Eye surgery in Istanbul on February 27, 2015 – Report from Wednesday, March 18, 2015

After my ophthalmologist prescribed progressive lenses for me in December 2014, I first started thinking about laser eye surgery. Progressive lenses weren’t an option for me because I wanted to see normally without any eye strain. And above all, progressive lenses were out of the question for me while playing sports. I remembered a report about laser eye surgery in Turkey and did some research online. That’s how I came across SwissLASIK, and after some further research and emails, I decided to have the surgery in Istanbul.

On February 5th, I attended an information session in Zurich and met Ms. Cosar, who would be performing the surgery in Istanbul. Ms. Cosar was very competent and answered all my questions to my complete satisfaction.

On Thursday, February 26th, I flew to Istanbul with Swiss and was picked up at the airport by a driver. Unfortunately, he spoke no German and hardly any English. We drove at a snail’s pace through total traffic chaos to the Hotel Dedeman. The Hotel Levent was originally planned, but I preferred to stay in a 5-star hotel, as it offered a bit more comfort. This was important to me because I wanted to be as comfortable as possible after the surgery. It was a very good decision.

The hotel is comfortable and pleasant. Not a luxury hotel, but very good. Exchanging money at reception is no problem. The rooms are spacious, but it’s been a while since the last renovation. It’s best to get a room facing the courtyard, as the street can be noisy.

I didn’t use the fitness and spa area. There is 24-hour room service. The breakfast buffet was very extensive and excellent.

On February 27th, I was picked up by the driver at 8:30 a.m. and taken to the Acibadem Clinic, where I took a seat in the waiting room. Everything was very modern and there was no hospital smell. Finally, the interpreter came and got me. There were two of us from Switzerland scheduled for surgery that day. We completed the numerous eye tests together, which was very helpful because it allowed us to constantly exchange information and share our impressions. Between tests, there was a waiting period. Before my initial consultation with Ms. Cosar, we met a Swiss couple who had had the surgery the previous day and were now there for a follow-up appointment. They shared their experience with us, which was very informative.

There were two examinations and consultations with Ms. Cosar, and there was an opportunity to ask further questions. She was very calm, competent, and took her time.

Afterwards, we went to the canteen for lunch. Unfortunately, the menus were only in Turkish and there was no interpreter. The staff spoke neither German nor English.

Shortly before 2:30 p.m., we were picked up by the interpreter and taken to the operating room area. Here we had to sign a liability waiver, just like in any other hospital.

After that, we went through the airlock, put on sterile clothes, and were operated on one after the other. It only took 10 minutes and was painless.

We were given a kind of ski goggle and various eye drops.

On the way back to the hotel, pain set in and my eyes watered endlessly, making it almost impossible to find my way back to the room.

The eye drops had to be administered at regular intervals, which wasn’t easy given the excessive tearing. Glasses could be removed, but they had to be worn while sleeping to prevent accidentally touching the eyes.

Thankfully, my eyes weren’t watering anymore in the morning. The pain was gone. Sunglasses were a must. The light was still blinding, but my vision was reasonably good. The follow-up appointment was quick and positive. Right afterward, I took a taxi to the Grand Bazaar for some shopping.

However, I took it slowly and made sure to always wear sunglasses and get enough rest.

I flew home on Sunday and could see quite well.

I went back to work on Monday, but I got tired quite quickly at the computer. However, this improved day by day. A good two weeks after the surgery, my vision is good. I still need to work on sharpness and contrast a bit. Also, my visual acuity still fluctuates quite a bit.

Since I have mild presbyopia, reading is somewhat limited, but still quite possible. However, I can no longer see small details as clearly. Before, I simply lifted my glasses and could see things fairly well. That’s obviously no longer possible. It’s a matter of weighing up what’s more important. For me, it’s the right decision, and I’m glad I took the plunge. Dominik Schraner