Phuket

xxmikexx · #1 12-02-2007, 20:16

I haven't seen this topic on the forum before so I thought I would raise it. For any contact lens wearers out there, you should know that prices in Thailand are low. I always buy my lens in Thailand as they are much cheaper than UK (maybe half price). They are the same makes as you will find in UK opticians (Bausch & Lomb, Johnson & Johnson, Optix etc). I normally pay 600/700 baht for 6 lens (monthly disposable). You need to know your full prescription ie all the details on the side of the box. You don't need to show a prescription like the UK, just walk into any optician and buy. No sight test, no hassle. Cleaning fluids are also a lot cheaper out there so don't bring any with you. My practice is to get a proper eye check every year or so in the UK and buy the minimum amount of lens possible from the optician, then top up in Thailand.

ATMwalking · #2 12-02-2007, 20:48

They do a free eye check for you here as well. My contacts were bugging me, so they did a check test, adjusted the prescription, and all is well. So simple, it is great.

I'm going to start looking into laser eye surgery. But won't do that on the cheap.

geespot · #3 13-02-2007, 03:40

i paid 5k for a top end pair of dumas but you can get cheaper ones for 3k. These are lifetime lenses!

Im on my 4th set, i keep losin the fcukers

I get them from top charoen optical

G

Iltis · #4 13-02-2007, 04:07

i got myself a new pair of specs last time but didnt think of lenses... do they also have daily lenses (the ones you wear for one day and then throw them away)?

Rex7777 · #5 13-02-2007, 10:45

I use the daily wear lenses, but the price in Thailand doesn't seem that much cheaper than I was paying mail order in the states. The "Dailies" are 600 baht for a box of 25, while the Johnson&Johnson Accuvue lenses are 890 baht per box.

Rex

dizbuster · #6 13-02-2007, 11:35

I am assuming that all these instances above refer to "soft" lenses. Anyone know if the same is true for "hard" lenses, i.e. gas permeable ?

LivinLOS · #7 13-02-2007, 12:09

Would they not be those lifetime lenses that Gee is talking about ??

My buddy has to get some posted into him as he has bins like bottle bottoms and needs super hardcore lenses.. Makes my eyes wtaer seeing these little dishes floating round on the front of his eyeballs.

xxmikexx · #8 13-02-2007, 14:15

It may be that the daily disposables are not much cheaper in Thailand. They are approx 30 pounds sterling in UK for 30 pairs and that is about the Thailand price. For the monthly disposables I could buy 6 months supply (6 pairs) in the UK from the internet (cheapest source) for approx 35 pounds sterling, whereas it would be about 20 pounds sterling in Thailand. I have bought the Duma monthly disposable lens (which I assume is a local make) and found them very comfortable and the cheapest. I can't remember the exact price but I will be getting some more. I have never heard of a lifetime lens and I can't really see the point (no pun intended).

as you will lose them and damage them thru wear & tear.
I read an article in a well respected UK magazine that the daily disposable lens is almost identical in composition to the monthly disposable so you could in fact buy the dailies and wear them for a month. So 30 months supply for say 30 pounds sterling.

ATMwalking · #9 13-02-2007, 14:24

I recommend staying away from the thai brand's of contact solutions.

I got some for free when I bought some contacts. Ended up getting a wicked eye infection for 3 weeks and kept coming back. Finally figured it was the new solution. Dumped it and problem solved. Stick with Bausch & Lomb.

dizbuster · #10 13-02-2007, 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

...My buddy has to get some posted into him as he has bins like bottle bottoms and needs super hardcore lenses...

Same as me, which is why I asked. I'm not an eye expert but apparently there's a scale that goes 0 to 20, where 0 is almost prefect vision and 20 means you're blind. I'm up to 13 in my left eye !!

This means that I cannot get soft lenses any more as companies don't make soft ones that powerful, they tend to only go up to around 7 or 8.

You can get "lifetime" lenses in both soft and hard, they tend not to last a lifetime for reasons like xxmikexx says, you can lose them, wear and tear etc, plus there's always the problem of your eyes getting worse and those lenses not being good/powerful enough anymore.