Buying glasses in BKK?
 

I have read several posts about buying glasses (spectacles) in Bangkok, and would consider that for prescription sunglasses, now that I am stuck with graduated lenses, so a couple of questions: Is it enough to bring a prescription from the US, or will I have to pay for another exam? Are the Thai optics comparable in quality to US? How do prices compare to US? How long will it take to get the glasses once they are ordered? and finally, what shops have people been pleased with?

Thanks guys!

Lisa

If you want Verilux panamic or comfort with transition it takes 2 days not counting the purchase day. I bought some genuine 22 K gold Cartier ($1100US price), Fred ($750 US) and S. Dupont-23k (~$1000 in US) frames for 1/3 the US price with some bargaining. But I bought 3 frames so I had leverage.The lenses were of good quality and if you have a very recent script (4-6 months) they will accept it and the cost is 1/2 USA price for lenses. There is a chain of 4-6 stores and I think it was Charon or similar.

My wife bought the coolest glasses on the planet last time we were in bkk! People ask her about them at least twice a week! And they were like $40 US. We had the lenses made back here in the US but wish we would of had them done there because every place we took them, the people said they had never seen anything like it before and doubted they could do it. We are going again next week and will get another pair, maybe we will check out the place stan said!

You probably saw my recent post about my traveling companion buying glasses. She brought her prescription with her. The price was about half the US price for the glasses with progressive lenses. She opted for the best quality Hoya lenses, non-glare, etc. She has progressive lenses and purchased both those glasses and single vision sunglasses. It took about a week. She is very happy with them. The quality is comperable to high quality glasses in the US. She bought from Miki Paris in the Siam Paragon. There are half a dozen optical shops there, so you have a broad range of frames to choose from.

Others have also posted about their expereince buying glasses in Bangkok, so you might do a search here ans she what else turns up.

Hi
as far as eye exams go, if you're going to have your lenses made at the opticians too, then it's free.
Or if you forget your prescription, they can just use your glasses and tell what it is.

thanks everyone for spelling out the practical details...I may try to squeeze this in between wats and wedding!

L

I'm an Australian so don't know about US prices but progressives cost me about half the Aussie price - you may need up to 7 days to get them - They use Dura and Hoya lenses and I usually go for the best Hoya because (apart from the quality) I find they are the ones that will allow my script to be fitted to the frames - guess it will differ with each person. These Hoya lenses are generally a notch better than those I would get in Australia so an even better deal.

I've used a couple of shops including a Chareon branch but so far have liked Paris Miki best - I felt they really knew what I wanted and needed. They had a branch in Siam Centre and one in World Trade and now (from Kathie) in the Paragon - don't know if the others are still there. They were my choice originally because they has the frames I wanted and then when we talked about lenses they obviously knew the problem with fitting that I sometimes have - other shops would say just use a cheaper lense, don't worry about the size etc but having sussed it out with my optician here I was sure I needed to watch out for some things. Only reason I have used other shops has been when they just don't have suitable frames at Paris Miki.

I usually take a script from home (we get a test as part of our health programme each two years) but then ask the shop to recheck which is free - also gives me piece of mind when it turns up the same! Just allow time if you can after collection to get the glasses a good test drive. I have had to go back to have the lenses realigned a bit.

By the way (unless its very recent ) you cannot get polaroids made in Thailand - they do good tints but no polaroid factory to make the lenses. Hopefully that will (or maybe already has) change soon.

By the way I really like the clip on sunglasses that go over the main graduated lenses - but you need to look carefully as different makes have a different clip - some work much better than others.

tong's husband owns an eye glass shop in bangkok and the family owns three more....if you use her, have her take you there for good buys...

Chareon in Siam Square is where I got the Cartier, Fred, and Gold & Wood, all $750-about $1000+ in US for as I said 1/3rd New Jersey prices.
While I bought 3 frames I only had one pair of lenses made with Verilux Panamic with Transition from my own scipt for a little less than the $400+ cost in NJ.But they needed 3 days including the morning I purchased them. The value of a chain that carries high-end frames it is more likely to be genuine and they give international warantee.