Video by Evan Eh! 🇨🇦
Detached Retina in Vietnam: A Retiree's Hospital Story
A Canadian retiree in Da Nang developed a detached retina during COVID. Two hospitals in Da Nang said they couldn't treat them, so they went to Saigon alone and tried the cheaper public system despite having health insurance, a decision they call wrong. In the end they used their insurance at FV Hospital.
What it cost them
As stated in the video, September 2025. Prices change; these are theirs.
| Rent, two-bedroom flatCOVID-era price, same as their earlier studio | 10 million dong (about $400) | ▶ 16:37 |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly spendingconverted figure unclear in the captions | about 3,000 Canadian | ▶ 17:39 |
| Health insurance, per year | 4,000 Canadian (about 3,000 US) | ▶ 18:40 |
| Insurance deductiblecheck-ups not covered | a thousand (as stated) | ▶ 19:11 |
| Electricity, per monthabout the same as they paid in Toronto | about a hundred bucks | ▶ 19:11 |
| Electricity, hot seasonair conditioning | can be 150 bucks | ▶ 19:41 |
| Scooter gas, per month | five bucks ("I don't know") | ▶ 19:41 |
Their situation
Questions this video answers
What happened when they needed eye treatment in Da Nang?
They say two hospitals in Da Nang said they couldn't treat them, so they went to Saigon by themselves and first tried the public system because it was cheaper. ▶ 12:58
What was the Vietnamese government hospital like?
They describe good quality people running it, and say there was "no soap in the washroom." ▶ 14:00
Where did they finally go for treatment?
Because they had insurance, they went to FV Hospital, which they call "as good as any hospital you can go to." ▶ 14:00
How much does their health insurance cost?
They put it at 4,000 Canadian a year, about 3,000 US, with a thousand deductible, so it isn't for check-ups. ▶ 18:40
How much do they spend a month in Da Nang?
They said they were spending about 3,000 Canadian a month at the time of recording. The converted figure is unclear in the captions. ▶ 17:39
The moments, in order
Press ▶ to play the video from that second.
- ▶ 7:45
When he arrived, Vietnam gave three-month visas. He says it didn't seem that big of a deal through Lin Visa.
as stated, September 2025
- ▶ 10:53
On his second day he rented a scooter and was pulled over by police at a trap on a one-way street. It shook him, so the first thing he did was try for a motorcycle licence.
- ▶ 11:25
While sorting out the motorcycle licence he met other expats, including a South African who later became his bar partner. That gave him a ready-made group of friends.
- ▶ 12:27
During COVID he started having vision problems that turned out to be a detached retina. It was serious, with a risk of losing his sight, and he was alone at the time. He calls it "a nightmare".
- ▶ 12:58
Two hospitals in Da Nang said they couldn't treat him, so he went to Saigon alone. He says his decisions were wrong: he had health insurance but tried the Vietnamese public system because it was cheaper.
- ▶ 14:00
He says the Vietnamese government hospital had good quality people running it, and there was no soap in the washroom. In the end he used his insurance at FV Hospital, which he calls as good as any hospital you can go to.
- ▶ 16:37
Because of COVID, rents fell sharply. He moved from a studio into a two-bedroom flat in Santra Ocean View for the same rent, 10 million dong, which he puts at about $400.
as stated, September 2025
- ▶ 17:39
At the time of recording he spends about 3,000 Canadian dollars a month (the converted figure is unclear in the captions). He says he now spends less than at first because he knows where to shop.
as stated, September 2025
- ▶ 19:11
His health insurance runs 4,000 Canadian a year (about 3,000 US). It has "a thousand" deductible, so it isn't for check-ups. Electricity was a surprise: he pays about what he paid in Toronto because of air conditioning.
as stated, September 2025
Worth knowing before you go
- ▶ 10:53
On his second day he rented a scooter and was pulled over by police at a trap on a one-way street. It shook him, so the first thing he did was try for a motorcycle licence.
- ▶ 12:58
Two hospitals in Da Nang said they couldn't treat him, so he went to Saigon alone. He says his decisions were wrong: he had health insurance but tried the Vietnamese public system because it was cheaper.
- ▶ 14:00
He says the Vietnamese government hospital had good quality people running it, and there was no soap in the washroom. In the end he used his insurance at FV Hospital, which he calls as good as any hospital you can go to.
This is their experience, retold in our words, and not medical, insurance or financial advice.