MY FEMTO LASIK SURGERY IN ISTANBUL – Report from Wednesday, October 5, 2016

My partner and I have both worn glasses for at least 20 years, though my prescriptions are worse than hers: -3.25 in my left eye and -3.75 in my right, with astigmatism. Years ago, we considered laser eye surgery to improve our vision. At a Swiss trade fair (ZOM, if I remember correctly), we noticed a booth called “Swisslasik,” which offered laser eye surgery in cooperation with a partner in Istanbul, Turkey, at a very attractive price. As someone with little knowledge of laser eye surgery, I was naturally very skeptical when I heard the words “Istanbul” and “laser eye surgery.” However, at the Swisslasik booth, I was immediately offered a preliminary examination to determine my suitability for the procedure (free of charge, of course). From then on, the company and my partner and I were in regular contact via email. Through more detailed research, we gradually realized that Istanbul is at a high level of technological advancement and has access to the latest technology, perhaps even more so than Switzerland. For me personally, this was the deciding factor in choosing Turkey, although the price was certainly a welcome bonus.

Day 1: On Monday, September 5, 2016, at approximately 10:00 a.m., the moment finally arrived, and my partner and I were standing at Zurich Airport, waiting for our flight to Istanbul. From then on, everything ran very smoothly and was very well organized. All transfers between the airport, hotel, and private hospital were arranged and mostly on time (except for the return transfer from the hotel to the airport, when we waited about 40 minutes longer). Upon our arrival at the hotel, after a 40-minute drive, our luggage was taken care of, and we had the whole day to explore our new surroundings. We also bought a new pair of sunglasses for just a few francs at the shopping center, which was only 5 minutes away and open until 8:00 or 9:00 a.m., as we had left them at home. I highly recommend buying sunglasses in advance for the period after the surgery. You’ll find a relatively large selection of opticians in the aforementioned shopping center.

Day 2: The following day, Tuesday, we were picked up by taxi on time and taken to the hospital. The further examinations we had there were intended to confirm once again that I was a suitable candidate for the laser surgery. After a rather expensive and not very good lunch, we were escorted to the operating room, where we had to read and sign a form regarding potential risks. To be honest, I was very nervous, so I was offered a sedative. Then it was finally time for the operation. Thanks to eye drops that provided local anesthesia, I only felt pressure in and around my eye during the entire procedure, and only towards the end did I experience a slight burning sensation, unlike my partner. After approximately 20 minutes, I was discharged from the operating room and immediately had an eye test in the doctor’s office. The results were already significantly better than before, without glasses. Regarding the day as a whole, the waiting times between tests were rather long, and during the preliminary consultation with the lead physician, I only had 2-3 minutes to squeeze in a few questions. Otherwise, everything went very smoothly, which was certainly also thanks to the German-speaking interpreter who accompanied us the entire time.
Back at the hotel, however, the next four hours or so were very painful. We had to use special eye drops every hour, and the protective goggles, which we had to wear the whole time, especially at night, were not very comfortable. Even reading the menu to order food to the room was a challenge.

Day 3: After breakfast, we were taken back to the hospital for a follow-up check to check for any complications or allergic reactions. Since everything had gone well as planned, we were definitely discharged and even decided against taking a taxi home so we could take the metro in the other direction to the Grand Bazaar. A good dinner near the hotel rounded off our day, despite the mixed visibility.

Day 4: Return journey to Switzerland. Apart from the delay of our transfer to the airport, everything went smoothly, and we were ultimately happy to be back in Switzerland.
During the next month: For the first one to two weeks, I was constantly on edge because my vision fluctuated. My night vision, in particular, was quite poor. This prompted me to schedule one of the four paid follow-up eye exams in Switzerland ahead of schedule. However, my anxiety proved unfounded. Now, four weeks later, my eyes have recovered noticeably, especially regarding my improved vision. The slightly poor night vision, as well as an occasional feeling of dryness or a slight burning sensation, are still noticeable.

Overall conclusion: Even though my eyes aren’t quite back to 100% after a month, I’m quite confident that they will improve significantly soon. Regarding costs: flight, transfers, hotel with breakfast, lifetime guarantee, four follow-up appointments in Switzerland, and a paid revision surgery if needed—all for half the price of the procedure in Switzerland. I think that’s a good deal.

Peter Güntlin