Laser eye surgery in Istanbul – A dream come true – Report from Wednesday, August 11, 2010

For a long time, it had been my great wish – a life without glasses and contact lenses. Glasses had been with me practically my whole life; I got my first pair at two and a half years old, and what I can now happily say is that at twenty-two, I got my last pair. I’ve heard friends and acquaintances rave about getting their eyes lasered from all sides. I researched laser eye surgery in Switzerland a few times and kept daydreaming. But the prices always dampened my mood. I’m a student, live in my own apartment, and have a car – so there’s not much left, especially not 9,000 francs for an eye operation. I had almost given up on my dreams when one day I started talking to a new colleague. For fateful reasons, we got onto the topic of laser eye surgery, and I rolled my eyes, which was meant to indicate that I could never afford it. Then she told me that she had her eyes lasered in Turkey, and the cost (INCLUDING the flight and four nights in a four-star hotel in the middle of Istanbul) was the same as what you would pay in Switzerland for just ONE eye. That caught my attention. During lunch break, I browsed the internet and stumbled upon the Swisslasik website. I immediately ordered some information. I couldn’t wait to learn everything because just what I read on the website already excited me. When the information arrived, and I went through it thoroughly, the surgery was almost a done deal for me. I told my family and friends about the promising offer, and I found someone to come with me who also wanted to have their eyes lasered in Istanbul. After that, everything went very quickly. I sent an email to Swisslasik to express my interest in the offer, and shortly after, I did the voluntary pre-examination and received confirmation that I was suitable for LASIK. I didn’t hesitate for a second and booked the package. Swisslasik took care of everything from A to Z. They even suggested an eye doctor for the pre-examination, who worked with the agency. He was also responsible for the follow-up examinations. On the day of departure, I was incredibly nervous. I didn’t know what to expect, but at the same time, there was immense excitement about my life afterward – without glasses. The flight, which was also booked by Swisslasik, went smoothly. We were picked up on time at the airport and taken to our hotel. Everything was organized, and thanks to Swisslasik, we didn’t have to worry about a thing. On the day of the pre-examination and surgery, we were picked up at our hotel. The clinic was just a five-minute walk away, which I found very convenient. Once we arrived, we were greeted very kindly, and I immediately felt comfortable in the waiting room. Thanks to the music and the lounge-like decor, I felt more like I was in a bar than in a clinic, which made me feel very calm 🙂 Also, everything was very clean, and it was immediately clear that hygiene played a very important role in this clinic. The pre-examinations all went well, and we hardly had to wait at all. The report was good, and the operation was scheduled for the afternoon. When the time finally came and we entered the clinic again in the afternoon, I did feel a bit nervous. However, we were given a calming pill, and from that point, everything was fine. To clarify how “fine” it was, our biggest concern was that the eye patch, which was stuck to our faces, would tear out our eyebrows – so we really didn’t have any problems. The operation was very quick and without complications. As soon as I was on the operating table, I was already back out, lying on a recovery sofa. The surgeon spoke English, I understood most of it, but there was also always a person present who translated every detail into German, so there were absolutely no communication issues. Shortly after the operation, we were able to leave the clinic – armed with various eye drops – and return to the hotel. The night, or rather, what I experienced of it, wasn’t as pleasant for me as it was for my colleague; I had a horrible burning sensation in my eyes. However, thanks to sleeping and pain medication, I was able to fall asleep quite quickly, and when I woke up in the morning, I felt like a new person. Then it was time for the follow-up examination, and the surgeon delivered good news. My refractive error (by the way, I couldn’t see well up close or far away, and I had astigmatism) had been reduced to a minimum of 0.25. I was overjoyed. Now, I’ve been back for almost a month and am enjoying my life without glasses. I can already see very well up close, and my distance vision is still a bit fluctuating. However, the eye doctor I saw for the follow-up examination told me that it will stabilize over time. In conclusion, I want to say that I never had any doubts about having my eyes lasered in Turkey, despite comments from those around me like “Oh my God, are you crazy?”, “Can they even do this?”, or similar remarks. No, I’m not crazy, and yes, they can do it because, firstly, I researched it thoroughly beforehand and learned that Istanbul is a hub for eye surgery, and secondly, I am a good proof of that because I’ve experienced it myself. My conclusion: “It was worth it, I would do it again anytime and recommend it to everyone.” Kloten, 11th August 2010, Danielle Eidenbenz