My laser eye surgery in Istanbul – report from Monday, February 4, 2019

I’ve worn glasses for 30 years and have heard a lot about this method. Several acquaintances have also had it done through Swisslasik and were all satisfied. Of course, there’s always the fear that something might go wrong, but the joy of finally being glasses-free is greater. So I decided quite spontaneously: now or never!

From the very first contact, I felt well-advised and in good hands. I could write by email or even WhatsApp and always received a reply, even on weekends! I opted for the standard package with a companion. Booking and payment also went smoothly. I even had to leave early; that wasn’t a problem either. My husband and I flew to Istanbul on December 26, 2018. The transfer took a while to find us in all the chaos, but if I had checked my phone, I would have seen the calls and messages. While still on the way to the Birinci Clinic, the driver called me from Ms. Belgin. She provides German-speaking care to the patients there. She gave us a very competent overview of the next steps, and we arranged to meet the next morning for the first consultation. Upon arriving at the clinic, we were shown to our room. Understandably, it was a two-bed clinic room, and we simply pushed them together. The city is truly vibrant, and we couldn’t wait to explore it. So, off we went. Taxis in Istanbul are really cheap, and we were glad when they got us to our destination quickly. After a lovely evening, we returned to the clinic. Only then did we see that dinner had been prepared for us. We were very sorry about this, as we had already eaten. After a restful first night and breakfast in our room, I went to reception as agreed. Unfortunately, the friendly ladies only spoke Turkish, but they immediately called someone in charge. He speaks either German or English. So, I was told that I would be picked up and should relax… as a Swiss person, of course, I stuck to the agreed-upon time.

Back in my room, Ms. Belgin arrived a short time later. She gave me a friendly and thorough explanation of everything and very patiently answered all my questions and addressed my concerns. Then it was time for my doctor’s visit. Everything went incredibly quickly and smoothly. Everyone was at their post, and I hardly had to wait. When I did have to wait for almost 20 minutes, coffee was already being served. Everyone was truly very nice, and Ms. Belgin was always there for me. The doctor was also pleased and gave the go-ahead for the operation that afternoon. Since it was still morning, we decided to go on a long shopping trip. It was very relaxing, and we had a really good meal. I wasn’t nervous at all, just happy that it was almost time. Right on schedule at 4 p.m., I met with Ms. Belgin. I was given drops and a sterile gown, along with a cap and slippers. Normally, you’re given a sedative to calm your nerves, but I was so calm that I even convinced the doctor that I didn’t want one. And then the big moment arrived. It really is very quick. You don’t feel any pain, just a little pressure. I actually found it quite fascinating… Mrs. Belgin did too… she’d never experienced such a relaxed patient. And then it was all over. Of course, I took a selfie with the doctor for the website. I was given the glasses and my vision was still a bit blurry, but to my surprise, I could see. Now I was supposed to go to my room and rest my eyes as much as possible. The paperwork said I should use the eye drops, but none were provided. I asked the nurse, and she said that was okay; they would make sure I received them regularly. They gave me a painkiller and a Xanax to help me sleep. Since it was only 5 p.m., I didn’t want to take it… bad idea… it started to hurt. So I took the painkiller and asked for the eye drops, which provided immediate relief. My eyes watered a lot, so the effect wore off after about 30 minutes, and I started experiencing severe pain. It wasn’t the burning sensation, but more like being jolted awake by a spotlight shining directly in front of your open eye, and not being allowed to close it. I was assured that this pain was perfectly normal and that I should please take the sleeping pill. I thought I knew better and waited. When I went to the nurse for the fourth time for the drops, I was told that would be the last time. They contained cortisone, and she wasn’t allowed to give them to me so often. I was nearly desperate because after the drops, I felt practically no pain, which meant the painkillers (I was already on my second one) didn’t help at all. I went back to the nurse an hour later, and it was shift change. A man listened to my distress (all in Turkish, by the way, thanks to Google Translate) and immediately gave me drops. He said it was okay, but I should SLEEP now. So I took the sleeping pill. After a restless hour and the fear that the pain would return, I actually fell asleep. I slept soundly through the night without any pain and woke up as if nothing had happened! Only the light bothered me. As soon as I was awake, the friendly man came to my bedside and gave me the eye drops. So I started the day without glasses and relieved that I felt so well. Then Ms. Belgin came to check on me. I explained my behavior the previous evening, and she laughed and said it was perfectly fine. The pain was completely normal, and she’d seen much worse. We went for my follow-up appointment, as I had a flight that afternoon. I ran into the same nurse as the night before and apologized. She just laughed and said that I’d behaved quite civilly, unlike some others.

The follow-up appointment was once again exceptionally well-organized, and I was discharged after an hour. Everything was fine, and the doctor was very pleased. We then headed to the airport, and our transfer dropped us off right in front of the entrance. Everything went so smoothly! For a while, I could hardly believe how well it had all gone. For the first few days, you receive detailed instructions and eye drops to use. I had no side effects, just occasional dry eyes, which is normal. This week (almost four weeks after the surgery), I went for my follow-up appointment. Everything has healed perfectly. I’m only missing 0.5 diopters, which is practically zero, and my astigmatism is still quite pronounced, but that should improve over time. In short: I would do it again in a heartbeat and am now pestering all my friends who wear glasses to finally take the plunge! I have absolutely no complaints about the organization, the cleanliness of the clinic, or the care I received. To those who will be staying at the Birinci Clinic: please note that meals are brought to your room. We missed almost all of them because we were traveling.

We’re now considering having our dental work done. To anyone thinking about it, I can only say: you can trust them! I took the plunge and am enjoying a new lease on life! Thanks to everyone involved!
Gloria G.