Classy glasses

[Farang]

'
One of the most FAQ's by tourists on various and sundry websites about Thailand are of:

a) tailored clothing, and; b) price and quality of spectacles.

To my amazement I have not seen much of a discussion about either here. Just search "glasses"
and you'll see the last discussion was summer 2005, nearly two years ago.

While Hua Hin is full of Optical Shops, I'll not visit them.

Firstly, they rarely are nothing but fancied-up frame-pushers who will have someone examining your eyes
and never, ever fail to find reasons to push a pair of glasses your way whether you need them or not.
Secondly, they are not qualified ophthalmologists, they are more often optometrists with none of the
trained doctors ethics nor qualifications. Instead of these eye-paramedics (no matter how blindingly white
their coat) I use real eye-doctor, a real eye-MD who is able to inspect all aspects and concerns of the eye,
including a plethora of various complaints, symptoms of which are firstly observable in the eyes.
And thirdly, in addition to being more qualified the real doctors usually are considerably cheaper than the frame-pushers.

After a bit of shopping around in HH I recently visited the Dr.Pairat Eye-Clinic. There I ordered
a pair of glasses costing me 9200 Baht with the ultra-thin titanium frames and the very best of anti reflective,
color-adapting, hard-coated lenses. Exactly the same configuration cost in one of the many frame-pushing
joints in HH a staggering sum of 18 000 baht. On comparing the frame prices in HH optical shops and
in Pairat I am of the opinion that Pairat is about 30 -35 % cheaper all other things being equal.
I had a friend with me and also he was examined by Dr. Pairat who then said my friend not needing
glasses as of yet. This is ethical MD taking care of his patient/client instead of a frame-pusher
selling frames, be there a real need or not. Funny as it would be, on my tour of comparison this friend
of mine was deemed to need glasses in one of the leading Optical shops in HH he was examined.

Doctor Pairat's clinic is between Sois 88/1 and 88/2, facing
Phetskasem Road, just the next block south of Market Village.

Good to see an ethical real medical man among all these glass-pirates.
,

[Jockey]

Assuming you have no other motive to recommend Doctor Pairat's clinic, other than to be helpful to fellow board members, thank you for a very good and helpful recommendation. I'll pay the place a visit.

[bj.blackowitz]

If you need glasses: take the prescription from your won doctor, Let them make it to these guidelines and you will have a pair of glasses that will cost 50% or less from what you pay in Europe.

easy as 1,2,3

works same same in HH and BKK

[Farang]

Assuming you have no other motive to recommend Doctor Pairat's clinic, other than to be helpful to fellow board members, thank you for a very good and helpful recommendation. I'll pay the place a visit.

I have another motive as well. In addition to trying to help the board members of whom
I have gotten much good advise I try to help Dr. Pairat to have more customers. I like
his attitude and his fixed prices. There's no hagggling, no bargaining and no false discounts.

These are the sole two reasons I have for this post. However, I'd very much like to see someone
do a more thorough job on price comparisons, be it on glasses or on tailored clothing.

We'd all benefit from it, much as would the good shops and honest entrepreneurs delivering value for the money.
,

[DawnHRD]

He's actually a very good & thorough eye doctor as well. He did my Mum's cataract op & referred me urgently to Bumrungrad when he saw something in one of my eyes that could have been a very rare form of eye cancer (one in 6 million are affected with this cancer). It turned out, it wasn't that (Thank goodness!), but how many doctors would have missed the signs completely?

[Farang]

I needed another pair of glasses. I have called for hard data of both glasses and of tailors. As no one else is posting any prices,
here's my contribution, in hope of this being use to others on the board.

Wire frames, nothing fancy but reliable, well known brand 1 800 B. Lenses, progressive, color-adapting, borderless,
antireflect-treated, respected brand 2 x 3100 B. Total for the pair 8000 baht.

The same with color-adapting and antireflect treated lenses 5800 for the pair.

These prices are at Dr. Pairat's Clinic. He is a real ophthalmologist. Before you buy from the mid-town optometrists compare prices at real eye-doctor.

Doctor Pairat's clinic is in the building facing the Phetskasem Road between Sois 88/1 and 88/2, one block south of Market Village.

[mrco]

How long does it take from beeing examined by Dr. Pairat until I get my glasses?
I will be be in Hua Hin in March for 10 days. If I go to him the first day, will I get my glasses in time before I leave?

This is my first post on this forum. I was in Hua Hin February 2007 for 17 days and I really liked it so now I´m coming back. I have read a lot on this forum and it has really helped me in many ways.

Sorry if my English isn´t so good. I´m from Sweden so it´s not my first language.

// mrco

[doggie]

had a good pair made last year at the optical next to burger king

and they sais normally time 1 week, but i was in a hurry and

had them made in 3-4 days nice pair rodenstock

[Farang]

I've gotten my glasses from Dr. Pairat in a week or less. So have many of my price-conscious friends.

[bradders]

Dawne wrote:

He's actually a very good & thorough eye doctor as well. He did my Mum's cataract op

Many thanks guys for all the useful information regarding glasses.

On the subject of eyesight does anyone know if there's a clinic in HH that performs eye laser surgery? As Dawne mentioned the good Dr. perfomed the cataract op then maybe he also performs laser treatment, if so, does anyone know what that would cost in HH - or BKK?

It will be interesting to compare costs to that of Dubai and Europe etc.

By the way, if a cataract op is the 'same' procedure as a laser op then please forgive my ignorance!!

I'm no eye expert! - simply seeking a way to dispose of my reading glasses at an affordable price if possible!!

bradders

[da]

Classy glasses sounds good but I for one would prefer a classy chassis!

[Riversider]

On my last visit I visited the Dr with rest of my family, we all had glasses made within a week. He also gave me the news that I had a cataract growing in one eye and showed me on his machine. A thorough examination was given to all of us, he also noticed a problem with my wife's eye, and at a reasonable cost.

[Ralphsandbag]

Purchased glasses from Dr. Pairat today, took 10 days as he was extremely busy (always a good sign). Very professional, with up to date equipment. Top glasses and sun glasses.
Remember he is not open All Day....
Cheers Ralph

[Randy Cornhole]

Drove all the way to Dr Pairat about 3 weeks ago and he was shut. Not a good sign. Went to time optics instead. They were very good...

[Norseman]

Drove all the way to Dr Pairat about 3 weeks ago and he was shut. Not a good sign.

Yep, he can't be in the shop while he performs surgical removal of eyes or something like that!!

Come back later, about 6 pm.