Laser eye surgery – Report from Friday, December 14, 2007

Hello

Having considered laser eye surgery for some time, but held back due to the cost and the resulting changes in my prescription, I’ve revisited the idea.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, I had a sports injury that necessitated a thorough eye examination. I discussed this with my ophthalmologist, who suggested a clinic in Switzerland. When I raised the issue of cost, he explained that he has many patients who have had the procedure done in Istanbul.

This boosted my confidence, so I did some research online and came across Swisslasik. My first impression was positive, so I sent them a message. I received a prompt reply in good German, which gave me a good feeling.

So I registered and transferred the money. The next day I already had confirmation that the transfer had been completed. When I then contacted them directly in Istanbul to ask if they also performed a surgical technique, and I only signed with my name, they knew I had already registered. So this was another pleasant surprise, because who in Switzerland would bother to check that?

So, with all the good impressions but also a little bit of apprehension, I flew to Turkey. I was met at the airport and driven to the hotel. The drive was enjoyable, and the driver spoke good German. He had a slightly dark sense of humor, which I thought was quite cool and helped put us at ease.

The hotel was the Taskim Gölen. Everything was clean and the breakfast buffet was good. The only downside was the noise, especially after the Champions League match. There’s also construction going on on the street at the moment, so there’s some noise, but that’s unrelated to the hotel.

I received a warm welcome at the clinic, and everything was explained in German. The doctor also speaks fluent English. So I felt very reassured, and I was really looking forward to the surgery. Even more so because the patients from the previous day had come in for their follow-up examinations.

After the surgery, I had a very strong burning sensation in my eyes for about 10 minutes, but it went away after the eye drops. And after two hours at the hotel, I was completely fine. My prescriptions of -4 and -2.25 diopters have now become +0.5 and +0.25 respectively; this measurement was taken the day after the surgery. So, I became a new person overnight. And it’s a truly amazing feeling to get up and simply leave the house without needing corrective lenses. After two days, I can say I see like an eagle again, although I’m still having a little trouble with one eye. I hope that will resolve itself as I’ve been told.

In conclusion, I can only say I would do it again anytime. And if necessary, I’ll just fly there again.