Patient report on laser eye surgery in Istanbul by Silvana Romano – Report from Wednesday, July 17, 2013

My decision to have laser eye surgery came about because I was having increasing problems with contact lenses. Over time, I couldn’t tolerate them anymore and they were just a constant source of frustration. My son wore his contact lenses, sometimes overnight, and this caused him significant eye problems. I thought that if I decided to have laser eye surgery, he would come with me. I did some research online and came across your website. I had found another company, but I felt better informed by your website. It was also very important to me that the follow-up appointment in Switzerland would be conducted by one of your doctors. My decision was made: I would have my eyes lasered in Turkey. My son was immediately enthusiastic as well. I told my colleague at the office about my plan, and she was instantly on board. She also decided to come to Istanbul with me. So, off we went… I contacted Mr. Karaagacli, and he organized everything perfectly for us and booked the flights. On June 20, 2013, our adventure into a life without glasses or contact lenses began. I was very happy because the two weeks I had to wear glasses before the surgery were pure hell. I couldn’t see well at a distance, and close-up vision was equally impaired. I constantly had to take my glasses up and down to be able to work on the computer. I was incredibly frustrated. Luckily, that was all about to end. The flight and travel were superbly organized, and after only about three hours, we arrived in Istanbul, where a staff member picked us up and drove us directly to our hotel. Our plan was to freshen up quickly and then grab a bite to eat. At the airport, we met a woman who had also booked the same eye surgery as us. She joined us right away. Now there were four of us scheduled for the surgery, plus my girlfriend, who was traveling with us as a companion. June 21, 2013, began with a light breakfast at the hotel, and then we were picked up and driven to the clinic. A staff member greeted us, and our German-speaking translator joined us shortly after. The preliminary examinations started quickly, and during the waiting time between tests, the four of us were able to chat and pass the time. We were then informed that we could all have our surgeries that afternoon and could spend the time in a shopping center or somewhere else until then. Since it wouldn’t be long before our operations began, we decided to stay at the clinic and get something to eat. Around 2:30 p.m., it was finally time. We were given a sedative and sat down to wait. My son and my colleague were called in first. I managed to wish them good luck, and then they were gone. The sedative made me so calm and relaxed that I actually fell asleep while waiting. When my name was called, I said, “Oh, I was asleep, I feel a bit dizzy.” A staff member then led me into the operating room, and the entire operation was very relaxing for me; I wasn’t nervous at all. I must have slept through the eye surgery :o) After a quick check-up, we were driven back to our hotel, where we lay down to give our eyes a rest. I felt great from the start, so I was able to help my colleague with the eye drops we had to put in her eyes after two hours. She was so sensitive to light at first that it was impossible. I also gave my son some eye drops, and later that evening we all met up again in the hotel restaurant and shared our experiences. My friend, who traveled with us as a companion, had a wonderful day in Istanbul, and we were given a new lease on life without glasses or contact lenses. All in all, June 21, 2013, was a perfect day. The day after the surgery, we had another short follow-up appointment, and then we enjoyed a boat trip on the Bosphorus. Now, almost four weeks have passed, and I’m very happy with the treatment. For me, everything was so perfect from the start that I never had any problems and even now I don’t notice at all that I had eye surgery. I even wore makeup again a week ago and it’s all going great. Best regards, Silvana Romano