My laser surgery in Istanbul – report from Tuesday, August 24, 2010

My colleague told me that surgery in Istanbul would be worthwhile. At first, I was a bit apprehensive. However, I eventually overcame my fears and registered with Swisslasik for a preliminary examination. Mr. Karaagacli contacted me shortly afterward and arranged a suitable appointment. The ophthalmologist in Zurich confirmed that I was cleared for the surgery. I was able to schedule a surgery date very quickly. Swisslasik organized everything (flight, hotel, and transfers) perfectly and without any problems. So, now the time has come. My departure day is just around the corner. The anticipation is building. I arrived in Istanbul, and the Eyestar representatives were already at the airport, giving me a very warm and friendly welcome. I went straight to the hotel. The hotel was fantastic, and the location was first-class. Everything was nearby, and since I had a whole day “free,” I was able to go shopping and explore Istanbul. Friday finally arrived. In the afternoon, I had my final pre-operative examination. The surgery took place in the evening. Before the operation, I was very nervous. But when I entered the operating room, I felt much better. The doctor and the assistants were all very kind and encouraging. The operation began. Each eye took 60 seconds. Whoosh, and I was out again. After the surgery, I could already see, but my eyes were watering a lot. However, I didn’t feel any pain after the operation. Since I had the surgery late in the evening, I was able to go straight to the hotel and sleep. I had some pain during the night, but it wasn’t severe and quite bearable. I used eye drops again and fell asleep. The next day, I could see everything without glasses or contact lenses. Of course, my vision was still a little blurry, but overall, I could see well. Because I had a strong correction—-8 diopters and a 10mm pupil diameter—my healing process was rather slow in the first few days. Now, more than a month has passed, and my vision is excellent. My first follow-up examination showed that my right eye was corrected to 100%, while my left eye wasn’t quite 100% corrected. However, the healing process will take about three more months, and my left eye may improve further during that time. I would recommend this trip to Istanbul to everyone. Not only was the surgery fantastic, but the entire organization and the EyeStar team were truly superb. I am so grateful that I had this operation. In Switzerland, it would have cost me three times as much. Why should I pay so much when Istanbul is so advanced in medicine? Don’t be afraid and have the surgery done in Istanbul. A very special thank you to the entire Swisslasik and EyeStar team for the excellent organization and the operation itself. Kind regards, Laura Di Iorio