Saigon Hospital Experience

Today I noticed quite a bit of chatter on one of the local Saigon expat chat sites questioning where one could find decent quality medical care here in Saigon at less than outrageous prices.  Well … let me jump into the conversation!

I’ve been planning to mention my recent eye injury and my experience at Fortis Hoàn Mỹ Hospital in Phú Nhuận District.

So … there I was being the perfect senior citizen trying to take care of my body and stay in shape at California Fitness and Yoga.

Admirable, right?  Well, yes.  Until, in the middle of an exciting exercise class workout, I got whalloped in the right eye! OUCH.  I mean really – MAJOR OUCH!  (I won’t discuss the details of how I got smacked … too embarrassing and a bit pathetic).

Anyway, I immediately glanced in the room-sized wall mirror to see if I had a black eye.  NO.   I was very surprised and pleased.

But, what was that flock of black birds flying across the room? And across the floor? And in front of the mirror?

Oh Dear.  Seems everything in sight included flocks of black birds, specs, dots and strings running across my field of vision.  Could be trouble!

Hai and I left the gym and I immediately called my friend, Jan in the USA who had had recent experiences with a torn / detaching retina, flocks of black birds fluttering in front of everything, and risk of immediate blindness, and, finally,  surgery.

His response when I described what had just happened – Hang up and get to a hospital NOW! At 9:00 pm on the Vietnamese holiday (celebrating the fall of Saigon of all things!).

An immediate call to SOS (a local international clinic here in Saigon) yielded the following advice after a 20-minute callback wait.  “We have no opthomologist available now.  But, don’t worry.  Our staff here agrees you’re not in any emergency situation.  Call tomorrow for an appointment.”

Mmmn … not an impressive response. Hai, please take me to the local Saigon eye hospital.

We jumped on the motorbike and headed to Saigon’s District 1 Eye Hospital, only to find a dark parking lot, a locked gate, and a sleeping attendant minding the front gate.

Hai went into his forceful charm offensive and got the guard to wake and slide the gate open wide enough to walk our bike through.  The guard then returned to sleep and we walked through the dark halls of the eye hospital … alo? alo? alo?

Finally, an office with a dim light.  We peaked through the door and entered to wake 2 sleeping health care providers.  They immediately flipped on the lights, pulled out a notepad, and began chatting with Hai, in Vietnamese, of course.

First, Read the eye chart.  No problem – even through the fluttering flock.

Then, what I had been hoping for.

Sit in front of the machine, look straight ahead into the brilliant piecing white light; now look to the right; now up; left; straight; down; at my ear. 

Seems, I was okay.  No visible tear in my retina.  Just the beginnings of cataracts – normal for eyes of my age.

A second woman, nurse? doctor? security guard? – who knows? – ran through the same eye exam drill.  And same conclusion.  No problem.

And what of those back birds?  Normal.  They’ll fade away later.

I left, mildly comforted, but still unsure about the likelihood of my imminent blindness.  No further recourse tonight, though.

The next day, early, Hai took me to Fortis Hoàn Mỹ Hospital in Phú Nhuận District. What a pleasant surprise!  A clean, well-lighted place.

Take a number and wait – 30 seconds!

My name please?  My problem today?  Go to lầu 2 (floor 2).

There, we quickly paid my 90,000 vnd ($4.30 USD) fee. Go to lầu 2 (floor 2), to the opthomology clinic.

Wait – this time 60 seconds!

I told my story again to the opthomologist on duty.  A friendly, broken-English, seemingly competent doctor.  Again, the bright piercing light deep into my eyeball.  But this time the exam went on for over 5 minutes!  Did he find something?

Now, to the next room for an eyeball sonagram!   He heavily “gelled” my eyelid and then slid the the cold, smooth, metal device over and over my eyelid – apparently sending sound waves through my vitreous humor.  10 minutes later – finished.

Look here on the monitor.  There they were!  The mass of black birds – appearing on the screen as white debri on a black field.  The verdict please …

No problem.  Retina in good shape.  “Floaters” in my vitreous humor normal after an impact.  Come back for a follow-up exam in 3 days to be sure.  Take these pills to dissolve the floaters. Finished.

Complete time from hospital entrance to exit – 45 minutes.

Full cost of all hospital, doctor, and exam fees and medicine – 120,000 vnd ($6).

Results – One month later, after my follow up visit and medications, I still have my vision.  The black birds are still there, but now maybe fewer in number and smaller in size.

If Eating Saigon! were in the hospital rating business, Fortis  Hoàn Mỹ would easily rate a YUM YUM YUM. 🙂

But, for sure, go with a Vietnamese-speaking friend!

I now plan to get back to the USA sooner, than later. I’ll have another check with my eye doctor there … but for now, so far so good. And an excellent experience at Fortis Hoàn Mỹ.

Fortis Hoàn Mỹ 
60 Phan Xích Long
Phú Nhuận District
(84-8)  3990 2468

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