Eye surgery in Istanbul – a massive increase in quality of life – report from Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Hello Swisslasik,
As I was given a contact lens ban by my ophthalmologist this year and my glasses often bothered me during sport and in everyday life, I took a closer look at the topic of laser eye treatment this spring. After reading a detailed article in Migros Magazine about the possibility of laser eye surgery in Istanbul and finding only positive reviews online, I decided to go ahead with the procedure through Swisslasik.
Over the Ascension weekend, I flew to Istanbul together with two friends to treat myself to sharp vision twice over. We were welcomed immediately after landing by the local team in perfect German, and shortly afterwards we took the ferry towards the centre of Istanbul. We were accommodated in a cosy neighbourhood, a five-minute walk from the centre, in a rather small but lovely hotel. The reception was friendly, the rooms modern and practical, and the wireless internet worked perfectly.
We were then informed that within 24 hours we would no longer need glasses, but everything in due course. The next morning, we were picked up at 10.00 a.m., and after a short walk through some quiet streets, we arrived at the Eyestar Clinic. From the outside it looked rather unassuming, but inside it revealed itself as a modern, high-tech clinic. After a short waiting time, a thorough examination was carried out by a German-speaking medical team. The same tests were performed as previously in Switzerland.
For the final consultation, we were invited into the chief physician’s office. The friendly doctor explained my type of visual impairment in detail once again in excellent English and said that a LASEK procedure would be the most effective approach for me. The procedure was explained to me precisely, and I was reassured that there was absolutely nothing to worry about. After all, around ten people are operated on in this clinic every day, most of them from Switzerland, Germany or Austria, and so far without any complaints.
With a healthy degree of respect but in good spirits, I returned to the clinic for a second time in the afternoon. Soon I was waiting in blue surgical socks and an appropriately sterile gown. I was first in line, and before I knew it, I was back in the waiting room with the operation successfully behind me. A few drops of anaesthetic in the eyes, a few skilful hand movements, a brief red flicker, just ten seconds of laser treatment per eye, and it was all over.
This was followed by two days during which, despite high sensitivity to light, watery eyes at night and a slight scratching sensation, we admired various sights in Istanbul. One quickly got used to the different eye drops. There was a short daily check-up, and all possible questions about the healing process were clarified. My eyes did not recover instantly, but steadily, and to my great delight the world around me became increasingly sharp and clear.
I was somewhat surprised that, back in Switzerland, I had some difficulty reading or working at a screen for about a week. It was manageable, but my eyes became tired quite quickly and needed a short break from time to time. Now, around four weeks later, eye drops, contact lenses and glasses are definitely a thing of the past. My eyes are slightly more sensitive to light than before, but this is only a minor side effect. Not needing glasses anymore is truly incredible, and from time to time I ask myself why I did not take this step earlier. The improvement in everyday quality of life is really enormous, and one can easily imagine how pleasant it is to play squash, go jogging or go diving without the now somewhat dusty spectacle frame.
David Tilge