Patient report: eye surgery in Istanbul – report from Monday, 8 July 2013

Patient report from Corinne Amherd, Frauenfeld (07.07.2013)
Until recently, I had never really thought about life without glasses. I liked wearing my glasses. Only in recent years did I start having more and more problems with contact lenses. On vacation or in good weather, I constantly had to switch my corrective sunglasses for my normal glasses whenever I entered a shop or restaurant. Over time, that became annoying.
A few years ago, my brother’s friend had her eyes lasered in Istanbul. She was very happy with the results, and I found myself thinking about it from time to time. At the office, we also talked about it occasionally. One fine day, my boss came into the office and said that she and her son were going to take the step: LASER EYE SURGERY IN ISTANBUL. I thought, why not? My boss had researched online and found your clinic. The three of us were immediately convinced, and after sleeping on it, I agreed to travel to Istanbul for laser eye surgery.
It was very reassuring for me that the three of us would have the same surgery, and also that we would have the option of follow-up checks in Switzerland. Everything then moved very quickly. Mr Serdar Karaagacli kept us perfectly informed via email and organized everything for us. The surgery was scheduled for 21.06.2013, and we flew to Istanbul on 20.06.2013. We arrived in the evening around 18:00 with Pegasus Airline, where a friendly staff member picked us up at the airport and drove us to the hotel. After a delicious dinner at the hotel, we went to bed to rest for the day of the surgery.
Surgery day, 21.06.2013
We were picked up from the hotel in the morning and taken directly to the ACIBADEM clinic. A staff member greeted us, and shortly after, our interpreter joined us. It was a great support and very reassuring to have him with us all day, translating everything. The pre-examinations then started quickly, carried out by the friendly clinic staff. There were brief waiting periods, but something was always happening.
We then met our doctor, who examined us again. Our interpreter informed us that the surgery would begin around 14:30 and that we were all suitable for it. We had a small meal at the clinic and then sat in the sun outside the clinic until it was time. It was very reassuring to have Mr Gökhan Izlisu with us all day. He radiated calm, which kept me from feeling nervous at all. I simply had great trust in the doctor and the clinic, so I wasn’t very anxious. I still took the calming pill shortly before the surgery.
At the scheduled time, we went back inside, and it started. I felt a little strange but trusted that everything would go smoothly. We received eye drops to numb our eyes, and after a short wait, it was time. The surgery was very quick and went without problems. Afterward, we were given protective glasses and immediately had a follow-up check. Everything went well, and the doctor was satisfied. So were we.
Immediately after the surgery, my eyes were very light-sensitive; I could barely open them and mostly wanted to keep them closed. We went straight back to the hotel and rested. I had no pain, only a burning sensation in my eyes. After about four hours of rest, we could enjoy a meal in the hotel restaurant. Wearing sunglasses, we all sat happily, sharing our impressions. It was simply unbelievable that we could see without glasses or contact lenses. Wow… amazing!
The next day, we had a follow-up check, and that was it. We could now explore Istanbul. The city is beautiful, and I will definitely return as soon as possible to see more. Two weeks have passed since the surgery, and I still sometimes can’t believe it. In the evenings, I still feel like I need to remove my contact lenses… haha. At first, I was very light-sensitive and even wore sunglasses in the office. Driving at night, the lights of other cars were very dazzling. But I can already feel it getting better, and it continues to improve over time.
I am extremely happy with my decision to have my eyes lasered in Turkey and can warmly recommend it to everyone. It’s a quality of life that you get back. I am so happy!
Thanks to all the staff at SwissLasik and the Acibadem Clinic for the excellent care.
All the best, Corinne Amherd