Eye LASIK, experience report by Max Müller about the surgery on March 22nd in Istanbul – Report from Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Sport without glasses
I have worn glasses since the age of 14. At first only at school and at work, but later also while doing sport. Trips to the optician for minor accidents such as bent or broken frames soon became routine, so I was keen to switch to contact lenses. Unfortunately, this never worked satisfactorily for me. Due to my astigmatism, daily disposable lenses were not an option, and soft monthly lenses did not bring the desired results either. Far too often they slipped behind the eyelid or rotated in such a way that my vision became blurred. I also tried semi-rigid lenses, which centre themselves much better than soft lenses, but they are often lost, making this a rather expensive solution. In the end, I opted for a Titan-Flex pair of glasses and buried the dream of sport without glasses.
Laser treatment becomes routine
Now, approaching 50 and still passionate about sport, the desire to do sport without glasses resurfaced. LASIK has long since become a routine procedure. In Switzerland, however, the operation is still expensive, which prevented me from seriously addressing the issue for a long time. It was only my last visit to the optician three years ago that prompted me to take a closer look again. In the meantime, I had developed presbyopia, and vision correction was only possible with varifocal lenses. The cost of LASIK puts itself into perspective when compared with the CHF 1,200 for glasses, which need to be replaced every three years. Apart from the dream of living without glasses, this solution is also more economical.
Preliminary examination in Switzerland
In my search for a suitable clinic, I reviewed several offers online. It soon became clear to me that I wanted an independent preliminary examination before committing to a decision. After the examination, I wanted to take time to reflect on the findings and calmly decide on one surgical technique or another. It was therefore clear that the preliminary examination had to take place in Switzerland. From all the options available, only Swisslasik and clinics in Switzerland remained under consideration.
Decision to have surgery abroad
I have been working for more than 15 years at a company that, among other things, manufactures and distributes equipment for ophthalmology. We supply worldwide, including Istanbul. In terms of training and infrastructure, I could not identify any differences compared with the information available to me about Swiss clinics. In terms of price, however, there certainly were differences.
Organisation by Swisslasik
After a brief exchange of emails, Swisslasik planned and arranged my operation. This included a preliminary examination in Switzerland, as well as flights, hotel accommodation and clinic appointments for the trip to Istanbul. I seized the opportunity and extended the trip by two days. All documents arrived on time. Particularly helpful was the small Swisslasik pass in pocketbook format, which clearly presented all the necessary information in chronological order. The flight reservation number (ticket) was also included.
Travel and surgery
Our flight departed on time. The transfer to the hotel was carried out by a member of staff from the Eystar Clinic. We quickly recognised the Eystar sign in the arrivals hall and realised that we were already being expected. We were politely welcomed in German. The Eystar staff member kindly took care of my wife’s luggage. During the drive, we had the opportunity to talk with him and go through the next steps of the procedure once again. After checking in at the hotel, the Eystar staff member informed me once more of the exact time for the transfer to the clinic for the preliminary examination and then said goodbye.
The hotel was very centrally located, close to the clinic and the shopping street (Taksim), both about a five-minute walk away. The Eystar staff member arrived punctually and took me to the clinic for the preliminary examination. Upon arrival at the clinic, I was greeted in Bernese German. There were no waiting times and no sense of mass processing. The doctor and the specialist staff took a great deal of time. An interpreter translated every word into German, although there was actually no need, as we were able to communicate easily in English. However, it was always very important to the clinic staff to ensure that there were no gaps in information.
After the preliminary examinations, I declined an accompanying person for the further clinic visits, although this was offered to me. The operation itself was surprisingly short. Anaesthetic drops were applied to both eyes, followed by a waiting period of 30 minutes, and then it was straight into the operating theatre. First a cap and gown, then sterile washing, covering, and the placement of a ring to prevent blinking, and then under the laser. First, the adhesive film on one eye was removed. Then, as discussed beforehand, a red dot appeared, on which I focused. The laser work was completed after just seven seconds per eye and was completely painless.
The assistant then took me to a darkened room, where I was able to rest on a reclining chair for about 30 minutes before being taken for a vision test. The tests confirmed results that were even better than predicted. During the preliminary examinations, I had been informed that due to presbyopia I might still need reading glasses, but thanks to the excellent result, this was no longer necessary.
Three hours after entering the Eystar Clinic, I made my way back to the hotel on my own. Clear, sharp vision, simply fantastic. As recommended, I lay down again. My eyes began to water, but this stopped after about two to three hours and caused no pain.
Istanbul, the country and its people
Istanbul showed itself from its most beautiful side: mosques and markets, the gateway to Asia, exactly as we had expected. What stayed with me most as a positive memory were the people. Helpful, friendly, we felt comfortable and safe. During my visits to the clinic, my wife was able to go shopping on her own without any problems. Istanbul is a cosmopolitan city and no more dangerous than any other city in our country.
Three months later
In the meantime, my sensitivity to light has settled. The eye muscles have normalised. Especially for people who previously wore glasses with varifocal lenses, the eyes are used to constantly adjusting focus to a different point on the lens depending on the viewing distance. This automatic behaviour can initially confuse the eyes during the first few weeks, but it gradually disappears. It was only from this point onwards that I knew the operation had been a complete success.
Max Müller