# Eye Clinic or hospital in Thailand



## siani

Hello I am new to the forum. Please can anyone give me some advise. I am hoping to retire in Thailand with my husband. We need to have an eye check up from a clinic or hospital approx every 2 months. Are there eye clinics or hospitals all over Thailand? Are they expensive to visit just for a routine check up? Many thaanks Regards Siani


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## KhwaamLap

There are very good hospitals here - much better than any I have been to in the UK. They are much cheaper than private hospital most places (definitely in the UK!). Thailand is somewhat of a medical holiday destination - people come for cosmetic and surgical treatment from all around the globe. Many surgeons and doctors are US trained, and have excellent (or at least good) English.

Don't know about eye test per se, but for my daughter to stay in hospital overnight (plus two days) its cost less than eighty quid including a large private room (with bath/shower/toilet/stocked mini-fridge/and kitchenette/moveable bed/telephone/cable TV/a garden views) a drip, doctor visit every four hours, 24hr on call nurse that checks every 30 minutes, free tea coffee, biscuits and three course dinner (times 4) and tablets (4 sets for 30 days). It also included a return check up a week later. In my case the insurance covered everything (including my staying there too) except the coke and chocolate bar I took from the mini-fridge


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## siani

Many thanks for the information. It is very helpful. Kind regards Siani


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## KhwaamLap

Hi had another thought or three...

Prescription drugs can generally be bought over the counter (not all though) and there are usually Thai brands of the same western branded drugs for much cheaper.

Prescription strength glasses are NOT cheaper here than they can be got in the UK - frames are, but lenses (especially vari-focal etc.) are about the same price as in the UK (specsavers etc) or more. This from my mum who was just here for a holiday.

There are no hospital waiting queues etc, usually you are seen on walking in quite quickly and if you need to be admitted or any sort of surgery, they will arrange for it to be done as soon as possible - often then and there.

You can register with the hospitals and get a card that allows you to just walk in without needing to give all your details again and again - they will also take insurance details and claim directly for you.

In my opinion, the best hospitals are where the tourist usually head - so in and around Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai. There are many in Chiang Mai - and its cheaper than the other two areas in my experience (I can recommend hospitals in CM if you come here and tell you which are over priced and to avoid, but by PM only for obvious legal reasons)


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## siani

That is very good information. Thank you so much for it. It is really helpful. I do not know which area we will choose to live in. I am still researching on areas, maybe Chiang Mai or Hua Hin, really have not decided. I think it is imprtant to bear the medical services when deciding especially when you are getting older. We are quite fit and well, with a good healthy attitude for culture and well being. We love Thailand for all these reasons. Thank you for your help and kindness. Regards Siani


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## Mr. Soap

*Eye and Tooth Care*

In Bkk.
The best eye care is at Rutnin Eye Hospital. Mr. Soap went there once, having a cyst on his eyelid removed, a few friends praised the lasik works there as well. It's been in the business for more than 40 years, eye care only. I (a Thai) have known about its reputation for more than 30 years but never have to use the service yet. It has a website 'rutnin dot com' press for English language at the top right and you can see more details including the map of the place in Bkk. 
As for other checkup in Bkk., Bumroongrad may be the best. We go there whenever we need to see a specialist except an ophthalmologist. The hospital is very well run by a farang chief from California.

You did not ask about a dental clinic but I throw it in because this place is really good. It's not new in the market, with shinny glass offices and flat screen TV but it has ecperienced doctors there. (They had to redo the work done by a welknown newer clinic that we wasted about $2,000 before going back to this one.) The good dental clinic’s name is 'Tarin Chaweewan Dental Clinic', husband and wife and daughter team plus a few extras. I believe most of the dentists there were trained in the U.S. except the daughter was trained in the U.K. They have their own building and a lab right at the place not like many others who send their needed partials, crowns, caps etc. to labs somewhere else. The price is right, the location is convenient, using skytrain, the last stop opposite the National outdoor Stadium, walk into the substreet to the right of SevenEleven about 25 meters and the clinic is to the left.
Mrs. Soap


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## KhwaamLap

On the dentist thing, it can be quite cheap here compared to PRIVATE work back home. However, for things like bridges and crowns, the NHS has maximum charges of around two hundred pounds (regardless of the total cost of the work - and this covers a whole course not just per visit), so for any major dentistry, do it before you come with an NHS dentist. Anything cosmetic though it is much, much cheaper and much better here than in the UK.

PS: If you DO come to Chiang Mai and need dentistry, do not go to the dentist beginning with a 'G' that has a religious sounding name (can't actually name it of course - but you will get it). They are very expensive and well known for overcharging farangs - it can cost upwards of several times the price of other dentists. Having said that they have incredible resources, state of the art stuff like 3D laser scanning of mouth (able to see cracks and holes smaller than the human eye can).


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