Laser eye surgery in Istanbul, one of my best decisions – report from Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Dear readers, I would like to share my experience with eye surgery at the Acibadem Clinic in Istanbul. The search began on the internet. I looked through Swiss clinics and doctors, but I could neither afford nor justify the exorbitant prices for eye surgery. That is when I came across Swisslasik and decided to go through the entire process with them in autumn 2011. When I made the decision to have the operation in Turkey and shared the news with people around me, the reaction was always the same and still is: What, are you crazy?! I can reassure you, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
I travelled to Istanbul accompanied by my wonderful parents. The city was exciting, very clean and a positive surprise in every respect. As up to that point I had only known Turkish people living in Switzerland and had not been particularly convinced by the religion, I must say it was sensational. Despite a delay of almost an hour at the airport, a member of staff from the Acibadem Clinic greeted us with a name sign and a smile on his face. He drove us to the Elite World Prestige Hotel, which I can highly recommend.
On the day of the operation, I was picked up at 8.00 a.m., and a long day full of nervous anticipation lay ahead of me. All the tests went smoothly and we were perfectly prepared for the laser procedure. The laser treatment started at 3.00 p.m., and I would recommend everyone to take a calming tablet. I wanted to be strong and did not take one, which was a mistake. My jaw was trembling with excitement and my arms went numb. Neither the preliminary examination nor the laser itself was painful at all. I found the separation of the cornea slightly uncomfortable, as the eyeball had to be fixed in place, but this only lasted about five minutes.
After the laser treatment, I was extremely sensitive to light and just wanted to return to my hotel room. Writing text messages was out of the question, as the display was far too bright. My eyes felt strange and the pain could not be relieved with Panadol S. However, after four hours the pain definitely subsided. To support optimal healing of the cornea, I was given eye drops, which are crucial for the final result, but I had accidentally left them at the hospital. The coordinator, Tolga, was kind enough to bring them to me at the hotel. Excellent service.
The next morning, I rushed to the window to test the result. I was thrilled. Everything was completely clear. I could even see the standby light of the television with sharp outlines. Incredible. At 9.00 a.m., I went back to Acibadem for the follow-up examination and was rewarded with positive results. No more visual aids ever again. In the afternoon, you are already able to explore the entire city and go for a stroll. Isn’t that crazy? But it is true.
I can warmly recommend the operation in Istanbul to everyone. Dare to do it. It is perfectly organised, very hygienic, and the people are friendly. The city itself will also completely amaze you. This was my trip to Turkey. Daniela Steiner