Eye hospitals and clinics in Thailand compared for LASIK, SMILE, cataract surgery and children's eye care, with notes on packages, lenses and follow-up. Check services, staff, fees and availability with each provider before you book.
Bangkok has dedicated eye hospitals and laser centres; elsewhere, eye care is mostly in hospital departments or small eye hospitals.
Packages differ on whether the assessment, lens implant and follow-up visits are included.
Some packages are priced for fly-in patients or online buyers only, so check the quote applies to you.
Multifocal and EDOF lenses aim to reduce reliance on glasses but can cause glare and halos at night.
Our method for this page
We read each provider's own web pages on eye hospitals and clinics in Thailand and kept only statements we could trace to a source. Nobody paid to be included, and the list is not a quality ranking. Criteria:
Bumrungrad's Eye Center occupies the 18th floor of Building A, with 13 treatment rooms and a page listing 39 doctors across nine subspecialties, from cornea and refractive surgery to retina, glaucoma, paediatric ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmology. A refractive surgery centre within it offers ReLEx SMILE, femtosecond LASIK and PRK.
Cataract surgery is listed with phacoemulsification and lens implants, supported by the ORA intra-operative aberrometry and VERION image-guided systems. Other published work includes corneal transplants and cross-linking, vitrectomy and intravitreal injections, glaucoma laser and surgery, eye muscle surgery and children's eye examinations.
Packages are published with a validity date of 31 December 2026: ReLEx SMILE for both eyes at 102,000 THB, including five follow-up visits within six months, ICL from 129,000 THB per eye and monofocal cataract surgery at 85,400 THB per eye. It may suit patients who want eye surgery inside a large hospital with other specialists on hand.
39 ophthalmologists listed
ReLEx SMILE, LASIK and PRK
ORA and VERION systems for cataract surgery
Published packages valid to 31 Dec 2026
Open daily 08:00–20:00
Eye Center, Building A, 18th floorDaily 08:00–20:00+66 2 066 8888
Worth confirming: Package prices exclude the initial consultation and suitability tests, and the cataract package covers only the lens types it specifies; confirm the lens and total cost.
JCI clinical care programme certifications (stroke, acute coronary syndrome, lung cancer, orthogeriatric; listed to 2027)
Bangkok Hospital splits eye care between an Eye Center on the 5th floor of Building D, with subspecialty clinics for cornea, oculoplastics, glaucoma and LASIK, and a dedicated LASIK Center on the 5th floor of the Bangkok Hospital Building. The hospital says its eye care programmes are JCI accredited.
Refractive options include ReLEx SMILE, FemtoLASIK, FemtoLASIK Presbyond for people needing reading correction, PRK and ICL lenses. Cataract surgery is offered with monofocal, toric, trifocal and EDOF lenses, and the eye surgery list also covers pterygium, eyelid, tear-duct, squint and glaucoma operations.
Fly-in packages valid to 31 December 2026 price SMILE and FemtoLASIK at 101,000 THB and PRK at 71,000 THB for both eyes, including five follow-up visits over six months. Cataract surgery starts at 69,000 THB per eye, but that figure excludes the lens implant. It may suit patients who want laser and cataract options under one hospital group.
Separate Eye Center and LASIK Center
SMILE, FemtoLASIK, Presbyond and PRK
Fly-in packages valid to 31 Dec 2026
Five follow-up visits in laser packages
JCI accredited eye care programmes (hospital's statement)
LASIK Center, 5th floor, Bangkok Hospital Building; Eye Center, 5th floor, Building DLASIK Center: Mon–Sat 08:00–17:00; Sun 08:00–16:00. Eye Center: Mon–Fri 08:00–19:00; Sat 08:00–17:00; Sun 08:00–16:00+66 2 755 1307
Worth confirming: Cataract package prices exclude the lens implant, and a separate online FemtoLASIK offer (88,000 THB) is limited to Thai citizens and expatriates buying online.
Samitivej Sukhumvit's Eye Clinic sits on the 4th floor of the hospital's Sukhumvit Wing and says it has been treating patients for more than 25 years with a team of certified ophthalmologists and nurses. It is open daily, and the hospital says its eye doctors can be reached by phone outside clinic hours.
The published service list is centred on medical and surgical eye care rather than laser vision correction: cataract surgery using phacoemulsification and lens implants, glaucoma surgery, squint correction, and treatment of pterygium and diabetic eye disease. Diagnostic equipment named includes autorefraction, eye-pressure measurement, a fundus camera and a computerised visual field analyser, with YAG and argon laser rooms.
No eye surgery prices are published for this branch. It may suit Sukhumvit residents and visitors who need cataract, glaucoma or general eye care within a full-service hospital.
Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai runs an Ophthalmology Department that is open daily from 08:00 to 20:00, inside a hospital with a 24-hour emergency centre. The department describes its scope as running from routine eye examinations to complex eye disease, and says it is staffed by board-certified ophthalmologists.
The hospital's doctor directory lists more than nine ophthalmologists for the department, including an associate professor in cornea and refractive surgery, three retina and vitreous specialists and a paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus specialist. The department page itself does not list specific procedures, named equipment or packages.
Because so little is published, this is a department to contact before travelling rather than one to compare on price. It may suit Chiang Mai residents who want eye care inside a large private hospital, particularly for retinal problems or children's eye conditions.
Bangkok Hospital Phuket's Eye Center is on the hospital's 2nd floor and lists ten ophthalmologists, with two glaucoma specialists, two retina and vitreous specialists, three paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus specialists, an oculoplastic surgeon and the director, Dr Khemawan Vettayawaikoon, a cornea and refractive surgeon who cites more than 1,000 cataract and 1,000 refractive operations.
Published surgery includes cataract removal, refractive lens exchange, vitreoretinal surgery, glaucoma surgery and laser, pterygium and strabismus surgery, and IPL is offered for chronic dry eye. Patient stories on the site describe SBK laser eye surgery and lens replacement, though no laser vision correction package is published.
The only price listed is an eye check-up programme at 3,000 Baht, valid to the end of 2026. It may suit Phuket residents and longer-stay visitors who want subspecialist eye care, including for children and retinal problems, on the island.
Worth confirming: Laser vision correction is described in patient stories but not priced; confirm which laser procedures are offered here and who performs them.
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya's Eye Center is on the 3rd floor of Building B and is open daily. Its doctor directory lists ophthalmologists including a cornea and refractive surgeon, a retina and vitreous specialist and an oculoplastic surgeon, with more names across further pages.
The centre treats myopia, cataract, glaucoma and retinal disease, including diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration with photodynamic therapy. For laser vision correction, a 2026 hospital article describes FemtoLASIK using the Ziemer FEMTO LDV femtosecond laser to cut the corneal flap before excimer reshaping. Fundus photography and OCT scanning are also listed.
Published prices cover smaller services: a children's eye check-up at 2,200 Baht including the doctor's fee, and dry eye packages from 3,500 THB, all valid to 31 December 2026. It may suit Pattaya residents and families who want eye care, children's screening or retinal treatment locally.
FemtoLASIK with Ziemer FEMTO LDV
Retina care including photodynamic therapy
Children's eye check-up package
Open daily
JCI accredited hospital
Eye Center, Building B, 3rd floorMon–Fri 08:00–20:00; Sat–Sun 09:00–19:00+66 38 259 986
Worth confirming: LASIK and cataract surgery fees are not published for this branch; confirm the price, surgeon and follow-up schedule in writing.
Pattaya Memorial, a private hospital on Central Pattaya Road, has an Ophthalmology Department offering routine and diagnostic eye care. Published services are comprehensive eye examinations, visual acuity and eye-pressure tests, microscopic and retinal examinations, and treatment of dry or watery eyes, conjunctivitis and lumps or cysts on the eyelids.
The department says its ophthalmologists can carry out a range of eye operations and mentions glaucoma, cataract and diabetes as causes of eye problems, but it does not name specific procedures, laser vision correction, lens options or equipment. No ophthalmologists are named on the department page.
With no published prices or surgical detail, it is best treated as a local option for eye checks and everyday eye problems in central Pattaya, with surgical plans confirmed directly.
Comprehensive eye examinations
Eye-pressure and retinal checks
Central Pattaya location
Worth confirming: No eye surgery, doctors or opening hours are published; confirm whether the procedure you need is done here before booking.
Bangkok Hospital Siriroj's Eye Center is on the 4th floor of Building 3 and sees patients of all ages for both sudden and long-term eye problems. The centre lists five ophthalmologists: two retina and vitreous specialists, a glaucoma specialist, a cornea and refractive surgeon and a paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus specialist.
Published services cover eye check-ups and full vision testing, spectacle and contact lens fitting, cataract treatment, pterygium removal and common infections such as conjunctivitis and styes. For glaucoma it highlights the PreserFlo MicroShunt, a minimally invasive drainage implant. The page does not list laser vision correction or name diagnostic equipment.
No eye prices or packages are published. It may suit people in Phuket Town who want a full eye examination or cataract and glaucoma care in a hospital setting, with retina and children's specialists listed.
Rutnin is a standalone eye hospital on Sukhumvit 21 (Asoke), founded by Professor Dr Uthai Rutnin and now listing more than 39 ophthalmologists. Its doctors cover cornea and refractive surgery, cataract, glaucoma, retina and vitreous, uveitis, oculoplastics, neuro-ophthalmology, ocular oncology and children's eye care, which is run as a separate Rutnin Children's Eye Center.
Laser vision correction is provided through the Rutnin-Gimbel LASIK Centre, and the hospital also lists phakic lens implants for high short-sightedness. Its technology timeline includes an excimer laser, IOLMaster 700, Pentacam, Optos retinal imaging and a Zeiss Cirrus OCT, alongside corneal transplant techniques such as DMEK.
Prices for international patients are published for screening packages, such as a cataract screening at THB 4,400. A cataract surgery package is listed, but its page excludes doctor fees, consultation and pre-operative tests. Rutnin may suit patients who want a hospital that does nothing but eyes, with subspecialists on one site.
More than 39 ophthalmologists
Rutnin-Gimbel LASIK Centre
Separate children's eye centre
Inpatient care 24 hours
Screening packages priced for foreign patients
Outpatient: Mon–Sat 08:00–20:00; Sun 08:00–19:00; public holidays 08:00–17:00
Worth confirming: The cataract surgery package excludes doctor and consultation fees and lenses outside the package; ask for an itemised quote naming the lens.
TRSC is a standalone eye centre on the sixth floor of the U Chu Liang Building on Rama IV Road. It describes itself as Thailand's first private standalone centre to perform LASIK and ReLEx SMILE and says its doctors have treated more than 102,000 eyes. Medical Director Dr Ekktet Chansue leads a team of named full-time refractive and cataract surgeons, with retina and glaucoma specialists alongside.
Laser options run from PRK and LASIK to FemtoLASIK, ReLEx SMILE and SMILE Pro, with ICL lens implants as a non-laser option. Cataract surgery is offered with monofocal, toric, multifocal and EDOF lenses, and refractive lens exchange is listed for presbyopia.
Its fee tables are itemised: LASIK or PRK by a specialist costs 89,000 THB for both eyes, SMILE packages start at 129,000 THB, and cataract surgery runs from 85,000 THB per eye. Most laser and cataract fees include five follow-up visits over a year. It may suit patients comparing laser options on price.
Over 102,000 eyes treated (centre's figure)
SMILE Pro, SMILE, FemtoLASIK, LASIK and PRK
ICL and toric ICL
Fee tables published by procedure and surgeon
Open seven days
6th Floor, U Chu Liang Building, Rama IV Road, Silom
Worth confirming: ICL fees are per eye and need a separate 60,000 THB lens deposit per eye; confirm which surgeon your quoted package uses.
St Peter is a small specialist eye hospital on the Chiang Mai–Lampang frontage road, founded in 1993 by Assistant Professor Dr Pithak Kitcharoen, who still practises there. It describes itself as the first eye hospital in northern Thailand and lists HA Thailand Level 1 accreditation. Three ophthalmologists are named, one trained partly in the UK, and all are listed as English speakers.
Its surgical focus is the lens: cataract surgery, presbyopic lens exchange (PRELEX) with multifocal, trifocal or EDOF implants, and ICL for short- or long-sightedness in people aged 20 to 45. The site does not mention LASIK, SMILE or PRK. Routine work includes eye checks, glaucoma and diabetic screening, dry eye care and children's vision tests.
Cataract surgery is priced from 68,850 THB with a premium monofocal lens and from 98,850 THB with a multifocal lens, and staff help with insurance claim documents. It may suit Chiang Mai residents wanting a smaller, English-speaking eye hospital for cataract or lens surgery.
Founded in 1993
Cataract prices published
PRELEX and ICL lens surgery
English-speaking ophthalmologists listed
Help with insurance claims
Worth confirming: Prices are 'starting at' figures with no validity date; confirm the lens model, follow-up visits and total before booking.
How to compare eye hospitals and clinics in Thailand
Most people looking for an eye clinic in Thailand want one of two things: laser vision correction to reduce their need for glasses, or cataract surgery. Both are usually quick operations, but the outcome depends on a thorough assessment beforehand, a surgeon with the right subspecialty and enough time afterwards for check-ups before you fly home.
This guide is general information, not medical advice: only an ophthalmologist who has examined your eyes can say whether a procedure suits you.
Checking the ophthalmologist
Every doctor in Thailand must hold a licence from the Medical Council of Thailand, whose public lookup at tmc.or.th lets you search by first name and surname and shows licence status and any recorded specialty. Enter the name exactly as the clinic gives it, and ask for the licence number if a search returns several results.
Ophthalmology training and the Thai Board of Ophthalmology examinations are overseen by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists of Thailand. Beyond board certification, many surgeons list a subspecialty such as cornea and refractive surgery, retina and vitreous, glaucoma or paediatric ophthalmology. For laser vision correction, a cornea and refractive surgeon is the usual fit; for a complex cataract or a retinal problem, look for the matching subspecialty.
Before your consultation, the UK Royal College of Ophthalmologists' standardised patient leaflets and surgery checklist for refractive surgery are a useful way to prepare questions; it also expects provider information to set out fees, possible extra costs and aftercare.
Laser vision correction: who is suitable
The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) says LASIK candidates should usually be at least 18, ideally over 21, with a prescription that has been stable for at least a year and healthy corneas of sufficient thickness. Conditions that can rule it out include keratoconus, severe dry eye, thin or scarred corneas, advanced glaucoma, a cataract affecting vision and poorly controlled diabetes. At least one Bangkok hospital also excludes pregnancy, breastfeeding and recent isotretinoin (acne medication) use.
A proper pre-operative assessment takes time. Expect refraction, corneal thickness measurement and corneal mapping, a tear-film check and a dilated examination of the retina. You will usually be asked to stop wearing contact lenses beforehand (one Bangkok hospital asks for three days for soft lenses and seven for hard), because lenses change the shape of the cornea and can distort the measurements.
LASIK, SMILE and PRK in brief
All three reshape the cornea with a laser. LASIK cuts a thin flap, now usually with a femtosecond laser ("FemtoLASIK"), then reshapes the tissue underneath with an excimer laser. SMILE uses a femtosecond laser to shape a small disc of tissue inside the cornea, which is removed through a small incision, so there is no flap; it is used for short-sightedness and astigmatism. PRK removes the surface layer instead of making a flap, which avoids flap risks but brings a slower, more uncomfortable recovery while the surface heals.
For prescriptions outside the laser range, or corneas that are too thin, clinics may offer an implantable Collamer lens (ICL), placed inside the eye in front of the natural lens. None of these treatments stops presbyopia, so most people still need reading glasses from their mid-forties. Common, usually temporary side effects include dry eye, glare, halos and fluctuating vision; the NHS says these normally improve within a few months.
Cataract surgery and lens choices
Cataract surgery replaces the clouded natural lens with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL), most often by phacoemulsification under local anaesthetic. When both eyes need surgery they are often treated on separate days; the NHS notes that some lens surgery is done this way.
The lens choice drives much of the price. Monofocal lenses focus at one distance, usually far, and most people then need reading glasses. Toric lenses also correct astigmatism. Multifocal, trifocal and extended depth-of-focus (EDOF) lenses aim to reduce dependence on glasses, but the AAO warns they can cause glare, halos and some loss of contrast, which matters if you drive at night.
In published Thai prices, cataract surgery on one eye runs from roughly 69,000 THB to over 140,000 THB depending on the lens and the hospital. Some quotes exclude the lens implant itself, so check what is included before comparing.
What a package usually includes
Thai hospitals and eye centres often sell refractive and cataract surgery as packages. Read the terms line by line, because two packages with the same headline price can cover very different things.
Whether the pre-operative assessment and specialist consultation fee are included or charged separately
Whether prices are per eye or for both eyes
Which lens model or laser platform is covered, and what an upgrade costs
How many follow-up visits are included, and over what period
Post-operative eye drops and medication
Any enhancement (re-treatment) policy and its cost
Whether the price is only for certain patients, such as fly-in or online buyers
What happens to your payment if the surgeon finds you unsuitable
Aftercare, follow-up and flying
Most laser and cataract surgery is done as a day case, but follow-up matters. One published Bangkok fee table, for example, schedules checks the next day, at one week, one month, three months and one year. Plan to stay at least until your surgeon is happy with the one-week check, and agree how later reviews will happen once you are home.
Follow the instructions you are given on eye drops, wearing a protective shield at night, and avoiding rubbing your eyes, swimming and dusty environments. The NHS advises not driving until your vision has recovered. Ask your surgeon for a written date before you fly. This is especially important after retinal surgery: the NHS says you must not fly while a gas bubble remains in the eye, which can be for up to 12 weeks.
Before you leave, ask for a written report with your pre-operative measurements, the procedure and laser used, and the lens model and power implanted. The UK government notes that full medical reports are not always readily available in Thailand, so request yours before discharge.
Costs, deposits and insurance
Private hospitals in Thailand typically take a deposit or payment before treatment, according to the UK government. Some eye packages are sold at a different price to residents, international patients or online buyers, so make sure the quote you hold applies to you.
Laser vision correction is elective and rarely covered by travel or health insurance. Cataract surgery may be covered by some health policies, so check with your insurer before booking and ask the hospital for itemised receipts and a medical report for any claim.
Questions to ask before you book
Who will perform my surgery, and can I check their Medical Council licence and subspecialty?
What tests will the pre-operative assessment include, and how long before it must I stop wearing contact lenses?
Based on my measurements, which procedure do you recommend and why not the alternatives?
Is the price per eye or for both eyes, and does it include the assessment, consultation and eye drops?
Which laser platform or lens model is included, and what does an upgrade cost?
How many follow-up visits are included, and when should I first be able to fly?
What is your policy and fee if I need an enhancement or further treatment?
What happens to my payment if you find I am not suitable?
Who do I contact if I have a problem after returning home?
Will I receive a written report with my measurements and the lens or procedure used?
Warning signs
A firm price or procedure offered before any examination of your eyes.
No pre-operative assessment, or one rushed into the same visit as surgery without time to consider the results.
The clinic will not name the surgeon or give their full name so you can check their licence.
Guarantees of perfect vision or no need for glasses, or outcome claims with no source.
Pressure to book quickly, or discounts that end the same day.
No clear follow-up plan, or encouragement to fly home the day after surgery.
In our records, Bangkok providers publish LASIK, SMILE and PRK, and Bangkok Hospital Pattaya describes FemtoLASIK. Phuket hospitals mention laser surgery only in patient stories, and the Chiang Mai eye hospital listed offers lens-based correction instead.
How can I check an ophthalmologist in Thailand?
Search the doctor's name on the Medical Council of Thailand's lookup at tmc.or.th, which shows licence status and any specialty. For laser correction, a cornea and refractive surgeon is the usual fit; for retinal problems, look for a retina and vitreous specialist.
Does insurance cover eye surgery in Thailand?
Laser vision correction is elective and rarely covered. Cataract surgery may be covered by some health policies, so check with your insurer first and ask the hospital for itemised receipts and a medical report.
What should I bring home after eye surgery in Thailand?
Ask for a written report with your pre-operative measurements, the procedure and laser used, and the lens model and power, so an eye doctor at home can continue your care.
About the writer and reviewer
PS
Pimchanok Srisawat
Health writer
Writes guides and comparisons for Thai Clinic Guide, keeping a link to the page behind every detail so readers can check it themselves.
KW
Kittisak Wongsawat
Health writer and reviewer
Goes through pages line by line against the sources listed, and flags wording that could be taken as advice for one reader.
This page sets out published information and is not medical advice. Speak to a doctor before you choose treatment. Our method.
Private tertiary hospital
