Experience report: Laser eye surgery in Turkey – Report from Friday, July 27, 2007

It’s been a week since I had laser eye surgery at the Eyestar Clinic in Istanbul. I still can’t quite believe that I don’t have to take my contact lenses out in the evening, but can just fall into bed. And in the morning, when I get up, I no longer stumble around the bathroom like a mole, but can see the world in crystal-clear focus. It’s just wonderful!!!!! Finally going on vacation without having to pack glasses, prescription sunglasses, contact lenses, lens cases, lens cleaning solution, and regular sunglasses in my suitcase!!! Finally going mosquito hunting at night and actually seeing the creatures instead of just hearing them!!!! It’s an amazing feeling!

I can highly recommend Eyestar and Swisslasik. Their professionalism impressed me even before I arrived, and this was confirmed in Istanbul. I had also inquired about laser surgery at a Swiss clinic. My impression was that Eyestar and the Swiss clinic were on par with each other, but the price difference was huge. So it was clear to me that I would have the surgery done in Istanbul. Swisslasik also appealed to me because everything is organized and I didn’t have to worry about a thing.

I had the preliminary examination done in Switzerland and can also highly recommend this. This means that you won’t find yourself in a stressful situation in Istanbul if several laser techniques are possible, and you won’t travel to Turkey in vain if you are not suitable for laser surgery in the first place. I personally really appreciated that the assessment is completely neutral and that you are never pressured into having surgery or otherwise made to feel that it is a particularly attractive option. Neither by Swisslasik nor by the doctor in Zurich.

Everything went really well in Istanbul too. My companion and I were picked up from the airport on time and taken to the hotel. The fact that my booked hotel was fully booked and I was moved to another hotel two streets away wasn’t a big deal for me. The clinic was still just a stone’s throw away, which is extremely convenient, especially after surgery. The atmosphere in the clinic is very friendly, and Fred in particular takes great care of you. With his Bernese German accent and Turkish accent, he immediately makes you feel at home. Everything then happens relatively quickly and you hardly have time to study all the documents. The preliminary examination didn’t take too long for me. The longest part is waiting for the eye drops to take effect, which dilate the pupils and then return them to their normal state. After the preliminary examination, you have time to go out for something to eat (the Italian café just below the clinic is a good option, by the way).

And then the operation slowly approaches. The absolute highlight is the massage chair, where you can relax a little before the operation. It’s amazing! And then it’s time to go into the operating room. Everything goes very quickly there too, and before you know it, you’re back outside again. The most unpleasant part is the incision for the corneal flap. The laser treatment itself is over in no time. The most important thing is to stay as relaxed as possible and always look at the green dot. After the operation, you are taken to a dark room to recover and Fred gives you eye drops. After a short check-up, it’s all over and you can go back to the hotel, where you can finally lie down and close your eyes. It’s difficult to keep your eyes open when they’re burning and watering, and if you lie down straight away, the worst is over quickly. After just two hours, the burning sensation subsided and I felt much better and could see well again.

The next morning, there is another follow-up check, and if everything is OK, you can enjoy Istanbul a little longer. I already had great vision the very next day.

Yesterday, I had my first follow-up appointment in Switzerland. It was determined that my left eye had been slightly overcorrected, which reduces my visual acuity a little. Otherwise, everything is fine, and I only regret one thing about the laser surgery: Why on earth didn’t I think of this idea sooner???