Highest standard in quality and service – report from Tuesday, 15 January 2013

A Swiss acquaintance of mine had his eyes lasered in Istanbul in the fall of 2011 and was extremely satisfied with the results. For various reasons, including convenience, I (31 years old) also wanted to live without lenses and glasses. My prescription wasn’t very strong (-1.25 and -2.25), but I was tired of both lenses and glasses. I visited my eye doctor in Zurich, and after a brief preliminary check, he gave the green light for laser surgery.
Since the procedure in Switzerland was too expensive, he gave me a few recommendations abroad that delivered excellent results, including Swisslasik. Contact with Swisslasik was so quick and straightforward that I immediately signed up for the surgery. I arranged the flight myself, although Swisslasik could have organized it for almost the same price. Everything else—airport transfer to the hotel and back—was handled by Swisslasik.
We flew to Istanbul on Thursday evening. My companion and I were picked up at the airport by a driver and taken to the hotel. On Friday morning, we were collected from the hotel and taken to the clinic, where a guest coordinator, who also served as our translator, welcomed us. First, all possible tests were conducted. We had free time until early afternoon, so we went to a nearby shopping center for lunch and a stroll. Shopping wasn’t particularly cheap there—prices were almost on par with Switzerland.
At 3 p.m., we returned to the clinic. I, along with four other Swiss patients, underwent the laser operation one after the other. The procedure itself was uneventful, lasting only about 5–10 minutes. Immediately after the operation, I could see normally—an amazing feeling! We all received a protective ski-goggle-like eyewear with a strap, which we had to wear for 24 hours. I wore mine for the second night as well, waking up once and scratching my eye accidentally.
After everyone was treated, the driver took us back to the hotel. The ride was challenging because my eyes began to itch, burn, and feel both dry and watery. Fortunately, I had pain medication, and my partner guided me while keeping my eyes closed to make it tolerable. By 9 p.m., the discomfort had eased enough for me to fall into a deep sleep.
The next morning at 7 a.m., the driver took us back to the clinic for a follow-up. I met all the Swiss patients from the previous day again. It was interesting to hear their experiences—all of them could see very clearly and were thrilled; all would do it again! The check-up showed at least 100% visual acuity, and we received eye drops.
My partner and I stayed in Istanbul until Monday to explore the city. In our opinion, it was a bit hectic, and the daily traffic jams were long, but a nighttime Bosporus cruise was very romantic. Seven days later, I returned to my eye doctor in Switzerland for a follow-up. He was impressed with the laser surgery, saying it was excellent work, and confirmed that nothing could have been done better.
Unfortunately, I had to return to work five days after the operation, using a computer, which was uncomfortable in the first week. My eyes became tired quickly, and I experienced headaches. Three months later, I am still very satisfied. The initial blurriness in dim light (e.g., from LEDs) has mostly disappeared. And what could be better than surfing without losing lenses, or not struggling with lens issues in the mornings and evenings? Humorously, I found myself repeatedly going to the bathroom at night to remove lenses—only to remember I no longer had any!
I warmly recommend Swisslasik as an organizer and facilitator; the service exceeded anything I could have expected in Switzerland. The Acibadem clinic is of international top level and medical quality.
Stéphanie Eugster