Experience report of my surgery in Istanbul – Report from Friday, July 4, 2008

It all began 24 years ago. I needed my first pair of glasses, and my eyesight got worse year after year until I reached -7.00 dioptres in both eyes. Then it stabilised. With my first apprentice wage, I bought my first contact lenses. After some time, however, I could no longer tolerate them and had to go back to wearing glasses. Years later, I did consider having my eyes laser-treated, but it was simply too expensive for me. Two years ago, my brother told me that several of his colleagues had undergone laser eye surgery in Istanbul and were very satisfied with the results. Shortly afterwards, there was also a report about it on the programme Puls, which I naturally followed with great interest. By coincidence, a colleague of mine went to Istanbul last year to have his eyes laser-treated. After hearing his experience, it was clear to me that I would also go to Istanbul.

After I received the OK for the operation during the preliminary examination in Zurich, the time had come on 25 May 2008. I flew to Istanbul. At the airport, I was given a very warm welcome in German by Birol and driven to the hotel. The next morning, Fred picked me up at the hotel around 11 o’clock and we went straight to the clinic. There, I was warmly welcomed and everything was explained to me in German. The preliminary examination was carried out very quickly, and at 1 pm I was told that nothing stood in the way of the operation. I was advised to go and have something to eat, and the operation was scheduled for 4 pm. As my eyes were still very sensitive to light because of the drops that had dilated my pupils, I decided to go back to the hotel first and lie down for a while. A little later, I went to eat something and then went straight to the Eyestar clinic. That was when I really started to feel nervous. I was very relieved when a member of staff from the Eyestar clinic brought me a calming tablet. Shortly afterwards, we went up one floor. Only then did I realise that there was no light at all, meaning there was a power cut. However, the staff member reassured me and said that they had a generator in the operating theatre upstairs precisely to rule out such risks. Once upstairs, I had to put on a head cover and a gown. Then I was able to sit on a massage chair while the staff member cleaned my face with a disinfectant. Then it was time. Without my glasses, I was led to the laser and could lie down. The staff member explained every step the doctor was taking in German. To my surprise, I did not notice very much of the operation. The only unpleasant part was the rinsing and drying of the eye. So absolutely no pain at all. The operation was over very quickly, and when I sat up from the couch, I was very surprised that I could already see everything very clearly. I was taken to a large reclining chair, where I could listen to some music in the dark and relax. After a short time, I was picked up and taken down to the lower area. There, I immediately put on my sunglasses because my eyes were very sensitive to light. This was followed by a follow-up examination, which showed that everything was fine. I then went straight to my hotel room and lay down to sleep. Apart from my eyes watering, I had absolutely no pain. When I woke up the next morning, I was very happy that I could see everything so clearly and distinctly. I then went back to the clinic once more for a follow-up examination. The doctor was very satisfied with my eyes. At that moment, my values were even in the plus range. However, these would still change, and the doctor said that in the end I would be at -0.50 dioptres. In other words, I would no longer need glasses! Smile. I was then picked up by Birol and taken to the airport.

It has now been nine days since my operation, and I am still doing very well. I am simply enjoying my new life without any visual aids. I can highly recommend this operation in Istanbul to everyone. You really do not need to be afraid of Istanbul or Turkey. The care and support provided by swisslasik.ch and the Eyestar Clinic are truly excellent!

Many thanks to the team in Istanbul and to Mr Serdar Karaagacli-Leoni from Swisslasik.ch

Daniela Mächler-Broger