Eye LASIK, experience report by Max Müller about the surgery on March 22nd in Istanbul – Report from Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Sport without glasses
I have worn glasses since the age of 14. At first only at school and at work, but later also during sports. Visiting the optician for minor accidents such as bent or broken frames soon became routine, so I was keen to switch to contact lenses. Unfortunately, this never worked satisfactorily for me. Due to astigmatism, daily disposable lenses were not an option, and soft monthly lenses also failed to deliver the desired results. Far too often they slipped behind the eyelid or rotated in such a way that my vision became blurred. I made another attempt with semi-rigid lenses, which centre themselves much better than soft lenses, but they are lost more frequently, making this a rather expensive solution. In the end, I opted for a Titan Flex pair of glasses and buried the dream of sport without glasses.
Laser treatment becomes routine
Now almost 50 and still enthusiastic about sport, the desire for sport without glasses resurfaced. LASIK has long since become a routine procedure. In Switzerland, however, the operation is still expensive, which discouraged me from dealing with the subject seriously. It was only my most recent visit to the optician three years ago that prompted me to take a closer look at the whole issue again. In the meantime, I had developed presbyopia, and vision correction could only be achieved with varifocal lenses. The high cost of LASIK becomes more reasonable when compared with the CHF 1,200 for glasses, which recurs every three years. Apart from the dream of being without glasses, this solution is also more economical.
Preliminary examination in Switzerland
In my search for a suitable clinic, I reviewed several offers online. It soon became clear to me that I wanted to undergo an independent preliminary examination before allowing myself to be pushed into a decision. I definitely wanted to reflect on the findings after the examination and calmly decide on one surgical technique or another. It was therefore clear that the preliminary examination had to take place in Switzerland. Of all the offers, only Swisslasik and clinics based in Switzerland remained under consideration.
Decision to have surgery abroad
I have been working for more than 15 years at a company that, among other things, manufactures and distributes equipment for ophthalmology. We supply worldwide, including to Istanbul. In terms of training and infrastructure, I could not identify any differences compared with the information available to me about Swiss clinics. In terms of price, however, there certainly were differences.
Organisation by Swisslasik
After a brief exchange of emails, Swisslasik planned and arranged my surgery. This included a preliminary examination in Switzerland, followed by flights, hotel accommodation and clinic appointments for the trip to Istanbul. I seized the opportunity and extended the trip by two days. All documents arrived on time. Particularly helpful was the small Swisslasik pass in pocketbook format, which contained all the necessary information in a clear and chronological order. The flight reservation number (ticket) was included.
Travel / Operation
Our flight departed on time. The transfer to the hotel was carried out by an employee of the EyeStar Clinic. We quickly recognised the EyeStar sign in the arrivals hall. We were already expected. We were politely welcomed in German. The EyeStar employee kindly took care of my wife’s luggage. During the journey, we had the opportunity to talk with the EyeStar employee and go through the further procedure of the operation once again. After checking in at the hotel, the EyeStar employee informed me once more of the exact time for the transfer to the clinic for the preliminary examination and then said goodbye. The hotel was very centrally located, close to the clinic and the shopping street (Taksim), each only a five-minute walk away.
The EyeStar employee arrived punctually and took me to the clinic for the preliminary examination. Upon arrival at the clinic, I was greeted in Bern German. No waiting times, no mass processing. The doctor and the specialist staff took plenty of time. An interpreter translated every word into German, although there was actually no need for it. We were able to communicate easily in English. However, it was always very important to the clinic staff to close any possible information gaps. After the preliminary examinations, I declined an accompanying person for further clinic visits, although this was offered to me.
The operation itself was surprisingly short for me. Anaesthetic drops in the left and right eye, a 30-minute waiting period, and then it was straight into the operating theatre. First the cap and gown, then sterile washing, covering and the placement of a ring to prevent blinking, followed by positioning under the laser. Here, the protective film was first removed from one eye. Then, as previously discussed, a red dot appeared. I focused on it. The laser work was completed after just seven seconds per eye and was completely painless. The assistant took me to a darkened room, where I was allowed to lie down for about 30 minutes before being taken for a vision test. The tests confirmed results better than predicted. During the preliminary examinations, I had been informed that due to presbyopia, reading glasses might still be necessary, but thanks to the good result this was not required.
Three hours after entering the EyeStar Clinic, I made my way back to the hotel on foot without any accompaniment. Clear, sharp vision, simply fantastic. As recommended, I lay down again. My eyes began to water, but this stopped after about two to three hours and caused no pain.
The country and its people
Istanbul at its most beautiful, mosques and markets, the gateway to Asia, just as we had expected. What remained as a particularly positive memory were the people. Helpful, friendly, we felt comfortable and safe. During my visits to the clinic, my wife was able to go shopping alone without any problems. Istanbul is a metropolis, no more dangerous than any other city in our country.
Three months later
In the meantime, light sensitivity has stabilised. The eye muscles have normalised. Especially for glasses wearers with varifocal lenses, the eye is used to constantly seeking focus on a different point of the lens due to the distance to the object being viewed. This automatic adjustment confuses the eye during the first few weeks but disappears thereafter. Only from that point did I know that the operation had been a complete success.
Max Müller