new glasses.. 

 

Past few years always go now to the Hospital, full exam and eye test 400 - 500 baht...

last week she said the prescription [7 years] is old and not up to date but the change is only small and not worth changing yet..  she did ask again many questions..  eg: how much do I read, as my Monitor is 32" she said fine.. also that for driving glasses are no longer needed, just short and medium have changed...

 

 

 

 

[mrjohn]

I should add that the 1.75 hand written on the back of one of the prescriptions is what I believe to be the near vision addition.

[mrjohn]

Unfortunately, I am reliably informed that my local hospital doesn't do eye tests, otherwise that is where I would go.

[lopburi3]

Actually they seem to be computer reports and taking average of 3 readings (last) as recommended an average.  Not that much difference really as your vision does not appear to need much correcting - one says 1.5 and other 1 and same ratio for other eye.  If me would go with lower correction readings if you can not obtain another test and the 84/82 axis.  Yes the + numbers would be for reading (close).  

 

I am not a doctor - just someone wearing glasses for about 65 years.

[dddave]

25 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Actually they seem to be computer reports and taking average of 3 readings (last) as recommended an average.  Not that much difference really as your vision does not appear to need much correcting - one says 1.5 and other 1 and same ratio for other eye.  If me would go with lower correction readings if you can not obtain another test and the 84/82 axis.  Yes the + numbers would be for reading (close).  

 

I am not a doctor - just someone wearing glasses for about 65 years.

Worth trying.  If you can't get a reliable eye exam nearby.  Zenni sells single prescription glasses for as low as $6.95 and they aren't bad. Before you invest in progressives, purchase a pair of standard, single vision and try them, using Lopbury3's suggestion using the lower correction numbers.  If it is satisfactory, then get the progressives.

To find the $6.95 glasses, scroll to the bottom of the home page...kind of hidden in the list of services there.

I've written this so many times I sound like a broken record but worth repeating:  most vision exams done in optical shops in Thailand are done by technicians with questionable training and skill.  Some may be very good but there are also a lot of incompetents.    

[partington]

Sph or S stands for sphere, or the actual curvature of the lens.It is for the distance correction.  Generally differences in these values only change in steps of  0.25, anything smaller than this and you cant really see a difference.

 

The Sph values  for Prescription A

Right eye   -1.5    Left eye  -1.0      

 The Sph values  for Prescription B

Right eye    -1.0    Left eye -0.5

 

While this shows your left eye needs less distance correction than your right there is a -0.5 difference in both prescriptions which means you would perceive  A will be noticeably stronger when you wear them.

 

The axis and cylinder (A & C) values should be taken together for EACH EYE : they basically tell the optician how far your eye shape is imperfect ( cyl = amount astigmatism correction ) and (axis =angle they must rotate correction to match your eye) - think of it as how much you have to adjust the lens to fit exactly the distortion each individual eye)

 

 For this reason the A xis and C ylinder values for each eye must be taken together, and are unique to each eye-you cannot take an average of values from both eyes and add them together as they are a measurement and compensation for each eye individually.

 

For prescription A

Right eye the axis (angle  to correct ) 78,  cyl (strength of astigmatism correction) -0.5

prescription B

Right eye the axis (angle  to correct ) 85,  cyl (strength of astigmatism correction) -1

 

For prescription B

Left eye the axis (angle  to correct ) 82,  cyl (strength of astigmatism correction) -1

prescription B

Left eye the axis (angle  to correct ) 84,  cyl (strength of astigmatism correction) -1.5

 

As axis value are angles there is no difference really between the values in the two prescriptions for each eye, being less than 5° apart- in my prescriptions this sort of difference happens routinely.

 

The cylinder measurements again usually come in increments of 0.25 and can be though of a measurement of how much your eye is curved (astigmatism). They are  again -0.5 apart between each prescription, and again -0.25 is about the smallest change you would notice. 

 

However this time the second prescription B is the one with the strongest cylinder correction, whereas A had a stronger SPh correction, so this seems weird, (unless one compensates for the other but I don't think it works like this).

 

MY advice would be not to mix values from each prescription especially Ax and Cyl from one with Sph from another.

 

Go for one prescription first and see. You could get a cheap trial pair from Zenni for $40.

 

EDIT: as mentioned above the ADD + 1.75 values written on the back are for the reading portion of the glasses and are the same for each eye. If you want to read with your progressives you must put this value in the ADD portion of the Zenni order prescription.

Edited May 7, 2017 by partington

[mrjohn]

Many thanks for all the replies. Very much appreciated.

 

Especially Partington for such a detailed response.

 

I’m still trying to get a reliable prescription.

 

I tried the dreaded Top Charoen yesterday and was told that it was company policy not to give customers the details of their eye tests. This is in contrast to the UK and the US where they are legally obliged to do so.

 

Incidentally, one of the prescriptions I posted previously was from a fairly old-fashioned (even ancient) opticians whose prices were considerably lower, than Top Charoen (for both frames and lenses) even after Top Charoen’s so-called “discounts.”

 

My wife has been moaning about needing new glasses for some time and I have been trying to point her in the direction of buying online. But, despite the fact that she’s quite pushy for a Thai woman, she would not go into an opticians and demand a prescription.

So she bought a new pair from one of the older (family run) shops in town for 3,100 baht.

The same pair of glasses would have cost 1,100 online.

 

So I shall be going back to the same place where she bought hers to try and get a takeaway prescription from them tomorrow.

 

If all else fails, I shall follow the advice on here and order a pair of single vision, cheap as possible glasses and see how they go.

 

[KittenKong]

On 07/05/2017 at 9:33 AM, ignis said:

Past few years always go now to the Hospital, full exam and eye test 400 - 500 baht...

 

Which hospital is "the" hospital?

[ignis]

15 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

Which hospital is "the" hospital?

Pinklao Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat Hospital....  bit of a long trip into Bangkok but well worth it every 6 months

[lopburi3]

Actually the top facility for eyes in Thailand for over 50 years is normally considered to be below so if traveling to Bangkok that would be my recommendation.  They are high volume with reasonable prices for private facility.  

www.rutnin.com

[KittenKong]

4 hours ago, ignis said:

Pinklao Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat Hospital....  bit of a long trip into Bangkok but well worth it every 6 months

 

Is it this place? http://www.eent.co.th/intro.html   They dont seem to support English at all.

[KittenKong]

3 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Actually the top facility for eyes in Thailand for over 50 years is normally considered to be below so if traveling to Bangkok that would be my recommendation.  They are high volume with reasonable prices for private facility.  

www.rutnin.com

 

It's a shame that they dont provide any pricing information that I could see. I have an innate dislike for any business that isnt clear and upfront about basic prices. I find it hard to imagine what reason there could be for hiding such prices other than a desire to overcharge.

[lopburi3]

Just now, KittenKong said:

 

It's a shame that they dont provide any pricing information that I could see. I have an innate dislike for any business that isnt clear and upfront about basic prices. I find it hard to imagine what reason there could be for hiding such prices other than a desire to overcharge.

Actually there is often a very valid reason as treatment/procedures will vary according to what is found.  I have used them intermittently for over 40 years and never felt overcharged and a basic eye test is not a very expensive procedure anywhere.  Most recently used them for CVFT (computer visual field tests) when my hospital did not have the facilities and price was 1,065 baht in 2012.  Believe I pay about the same at my hospital now that they can do.  

[robblok]

2 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Actually there is often a very valid reason as treatment/procedures will vary according to what is found.  I have used them intermittently for over 40 years and never felt overcharged and a basic eye test is not a very expensive procedure anywhere.  Most recently used them for CVFT (computer visual field tests) when my hospital did not have the facilities and price was 1,065 baht in 2012.  Believe I pay about the same at my hospital now that they can do.  

Hi,

 

One other vote for Rutin here, been there real professional and also did not feel overcharged. Just wanted to get the right prescription. 

[KittenKong]

3 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Actually there is often a very valid reason as treatment/procedures will vary according to what is found.

 

My comment was specifically about basic charges. These do not normally vary from one person to another and, if they do, a range of prices can easily be quoted. For example: "eye test from 500B to 1000B". It's really very simple and many places manage it perfectly well. In Europe it is standard practice.

[dddave]

At Rutnin Eye Hospital, they don't give simple "eye tests" as a glasses shop does.  For about B1300 (January, 2017) you will get a full eye examination by an opthamologist including Glaucoma and cataract testing.

When I contacted Rutnin prior to the exam, they did not hesitate to quote the price for the examination. 

[ignis]

8 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

Is it this place? http://www.eent.co.th/intro.html   They dont seem to support English at all.

Yes...

 

a full eye examination by an ophthalmologist including Glaucoma and cataract testing, price 500 baht..

 

Paid 720 baht last time, to also have photo's taken of my eyes [different room and machines ] + the Dr wrote a report as my Diabetic Dr [different Hospital  'Red Cross' ] want the report.

 

as a warning... you cannot drive after the test or rather after all the drops [3 lots in each eye every 10 mins]

Edited May 9, 2017 by ignis

[edwardandtubs]

Buy some of these from Ebay for 50 baht each and see for yourself what's best:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Black-Frames-Semi-rimless-Eyeglass-Myopia-Glasses-1-1-5-2-2-5-3-3-5-4-/361147897235?var=630494247901&hash=item5416179593:m:m_apilsYsG6U1L9WYmKTSmg

[oldcarguy]

How do you order  glasses with +175 for reading and clear on the top ?

 

 

[KittenKong]

11 hours ago, dddave said:

At Rutnin Eye Hospital, they don't give simple "eye tests" as a glasses shop does.  For about B1300 (January, 2017) you will get a full eye examination by an opthamologist including Glaucoma and cataract testing.

When I contacted Rutnin prior to the exam, they did not hesitate to quote the price for the examination. 

 

Great. But why cant they just put the price on their website, to save me the trouble of contacting them? The inability to communicate basic information is a very common failing here.

 

I get that exact same full test done in the UK by a fully qualified person and I know to the penny what it will cost before I contract them to make an appointment. In fact their website informs me clearly whether I qualify for a free test or, if not, how much I will need to pay. And the amount varies according to whether you then get glasses made by them or not. And all the prices of all the frames and lenses and options are clearly listed.

 

No surprises.

Edited May 9, 2017 by KittenKong

[lopburi3]

7 hours ago, oldcarguy said:

How do you order  glasses with +175 for reading and clear on the top ?

 

 

Use zero for CYL and add +1.75 for reading.  Have made such as progressive and normally do not wear but great for shopping.

[mrjohn]

Update and more questions…….

Yesterday I went to the opticians I had originally visited to verify the prescription on May 2^nd which was lacking the NV Addition figure needed for progressive lenses.

They determined the NV Addition figure by holding my existing lenses (which are 10 years old) up to the light and gave me the figure of 2.50

The other opticians had given me an NV Addition figure of 1.75

So my questions are:

Can they really tell which lenses are needed by simply holding your glasses up to the light?

Why are the NV figures on two prescriptions so different and does it actually matter?

I got them to write down the figures on a prescription form I had downloaded and I noticed that they had written 90° axis for both eyes whereas the original prescription says 85° and 84°. Again, does this matter?

Once again, very grateful for any advice anybody can give.

 

The original prescription and the downloaded form which they filled in for me are pictured below.

 

 

[mrjohn]

Update and more questions…….

 

Yesterday I went to the opticians I had originally visited to verify the prescription on May 2^nd which was lacking the NV Addition figure needed for progressive lenses.

 

They determined the NV Addition figure by holding my existing lenses (which are 10 years old) up to the light and gave me the figure of 2.50

 

The other opticians had given me an NV Addition figure of 1.75

 

So my questions are:

 

Can they really tell which lenses are needed by simply holding your glasses up to the light?

 

Why are the NV figures on two prescriptions so different and does it actually matter?

 

I got them to write down the figures on a prescription form I had downloaded and I noticed that they had written 90° axis for both eyes whereas the original prescription says 85° and 84°. Again, does this matter?

 

Once again, very grateful for any advice anybody can give.

 

The original prescription and the downloaded form which they filled in for me are pictured below.

 

 

 

 

 

[edwardandtubs]

mrjohn, what really matters is how YOU feel with the glasses on. I went into an optician in Big C and they gave me this giant pair of glasses with adjustable lenses. We tried different combinations until we found one that gave me the best sight. It was different from the prescription they initially 'diagnosed'. The cost was 100 baht.

[lopburi3]

You can easily determine your NV lens by checking in a drug store or supermarket as they often have reading glasses for sale and allow you to check - if in city there would also be street sellers.   Just remember the lens marking for those that give you best reading distance vision (reading tags from others if you do not have anything else).  You want strong enough to actually read fairly fine print so best to carry something you can use to test that.

 

Axis probably would not be a concern when close to 90 degrees

 

Just noticed PD 35 - are you a snake?  Suspect that is 35 to center meaning PD 70?

Edited May 10, 2017 by lopburi3