Experience report: EYE LASER in Istanbul – Report from Sunday, October 19, 2008
I am sitting on the postbus on the way home…. The landscape is passing me by…. It is wonderful to see so clearly!
Our daughter is now one year old and for me it is now the ideal time to travel to Istanbul, to finally have full vision and clarity day and night. Also, stealing mummy’s glasses off her nose is no longer an option 🙂
At first, I considered travelling with my partner and daughter. However, I decided against it, as I want to focus fully on the operation and the first few somewhat difficult days afterwards
A good friend had already told me about her procedure over a year ago. As a former surgical nurse, her arguments convinced me immediately. From a medical perspective, a procedure is not necessary for me (both eyes approx. – 5.5 long-sighted), but it is a sensational increase in quality of life that I want to and can afford. I did not need to be told twice. To be independent of visual aids after being a spectacle wearer since the age of 7? I decided on the operation very quickly.
Is medical care in Switzerland better than elsewhere in the world? Having lived abroad for longer periods twice already, I know that you can receive good care anywhere in the world, provided you have the necessary means. For the local population, it often looks different because they cannot afford the treatment.
In my opinion, the clinic in Istanbul offers excellent service from the airport pick-up, before the operation, during the operation, and also during the aftercare. The doctors and staff behave professionally, but also warmly, likeably, and empathetically. I also find the support (ophthalmologist and Swisslasik) before and after the procedure in Switzerland to be practical. This builds trust in the clinic and provides a certain sense of security. Recently, I had my first follow-up check-up with the ophthalmologist in Switzerland. Although the surgeon in Istanbul assessed the result positively the following day, I am glad to have my eyes checked again after about 2 weeks. I am very relieved that everything is still in perfect order.
I find it ideal to have a few days off to be able to focus fully on my eyes (my stay including travel was 6 days). Had I had the operation in Switzerland, I would have been expected to quickly take care of my daughter and the household again. It would have been much more difficult to allow myself a break. Istanbul is an exciting, modern city, with immense historical buildings, cosy street cafes and good shopping opportunities. I will return to Istanbul and look forward to dropping by the clinic for a coffee then.
Annette Lüthi, 3 October 2008