I have worn glasses for more than sixty years. One month ago I took them off in Chiang Mai to have an operation performed on my left eye. I have never worn those glasses again. And this minor miracle cost me a total of 80,000 Thai Baht. $2,400 – a fraction of what it would cost in the U.S or

at offered more extras to aid night driving and changing light conditions – did not seem to solve the problem.
After a brief examination and some tests the doctor explained that I was starting to show signs of cataracts in both my eyes. Removing those could be done easily but he suggested I consider having artificial lenses implanted.
It was the job of one of the attractive lady assistants to explain pricing and policy. It was going to cost approximately 80,000 Baht for each eye to have the multi-focal lens implanted so that I could see far and near, enabling me to read and also see into the distance. A lens that would allow only seeing into the distance was around 50,000 Baht but that would mean I would need glasses to read. My first reaction for some unknown reaso

Everything was moving rather fast and I was given time to think while she went to check on the lens stock. The thought of not having to wear glasses again was all I could think about. My initial instinct was to have the operation on my left eye –by far the better of my eyes – and not worry about the right one. Later I realized how stupid this was. I should have had the initial work on my bad eye so if thing did go wrong I would still have sight in my good eye. Hindsight, no pun intended, is a wonderful thing.

The Thai lady returned with news that there was one lens in stock. Now it was decision time. I decided that today was not the day and suggested that perhaps tomorrow morning might be better. It was, and I was told to report at 7am prepared for an overnight stay in the hospital.
Sleep didn’t come easily that night as I pondered on what could go wrong rather than concentrate on all the good things if everything went well. For some reason I looked at the doctor’s qualifications. He was a fellow of the international college of surgeons and had studied not only in Thailand but in the U.S., Singapore and Germany. He had numerous letters after his name and plenty of diplomas and awards. He had operated on the manager of the resort where I was staying and he said it was wonderful to have great vision without the need for glasses.
At 7am a team of nurses surrounded me as I was told that my eye was going to be anesthetized and it may be a little painful. When I asked when this painful injection was to be made I was told, to my delight, that it had already been done. Slowly I relaxed while work proceeded on and around my eye. If this was the operation it was nothing to be concerned about. Sadly it wasn’t – just the preparation work before I was taken by wheelchair upstairs to an operating room. The only memorable thing about that trip was that I was asked to be sure my mobile phone was switched off. 

Most of the work carried out by the hospital is on Thais who tend to be a lot smaller than farangs – the word the Thais use to describe Europeans. And that explained why they couldn’t find a surgical gown big enough for me. I should add that I weigh in at 95 kilograms which is large by any standard. So without gown I arrive on the operating table tense and terrified, a fact not unnoticed by the Thai nurses in attendance. While we await the arrival of the good doctor I suddenly feel hands upon my feet and the start of a gentle Thai massage. A similar sensation is felt on my arms and I begin to relax and hardly notice the arrival of the doctor who wishes me a good morning and then proceeds with his work. I was in the operating room for an hour and some of that time was spent on the pre-operating massages and the after operation clean-up. As a result I cannot be sure how long the actual operation took but it seemed like forever. I felt no pain just this intense blue light flashing through my head. It was very cold in the room but I knew I was sweating profusely as the light blazed throu gh my head. The odd squeeze on my arm or foot from a nurse gave comfort as did the doctor’s word that all was going well. His prediction that he would be finished in a few minutes proved correct and I breathed the deepest sigh of relief when he pronounced all was well and he was finished.
I lay in the hospital room, my eye covered in a wad of gauze, and just hoped I had not been abandoned. I had not. Every few minutes someone would appear either to offer some food, which I accepted, or to offer to switch on the television, which I declined since I could not see it nor would I understand it since the only programs offered were in Thai. I dozed off, uncertain whether I was tired from the operation or from lack of sleep the previous night.
 I was awakened to be told the doctor would see me in his ground floor office. And there the gauze was removed and I could see, not well, but I could see. He checked the eye, said he was delighted and that I had the choice of staying overnight in the hospital or returning to the resort where I was staying. I opted for the latter saying there was nothing wrong with the hospital, but the thought of a larger bed with room service appealed more.  
I was full of assorted medication and slept well. I awoke at 6am and removed the shield I had over my eye. Wonder of wonders, I could read the time on my watch, something I could not have done before without the aid of glasses. My vision was not great however, something which I explained to the doctor when I returned to the hospital next morning. His prediction that my sight would improve slowly and that I had to be patient has proved to be true.
  A major regret is that I had not had this operation done sooner. I am getting peripheral vision that I never had before and I am seeing things in a much sharper and brighter way. Next project is to get my right eye done. And I know exactly who I am going to ask to perform the operation.