LASIK surgery in Bangkok (or Pattaya)?

[bbb2k2]

Anyone have any experience with laser eye surgery in LOS?

Based on my research this kind of surgery can be done at about $2000 in BKK, in the states about $3000 and in my country $6500.

It's tempting to try to save some bucks here, but I need to do some QA on the surgery Thailand.

I've looked at http://www.lasikthai.com/ and they seem ok,  they also get good reports on other forums.

Wonder what I will spend $4500 on if I do such surgery in Thailand?    

Thankful for insights on this topic.

[sev7en]

When it comes to this, i rather do it in my home country.

[jimslim]

(bbb2k2 @ Jun. 16 2008,03:47) It's tempting to try to save some bucks here, but I need to do some QA on the surgery Thailand.

Thailand is the cheap surgery capital of the world , I wouldn't be too confident with laser eye surgery would you ?

Who know's , it should be fine (and a lot cheaper ) but would you take that gamble with your eyes ?

[bbb2k2]

(jimslim @ Jun. 16 2008,06:14)

(bbb2k2 @ Jun. 16 2008,03:47) It's tempting to try to save some bucks here, but I need to do some QA on the surgery Thailand.

Thailand is the cheap surgery capital of the world , I wouldn't be too confident with laser eye surgery would you ?

Who know's , it should be fine (and a lot cheaper ) but would you take that gamble with your eyes ?

I will of course not do it if there is a big risk.  I want to try to find out if there is a clinic in Thailand that have the same skill level and hardware as in Europe/US.

[jimslim]

Id say they would be equally as good if not better , but if something goes wrong what about aftercare service and guarantees ?

But it is a pretty straight forward procedure nowdays , good luck , if I had the money Id go for it (but at home )

[Snick]

I would get it at home
When getting Lasik, the post operative care is very important.
If anything goes wrong you could get a fold in the cornea, or get an infection.

Lasik is not something where you should walk in, and walk out

( plus you'll feel like shit for a week...and who wants that on vacation )

[Thaime]

I had lasik done 2 years ago here in the states and it cost me around $4200.  Everything went perfect and I followed all instructions of my after care.  I would not risk my eyes to save a little money.  I could have had the procedure done for $2000 but decided to go with the more expensive and proven surgeon.

[si geena]

For Lasik, I think you can find comparable rates in Singapore as well. Singapore boasts 1 of the highest population of myopia. Probably 80% of the population needs correction to their eyesights.

[seamus]

(jimslim @ Jun. 15 2008,22:14) Who know's , it should be fine (and a lot cheaper ) but would you take that gamble with your eyes ?

It's all a gamble, eyes ,cock, whats the difference ? You could get perfect eyes sight, or not, get the old boy done & never be able to use him again, as I say all a gamble, which ever counrty your in.




Seamus

[Looker]

(si geena @ Jun. 16 2008,12:14) For Lasik, I think you can find comparable rates in Singapore as well. Singapore boasts 1 of the highest population of myopia. Probably 80% of the population needs correction to their eyesights.

Same as per Hong Kong. Rates as I remember were in the range of USD 2,000 or so.

[Snick]

Let me repeat what I said earlier,
Your are going to feel like crap for a week after the procedure.
The day after you will feel like someone rubbed sand and gas into your eyes.
After that you will still itch all the time...which you CAN'T scratch, since its your cornea resettling
You have to avoid smoke, will have no night vision, and should wear goggles/big glasses to bed to prevent anything from rubbing your eyes.

In short, not a great way to spend your vacation.

Get it done at home, use a qualified optometrist not some fly by night clinic.

[janabiyah]

Go ahead and get it done in Thailand.

Do one eye only.

You can get by with 1 eye, half the cost and half the risk.

If you are accepted for Lasik chance of anything going wrong are very low.

The procedure is straightforward and far simpler than SRS or hundreds of other procedures that medical tourists travel to Thailand for each year,

[bbb2k2]

Thanks for your feedback guys.

I guess I will probably do this operation at home. I just realized a colleague had done this operation and he said it was just the first day his vision was a bit blurry. He claims he had surgery with the latest technology which uses the laser for the whole process, this way the cuts on the eyes are minimal to some of the older versions.

[RSR]

I had operations on both eyes in Thailand a couple of years ago; having researched everything, I decided on having the operation at the Bumrungrad Hospital since it was "the best in South East Asia" and much cheaper than the UK. Unfortunately, both of my eyes got infected. I hopped on a flight back home where the NHS (god bless 'em) sorted me out with a week's stay in hospital. The consultant told me that I could have easily lost my sight in one eye with the other severely damaged, that this infection was something that could happen anywhere, but he did not understand why they did both eyes at once since it compounded the risk if infection did strike.

Anyway, my advice would be to have your eyes done where you would be happy for the doctors to treat anything that goes wrong rather than the cheapest place, regardless of recommendations. It happens rarely, but things do sometimes go wrong and you really want to be near a health system that you trust if it happens.

[bbb2k2]

Thanks for the info RSR. I also done some more investigation, and I'm getting more and more sure I will not do this in Thailand.