My big eye laser surgery trip to Istanbul – report from Sunday, December 5, 2010

Since the age of six, I have depended on visual aids, in other words glasses. There was not a single day when I did not wish that this were not the case. Of course, I have to admit that the aesthetic aspect was the main factor, closely followed by the fact that glasses were a real nuisance during many activities, such as swimming. As I was no longer able to wear contact lenses after an eye infection, I decided at the age of just sixteen that my big day would come and that I would have my eyes lasered. Unfortunately, I then had to wait a full nine years until the time finally came.
During those nine years, I naturally had plenty of time to familiarise myself with the subject of laser eye surgery. From the very beginning, it was clear to me that I would definitely not have the operation done in Switzerland. The costs here are simply utopian and, in my view, completely disproportionate. As several people from my circle of acquaintances had told me that they had also had this operation carried out in Turkey with extremely satisfactory results, this further confirmed my decision to have the procedure done in Istanbul.
Once I had reached the age of 25 and my eyesight had remained stable for the past three years, I began researching online to find a good eye clinic in Turkey. I immediately came across Swisslasik. As the website already gave a very serious and professional impression, I took the step of getting in touch with Mr Karaagacli, the contact person in Switzerland. Just a few hours later, I received competent answers to all my questions by email, and it was clear to me that I wanted to have my eye surgery carried out in Istanbul at EyeStar.
I also had a preliminary examination in Zurich with Dr Mario, as I wanted to be absolutely sure that I was suitable for this operation. The examination went smoothly and, after receiving a positive assessment, I registered for the surgery. Mr Karaagacli then organised everything for me, and my major journey to Istanbul began on 22 November 2010.
Upon arrival in Istanbul, we were warmly welcomed by an EyeStar employee and taken directly to the hotel, where check-in was also handled for us. The hotel staff were very friendly, the room was clean, and I immediately felt comfortable. The following day, the preliminary examinations in Istanbul took place at the EyeStar clinic, which was only a five-minute walk from our hotel. The clinic staff were excellent, and I felt particularly well looked after by the good soul Fred, our interpreter. He was present the entire time, translated tirelessly, and was always on hand to answer questions competently. As the operation drew closer, I was very grateful that he was there with a few calming words for me and, of course, for all the others as well.
What I also found great was that at the same time there were five other people there, who were then operated on one after the other. Even during the preliminary examination, there was an opportunity to talk to other patients, and knowing you weren’t alone took away a lot of the anxiety and gave you a sense of security. The operation took place in the evening. Of course, I was incredibly scared, but the sedative, the competent staff, and the pleasant atmosphere in the hospital all contributed significantly to my being able to approach the whole thing relatively calmly. There we sat, six of us, eagerly awaiting the big moment in our lives. As mentioned before, we were called in one by one and prepared for the operation. I was fourth in line, which had the advantage that I was able to briefly speak with the first patient to be operated on, as he was out again after only 15 to 20 minutes. Then it was my turn. I was given a pink gown, a cap, and plastic covers for my shoes. After that, my eyes were numbed and everything was sterilized. The operation itself went so quickly that, in retrospect, it all seemed a bit surreal. It didn’t hurt at all; it was just slightly uncomfortable, but that was probably mainly because it’s not every day you have your eye operated on. For the operation, my eye was held in place with a clamp, and I only had to concentrate on Fred’s instructions and the green light. Apparently, I did quite well, because the laser never had to be interrupted, and after just 20 seconds per eye, the whole thing was over. Still a little groggy from the sedative and the fact that everything had gone much more smoothly than expected, Fred escorted me back to the waiting room. Finally, we were shown how to use the eye drops and then taken back to our hotel room to rest. The next morning was simply fantastic. I slept wonderfully, had absolutely no pain during the night, and when I removed the eye patches in the morning, I could see quite well without glasses for the first time in my life. My vision was still a little blurry, but I could still see everything clearly. That same day, I went back to the Eyestar clinic for a follow-up appointment. The doctor was very pleased with the result and said it was excellent; I could already see 100%. After this positive news, I immediately went on a sightseeing and shopping tour. Another advantage of choosing to have surgery in Turkey is that Istanbul is a beautiful city with many interesting sights and great shopping opportunities. After a long shopping trip and visiting the Blue Mosque, the Galata Bridge, the Galata Tower, and much more, I returned to the hotel. The next day, November 25, 2010, I was picked up from the hotel around noon and taken to the airport for my flight home. It’s now December 6th, 2010, and I’m overjoyed that I took this step. The feeling of being out and about without glasses is simply unique for someone who used to see so poorly. One example of how I still can’t quite believe I finally don’t need glasses anymore is that I’ve already caught myself reaching for my glasses before bed three times, and each time I fell asleep with a smile on my face because it’s simply indescribable to see so well without them, and I can hardly believe I don’t need them anymore. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Swisslasik/Eyestar again for their excellent all-around service and can wholeheartedly recommend this procedure to everyone. I was personally very, very satisfied and would make the same decision again in a heartbeat.