Specs, Glasses, Spectacles - Price comp with UK?

[KittenKong]

Glasses and eye-tests all seem to be much cheaper and much better in the UK than here.

 

The only thing I do here is to sometimes get new lenses made for my old glasses according to my UK prescription which I have re-checked every couple of years.

[marcho]

Why not order from UK and have them delivered to the Thai address, or have them delivered to their home now. Takes about 2 to3 weeks with postal tracking

[Surasak]

I would suggest an eye test in the UK before leaving and have the prescription made up here in Thailand. I have fallen foul of a few opticians here due to the quality of the eye test. Price for price? It's a case of having the time to look around.

[SheungWan]

For those who do have their eye-test done in the UK, I have some reservation about having it done at Boots. They appear to have a two-tier eye test, with extra payment for the supposedly extra service second tier. I get the impression that the Boots Optician service is now not in-house but franchised out. When I was enquiring re their service they seemed more interested in pushing the sale of their cheap frame buy one, get one half-price service. Or at least at the branch I attended.

Edited February 20, 2019 by SheungWan

[marcho]

19 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

Erm.....

 

UK much cheaper.

 

https://www.selectspecs.com

 

https://www.selectspecs.com/cheap-glasses/

 

From £6 per pair including lenses.

 

I'm wearing mine now. Though I upgraded the lenses. So paid £18(725 baht) including delivery of around £6.

 

You'll never find that in Thailand. They all wanna get rich quick.

They don't seem to have multifocal and progressive lenses and their range of frames is not that big. But ok if you just want single vision or bifocal

[Jumbo1968]

I spent over £600 at Top Chareon on specs, I had an Eye Test, very basic only to be told the prescription was wrong when I had an Eye Test in the U.K. a few weeks later. 

They attemted to change the lenses in the U.K. but broke them, lesson, have your eyes tested elsewhere first.

[kokopelli]

16 minutes ago, Surasak said:

I would suggest an eye test in the UK before leaving and have the prescription made up here in Thailand. I have fallen foul of a few opticians here due to the quality of the eye test. Price for price? It's a case of having the time to look around.

As suggested above, have your eyes tested in your home country and bring prescription with you. The testing here in Thailand is not so good. I had my eyes tested and had new lenses and couldn't even see anything when using them! Had a second test at a hospital and the prescription was nothing like my existing script from home. 

 

[ianwheldale]

When I lived in the UK I used http://glasses2you.co.uk/

Now in Thailand and I still use them. Postage still free and takes about a week normally. I need to get a new prescription soon which is the only drawback. I'm not sure if you can get an eye test here and disappear without buying any glasses as I used to do at Tesco in the UK. Does anyone have a recommendation for Chiang Mai?

[CliffH]

Not sure if this is relevant, but isn't the bridge wider in this part of the world in order to accommodate the broader noses?  Not a good fit for western noses.

I get my specs from Glasses Direct when I'm in the UK.  Never had any problems, cheap, fast postal service, and the quality is good.

[fruitman]

18 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Cheapest is Zenni Optical mail order, unless you want to take a trip to Vietnam.

Glasses aren't cheap in Thailand, but maybe cheaper than the UK by a little.

My wife just bought new ones, 40 baht...they look the same as the expensive ones but are heavier she said.

 

Just test them in the shop and if you can see well buy them.

[samsensam]

 

had my eyes tested in the uk, told the optician i would get frames and lenses in thailand, she agreed it would be cheaper. and indeed it was.

 

specsavers have some good deals sometimes but a few years ago i had an eye test there that proved to be incorrect - i thought at the time the 'optician' seemed less professional than i'd expect, anyway, i dont go there now.

[VocalNeal]

20 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

On a related topic, any recommendations for where to get your eyes tested In Bangkok or should I wait till I’m visiting UK next month?

 

I went to Madihol University Dept. of Opthamology. A short walk from Victory Monument BTS

 

Even after all the medical ophthalmology stuff he told me the optician where i bought my glasses would still have to make adjustments based on the frames and my face shape, etc.

 

if you have a wander around in the Medical Forum here there is a recommendation for a good ophthalmologist. That is where I got the recommendation.

 

Avoid any opticians on Sukhumvit etc. they try and up-sell you on everything. 2 for 1, special this , special that soon it was 20,000B Eventually I went to a small shop near Phrakhanong BTS.

[Muhendis]

Ban Dan Market Buriram...........20Baht

[Bundooman]

The last time I bought glasses here in Chiangmai, 4 years ago, I paid 8K+ Baht from a reputable eye clinic. I found the lens scratched easily, despite having paid good money for high quality.

The same applied some 8 or more years ago, again in Chiangmai. not good quality, price the same.

Returned to UK 3 years ago, Specsavers; eye test, excellent personal service - no sales push and I felt I was getting 100% no nonsense results - and chose from multiple frames. 

I purchased 2 pairs of glasses, cost 100 Pounds each pair. I still use them - no scratches...... still perfect!

No comparison to here. I've never felt that I got what I paid for. It always felt like cheap goods from elsewhere, possibly China! Oh, and Specsavers were same day. Chiangmai - 3-5 days.

no contest, UK better.

My opinion only.

[PGSan]

21 hours ago, wgdanson said:

It all depends on what quality you are after. Most of the high street opticians in UK fit their own standard lenses. But if you want Premium quality like Hoya or Rodenstock or others, you will pay. I was quoted £600 for titanium frames with progressive Hoya lenses in UK. Got the same at KT Optic in Central for the same price. Absolutely PERFECT. You get what you pay for. 

That agrees with my exoerience with complex lenses.  Price here is about the same as Specsavers “own brand” BUT I get two-for-one at Specsavers, and much better service!  

 

So it very much depends on exactly what they want!

Edited February 20, 2019 by PGSan

[OneMoreFarang]

I use glasses since forever. For the eye test I recommend an opticians who uses something like this machine first:

 

and then for a final test uses these:

 

In my experience that makes sure the lenses are perfect.

[Jumbo1968]

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I use glasses since forever. For the eye test I recommend an opticians who uses something like this machine first:

 

and then for a final test uses these:

 

In my experience that makes sure the lenses are perfect.

Top Chareon used the same type of equipment and still got my prescription wrong.

[OneMoreFarang]

2 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Top Chareon used the same type of equipment and still got my prescription wrong.

How could they get it wrong?

When I got my eyes tested and I had the "adjustable glasses" (second picture) on I tried to adjust a little left or right and if my vision was not perfect with the lenses then change the lenses. In that way I was sure it was exactly what I needed.

So if the staff recorded exactly what was best for you and they didn't make a typing mistake how could they get it wrong?

[Jumbo1968]

29 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

How could they get it wrong?

When I got my eyes tested and I had the "adjustable glasses" (second picture) on I tried to adjust a little left or right and if my vision was not perfect with the lenses then change the lenses. In that way I was sure it was exactly what I needed.

So if the staff recorded exactly what was best for you and they didn't make a typing mistake how could they get it wrong?

Because they I think weren’t trained properly to use the equipment, how do you know your test was ok irrespective if you thought you could see ok, just because you could see in your opinion ok doesn’t mean to say the prescription was 100%.

[worrab]

22 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

On a related topic, any recommendations for where to get your eyes tested In Bangkok or should I wait till I’m visiting UK next month?

I get my eyes tested in the UK as it is a far more intensive test than any I have seen here in Thailand. Not only that but as I have always used Specsavers, they have comparison records going back to when I first needed glasses. Will be booking in for July when I am back for a visit.

[Percy P]

22 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

If you go to a Thai opticians shop they will be about same price more or less I found for prescription lens, I guess the same for simple mag glasses.

I buy my glasses of need in Big'C' as I only need 1 pair reading glasses, 1 pair for driving, 1 pair watching TV.

Price range 49 baht to 199 baht.

The price you pay for anything outside your country depends on the money exchange rate. Exchange rate for Pound Sterling at the moment is 40Baht/PS. 10 years ago 79B/PS, so now anybody who's money is in P/Stirling shopping or living in T/LAND their paying nearly twice as much as they were 10years ago for the same thing. This has nothing to do with the Thai Government its to do with western government situation. the Pound will gain in value when out of the EU and the EURO  will sink.

Edited February 20, 2019 by Percy P

[Kwasaki]

7 minutes ago, Percy P said:

The price you pay for anything outside your country depends on the money exchange rate. Exchange rate for Pound Sterling at the moment is 40Baht/PS. 10 years ago 79B/PS, so now anybody who's money is in P/Stirling shopping or living in T/LAND their paying nearly twice as much as they were 10years ago for the same thing. This has nothing to do with the Thai Government its to do with western government situation. the Pound will gain in value when out of the EU and the EURO  will sink.

Agree some what but 49 baht for some spec so I can work things on this dam touch screen phone isn't expensive.

And Chang at 47 baht for a big bottle ain't the end of the world. 

[KneeDeep]

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think it's interesting how many people here want cheap and cheaper.

Personally I want a quality frame, quality lenses and a good optician who knows what he is doing.

I go to Opticland in Sukhumvit near the corner of Soi 29

https://www.facebook.com/Opticland29

Not cheap, but very good!

 

 

Sorry, but you are just over-complicating a simple matter. 

Yes, you want a comprehensive eye test, but if you think that you are getting a better product and lens from the average optician, you are sorely mistaken.

This is how they make their money, from inflated prices for frames and lenses.

 

My spectacles are as good as any I have worn, if not better and they cost me £18 delivered. I used the prescription that I got from Boots The Opticians.

 

So sorry, but a good frame and good lenses I have and I guess the UK optician knew what they were doing.

 

If you want to pay more for the same, that's up to you, but don't try to sell us snake oil. I've seen the crap that many opticians here sell at high prices.

 

 

[KneeDeep]

1 hour ago, Percy P said:

The price you pay for anything outside your country depends on the money exchange rate. Exchange rate for Pound Sterling at the moment is 40Baht/PS. 10 years ago 79B/PS, so now anybody who's money is in P/Stirling shopping or living in T/LAND their paying nearly twice as much as they were 10years ago for the same thing. This has nothing to do with the Thai Government its to do with western government situation. the Pound will gain in value when out of the EU and the EURO  will sink.

 

Just your wishful thinking and nothing to do with reality...

[VocalNeal]

1 hour ago, worrab said:

I get my eyes tested in the UK as it is a far more intensive test than any I have seen here in Thailand.

How can you see the eye test here without glasses? Eye test in a hospital or on Soi 6?

Edited February 20, 2019 by VocalNeal

[Grusa]

On 2/19/2019 at 2:42 PM, wgdanson said:

It all depends on what quality you are after. Most of the high street opticians in UK fit their own standard lenses. But if you want Premium quality like Hoya or Rodenstock or others, you will pay. I was quoted £600 for titanium frames with progressive Hoya lenses in UK. Got the same at KT Optic in Central for the same price. Absolutely PERFECT. You get what you pay for. 

All true.

Bring your own prescription: there are NO competent optometrists, or opticians or ophthalmologists, at any level, in Thailand. No matter what certificates they hang on the wall.

[wgdanson]

8 minutes ago, Grusa said:

All true.

Bring your own prescription: there are NO competent optometrists, or opticians or ophthalmologists, at any level, in Thailand. No matter what certificates they hang on the wall.

Sorry Grusa, I disagree. Maria at Euro Optic in Pattaya is a very competent practitioner. Had several pairs very successfully. She evaluated a pair I had bought from an online place in UK, and said they were the cheapest, worst lenses she had ever seen. My vision through them confirmed that.

After moving up here I went to KT Optic in Central and, as I said previously, PERFECT SPECTACLES and good service.

Edited February 20, 2019 by wgdanson

[wgdanson]

2 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Because they I think weren’t trained properly to use the equipment, how do you know your test was ok irrespective if you thought you could see ok, just because you could see in your opinion ok doesn’t mean to say the prescription was 100%.

Who's opinion should you use when evaluating your glasses then? The optometrist can only do what YOU tell them when testing your eyes, you say better or worse or clearer etc. 

[wgdanson]

2 hours ago, Percy P said:

The price you pay for anything outside your country depends on the money exchange rate. Exchange rate for Pound Sterling at the moment is 40Baht/PS. 10 years ago 79B/PS, so now anybody who's money is in P/Stirling shopping or living in T/LAND their paying nearly twice as much as they were 10years ago for the same thing. This has nothing to do with the Thai Government its to do with western government situation. the Pound will gain in value when out of the EU and the EURO  will sink.

Sorry Percy, but this thread is about GLASSES, not the economic state of the UK, Brxit or what the £ was worth 10 years ago.

[KittenKong]

2 hours ago, Benroon said:

Nonsense - the MD of Specsavers is the richest self made women in the U.K. - there’s a reason for that! 

 

All the buy one get one free charades they simply double the price of the first one. You’re getting nothing for free. 

 

Once you’ve thinned the lens if required, got scratch resistant coating (which they won’t honour as they will tell you they are not scratch PROOF when you take them back) can set you back up to £500 - when they tried that on with me and I replied thanks but no thanks they said ok how much do you want to pay and settled for £250!

Why do you assume that I go to Specsavers? I dont.

 

I get two pairs of glasses properly made at Boots UK, plus a full eye-test done by their professional for about £50. The quality is fine for me and the frames I got from them 8 years ago are still in daily use with new lenses that I had made here according to a newer prescription from Boots.

 

And as has been pointed out there are several other UK places that are even cheaper.