I guess for an almost 36-year-old I've done well to make it this far, but I can't help feeling a little out of sorts about it.
Thankfully it's not too dramatic as, at this stage, I only need glasses for computer work.
Given my first optic adventure happened while living away from Australia, I thought I'd share some tips for choosing an optician when travelling.
Go with a recommendation
While cheap is not always necessarily better, if you visit Vietnam armed with recommendations from local expats or other travellers who've gone through the process of buying frames and using a local optician, you'll be surprised at how little you'll spend in comparison to home.
My colleague, who has lived in Saigon for the past 18 months, has test tried a number of opticians around town. She recommended a shop in District 3 for its range of frames, quality lenses and mostly English speaking staff.
When Rob and I visited the store last night I was initially overwhelmed by the choice.
The staff were honest enough to tell me that the cheap copies were in the front of the store, while the brand names were under lock and key in the back. I immediately headed out the back to check out the cost for quality frames.
I was pleasantly surprised. They had a range of brands to choose from, some I knew, many I didn't, but the average price of the ones I looked at was 1.6 million VND (around US$85).
Don't be concerned that it's "too" cheap
Could I be sure that these weren't copies? Why were they so cheap?
Basically you need to use common sense. You can tell just from handling the frame whether it's quality or not. But, if they feel and look good, and are cheaper than what you pay at home, who cares if it's a copy!
Like many products sold in Vietnam, the quality versions are manufactured here and exported overseas so locals and foreigners who live or visit here get many goods at cost price.
Add to that the cheap cost of labour, even for a qualified optician, and you'll have picked up new spectacles for a fraction of the price you'd pay in your own country.
Take your script when you travel
Regardless of whether you intend shopping for frames while you're on
holidays, always carry your script with you (and be sure to leave a copy with someone back home). You just never know when you might lose your glasses or contact lenses when travelling.
If you want to get a bargain when you're overseas, search the travel blogs and expat sites for the country you're going to visit to get some recommendations.
Clearly, when shopping for glasses, the quality of lenses is paramount, and this is why recommended shops are your best option.
The other obvious criteria is to find an optician who can read a script in English!
I admit I was a little concerned, after I'd chosen my frames and headed out the back to have the glasses adjusted, when the "optician" asked Rob to clarify what was on the script!
Thankfully the guy who runs the store speaks perfect English and knew how to read the script when I showed it to him. Hopefully he monitors the guys working out the back!
My bargain buy
For me, my red (Reebok brand) specs set me back 2 million VND (around US$106!) including lenses and UV.
This evening when we picked up my new specs from the store, Georgia told me I looked "funky"! Thumbs up from a 3-year-old...can't get a better recommendation than that!
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| My new spectacles! |
My recommendation
Visit Pham Ngoc Thach Street in District 3. The street has a number of opticians in a cluster over two blocks. If you're not in the market for spectacles, many of the stores also have a huge range of sunglasses.
I shopped at Mat Kinh at 50 Pham Ngoc Thach, District 3.
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