A dream comes true: Eye surgery in Istanbul on June 15, 2009 – Report from Monday, July 13, 2009

Glasses and contact lenses have been a constant companion throughout my life, ever since I was a child! Being teased about my glasses was a part of my childhood. Later, with contact lenses, many things were better, but there were still plenty of problems. Tired eyes if you wear the lenses for too long, the lenses fall out at the worst possible moment, you always have to carry spare lenses, you can never take a nap with them in, and so on and so forth… So, early on, I longed to be able to see without them for the rest of my life! Waking up in the morning and seeing what the weather was like outside – that was my dream! In the spring of 2008, I went to a free test in Zug to find out if surgery would be possible. It was, but unfortunately, far too expensive for me. Besides, I was pregnant at the time, and surgery was discouraged anyway. With the birth of my daughter, the desire to see without corrective lenses became even stronger! One day, my husband came to me, all excited, and told me about a program on Swiss television about eye surgery in Istanbul! At first, I thought, “Like many others, Istanbul, Turkey? Surely I wouldn’t let anyone near my eyes there!” But after doing some research online, I thought the idea was quite good. I then obtained two different quotes: one from a German company that organizes surgery trips to Istanbul, and another from Swisslasik. Swisslasik appealed to me much more. The information they provided was very comprehensive, and shortly after receiving the quote, they followed up to see if I had any questions. The other company only sent me a quote by email. I also found it very positive that I had a follow-up appointment in Switzerland. So, my husband and I chose June 13, 2009, as our travel date. All the necessary documents were sent to us, and all the important information was neatly arranged in the Swisslasik passport. And so, on the 13th, we set off! What was hardest for me was having to leave my daughter, who was now a year old. Incidentally, she managed to break two pairs of glasses during the last two weeks of my life that I wore them. In Istanbul, we were very kindly picked up at the airport by a staff member from the EyeSTAR Clinic who speaks fluent German and driven to our hotel. The hotel was very nice and quiet, and we were able to relax and enjoy the beautiful city of Istanbul during the 1.5 days we had before the surgery. On Monday, at precisely 11:00 a.m. as agreed, we were escorted from the hotel to the clinic by another German-speaking staff member from the EyeSTAR Clinic, where the preliminary examinations took place. It’s fascinating to see the clinic – from the outside, it looks rather shabby, but inside, everything is state-of-the-art and very hygienic. I always felt very well cared for; everything that was said to me was always translated! The waiting time was also very pleasant, with German-language magazines and drinks available. After the positive preliminary examination, we were able to leave the clinic and were told to return at 4:00 p.m. for the surgery! Before the surgery, the aftercare with the eye drops was explained to me in detail, along with what I needed to pay attention to in the weeks following the operation. The surgery went smoothly, and it was only slightly uncomfortable for a short time when the cornea was cut! But thanks to the staff member’s excellent preparation, I was ready for anything, and she explained every step of the procedure. I felt I was in good hands the entire time. After the surgery, it was a little uncomfortable for a moment. My eyes were watering and burning profusely, and I could barely open them! My husband was with me, and the staff member kept coming around to check on me. Then I calmed down, and the so-called “miracle drops” were used. From one minute to the next, I could open my eyes and see! What a feeling! The doctor checked everything again, and we went back to the hotel where I lay down. The next three hours were a little uncomfortable again with watery and burning eyes, but from then on, it only got better! To celebrate, we went out for a nice dinner at 8:30! Just wearing sunglasses. I was able to sleep well that night and woke up in the morning with clear vision! At 11 a.m. I had my follow-up appointment, and everything was fine; I almost have 100% vision again. A new life can begin! In the afternoon, we were taken to the airport and began our journey home! And now I’m home and overjoyed that I did it! Eye surgery in Turkey is, in my opinion, a fantastic opportunity for everyone to be able to see without assistance again at a reasonable price! I can only recommend it to everyone! Finally, I can see what the weather is like outside from my bed! I thank the team at the EyeSTAR Clinic for the excellent care and Swisslasik for the superb organization! With kind regards, Karin Herbst, June 17, 2009