Finally, the dream of a life without visual impairment has been fulfilled – Surgery 17.06.2010 – Report from Sunday, July 25, 2010

Motivation: In 2004, I first heard about LASIK (TeleZüri, Lifestyle). I was immediately enthusiastic (having always been nearsighted), after years of unsatisfactory vision with glasses and, while my vision was good with contact lenses, my eyes were irritated in the evenings. However, I was too apprehensive, as this surgery was still new to me and I didn’t know anyone who had successfully undergone LASIK. Over the past six years, I’ve gathered everything I could find about LASIK. In 2008, a good friend went to Istanbul with SwissLASIK. My first reaction: You’re crazy! After his experience with the perfect organization, the top-notch Eyestar clinic, and, of course, the fantastic surgical results, I was completely convinced. However, I had to wait another two years due to pregnancy and breastfeeding. Pre-examination in Zurich: I received the go-ahead at the pre-examination. However, you shouldn’t expect too much from the pre-examination; questions about the surgery and everything else involved weren’t answered, as the ophthalmologist had no connection to Eyestar or LASIK. Public transport is absolutely essential, as my vision was blurry for hours due to the dilated pupils (e.g., reading text messages was impossible), and I was extremely sensitive to light. I’m a bit annoyed about the preliminary examination in Switzerland, because later at the Eyestar clinic, they gave me drops after the pupil dilation during the preliminary examination, which immediately restored my visual acuity! But it’s a good sign that they are more advanced in Istanbul than the doctor in Switzerland. I’ve definitely lost my belief that our Swiss standards are the pinnacle of medical care… Swisslasik / Organization / Hotel Having Swisslasik organize everything for me was very convenient. The booking process was quick, questions were answered immediately, and the contact was very friendly. Everything worked perfectly. We were already expected at the airport (in German) and chauffeured to the hotel in a large, new Mercedes. The Taksim Park City Hotel is highly recommended. The rooms are small, but clean, nicely furnished, and well air-conditioned. The location is perfect: just around the corner and you’re at the clinic, and you’re also very close to the bustling shopping street. Don’t let the building put you off (the stairwell smelled bad – they should really do something about that). As soon as I entered the code-secured clinic, I was pleasantly surprised: modern, clean, friendly, and with a very comfortable atmosphere. I was seen in Swiss German during every examination. The equipment was state-of-the-art. The doctor took his time for the initial consultation. He explained things about my eyes that I’d never had explained to me in Switzerland. I felt confident that I was in the hands of specialists. There were five of us that day (three Swiss, one Swedish, and one with an unidentifiable language). We all had to arrive at the clinic at the same time. However, there was never a dull moment; there was always something to do (examinations, reading information sheets, etc.). Everything was done efficiently, and we were kindly offered drinks. After a lunch break, our operation took place on another floor of the clinic. The waiting area there was a real relaxation oasis. In a separate room, I was given surgical clothing and my face was disinfected.
The operation itself only lasted a few minutes, but for me it was no walk in the park. Not because of pain, but rather because of the manipulation around the eye. First, a white plastic sheet was taped over the eye to secure the eyelashes, then the eye was exposed, then the fixation ring was applied, and everything briefly went black. At the latest at this point, I panicked. However, the team kept encouraging me, and whenever I moved too much, the machine simply stopped.
Immediately after the operation, it was impossible for me to open my eyes. I felt pain as if there were two blades in my eyes. A few minutes later, I was given anaesthetic drops again – the pain disappeared immediately. I could open my eyes and noticed through a haze that I could already see clearly.
After the operation, I was able to return to the hotel without any problems, as my vision was already quite good. It was time to tape on eye pads and sleep. After two hours of sleep, I woke up again with the feeling of knives in my eyes and very severe headaches. Fortunately, we had been given painkillers. I did not have to cry. After another two hours of sleep, the pain was gone – and the sharp vision was there. An incredible feeling.
At the follow-up examination the next day, I was able to read the smallest letters – result: 120% vision, +0.25 / -0.25. We were able to visit the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar. Istanbul is surprisingly modern and clean, and the people are not pushy. However, I have to say that in the afternoon my eyes became tired, felt a bit scratchy, and my vision was slightly hazy. The prescribed drops burned in my eyes and also affected my vision. On the return flight, I could read for a maximum of 30 minutes before it became blurry.
My biggest problem was sensitivity to light. For a week, I even wore sunglasses at home. Television, computer screens, lamps – everything was dazzling and tiring for the eyes.
Four weeks later, there was no scratching and no pain. However, I noticed that I was having increasing difficulty reading on the computer due to sharpness issues, fatigue, and headaches. In fact, the follow-up examination in Zurich showed farsightedness of +0.5 / +0.75, an overcorrection – something that also happened to an acquaintance who had surgery in Switzerland. The doctor was nevertheless satisfied with the result and said it had healed nicely. The farsightedness was not a problem; the eye simply now has to get used to the new vision. For most people, this settles within three months. The final value is only determined after six months.
At the moment, it is tiring, and I am glad to be “only” a housewife and not have to work nine hours a day at a computer with these eyes. However, from acquaintances I know that a certain amount of patience is required after the operation – whether LASIK is done in Switzerland or in Turkey. Life without contact lenses is wonderful, and I would have the operation again immediately. Of course, in Turkey. I would recommend Swisslasik and Eyestar to my best friends. Stephanie Fritschi