A fantastic experience when I had my eyes lasered in Istanbul in August 2012 – report from Monday, 1 October 2012

It was truly a wonderful experience when I had my eyes lasered in Istanbul in August 2012. Let me go step by step: I am a mother, already a grandmother three times (soon four), and I also work part-time as a playgroup leader. Every day, I have many children around me, and alongside the work, there’s always a lot of fun. But wearing glasses is really cumbersome—a constant nuisance that always needed adjustment at the optician. It really annoyed me.
A few years ago, I switched to contact lenses, which brought many advantages, but for almost 20 years I had dreamed of living my daily life completely without any visual aids. A friend of mine had her eyes lasered in Istanbul with great success and often raved about the newfound quality of life. Slowly, the thought of having my own eyes “safely operated on” grew stronger. I saved money every month, and suddenly I realized I could afford the operation.
I double-checked with my friend about where she had gone, and she said she found it online. So I went home and started researching on the internet. I came across Swisslasik, read all the patient reports, and contacted their Thun office via email without any obligation. From there, everything went quickly and professionally. I was able to provide my travel details to Swisslasik, and they arranged the round-trip flight, hotel stay, transfers, and the operation itself, including a translator for the entire clinic experience. Everything was perfectly coordinated.
Luckily, my daughter had an unused week of vacation, so we booked her as well through Swisslasik. We were very excited for our time together in Istanbul and curious about what we would experience. Everything went smoothly, and more than ten days before departure, I received the Swisslasik Pass, containing all the important information we needed.
We were at the airport by 5:30 a.m. for our 7:40 a.m. flight. It was wonderful to be ready so early, and we had a relaxed coffee beforehand. We browsed the duty-free shop and enjoyed some amazing perfumes—almost missing the flight due to the “holiday spirit.” The flight was smooth, and we even had our first Turkish meal onboard, which was delicious. Before we knew it, we landed in Istanbul.
Unfortunately, our transfer did not pick us up, so we waited at the airport for a while. Swisslasik quickly intervened by phone, and we were allowed to take a taxi to the hotel (clean and with very friendly staff), with the costs reimbursed the next day by the clinic. Thank you, Swisslasik—it really reassured us.
On the operation day, we skipped breakfast at the hotel to avoid missing the transport. At the clinic, we felt as comfortable as if we were in Switzerland, even enjoying a breakfast on the terrace. My eyes were thoroughly examined in the morning, and the operation was scheduled for the afternoon. In the meantime, our translator suggested visiting a modern shopping center nearby, which we enjoyed very much.
Finally, it was time for the operation. Lying on the table, I felt a little uneasy, but deep inside, I felt secure and guided by God’s presence. I received the surgical gown to ensure hygiene. During the procedure, I had to focus on the red dot, which was initially difficult due to my energetic nature. They calmly instructed me to look at the center.
The right eye was treated first, and suddenly everything went pitch black—I panicked for a moment, thinking, “Is this it?” But moments later, I saw the light again and breathed deeply. It felt almost like a woodworking workshop (from my father’s profession) as they shaped the cornea. The first eye was done quickly, and then they moved on to the left. About twenty minutes later, the operation was complete, and my daughter was amazed at how quickly I emerged from the operating room.
My translator checked whether I could see him, and I answered “yes,” which pleased him greatly. Both eyes were rechecked, and everything was perfect. I was given sunglasses for protection and transferred back to the hotel, where I immediately rested and slept. My daughter set an alarm so I could administer the eye drops on time.
The next morning, I opened my eyes and was astonished at how sharply I could see—even the ceiling lamp appeared crisp and clear. Simply without glasses! Later, we returned to the clinic for a follow-up. It was wonderful, wearing only sunglasses (without prescription) due to temporary light sensitivity. Our translator guided us through all the appointments until we checked out of the clinic.
I enjoy seeing without glasses every day and strongly recommend anyone to get their eyes checked for laser eligibility—ideally before becoming a grandparent. Istanbul itself is highly recommended, and a few days of sightseeing make the trip even more enjoyable. I wish everyone the courage to undergo the procedure, a successful operation, and wonderful vision.
Kind regards,
E. Keller-Schellenberg