LASIK ISTANBUL experience report – Report from Wednesday, November 29, 2006

This is what our patient C. Eberli wrote to us

I wore contact lenses for six years. I was farsighted, about -1.5 diopters. In many situations, the contact lenses were uncomfortable, especially in windy conditions, smoke (e.g., in discos), or simply when I wore them late into the evening. For cosmetic reasons, glasses were never an option for me.

An eye doctor told me that if I continued to wear contact lenses so often, it would not be good for my eyes in the long run. So I looked for other options and became aware of laser eye surgery.

In 2006, I went to Winterthur for a short test to find out more. It turned out that surgery would not be a problem for me. However, I was a little shocked by the price. I had to expect to pay up to CHF 8,000 for both eyes. I couldn’t afford that. I looked around on the internet to see if there were cheaper options in other countries.

This is how I came across www.swisslasik.ch. I liked the homepage very much because everything was described in a very professional and detailed manner. I immediately got in touch with Mr. Karaagacli-Leoni. Among other things, he told me that more and more people are going to Istanbul for eye surgery, as they are well known for it and already have a great deal of experience.
I also asked some Turkish people what they thought about it. I heard only positive things. So I decided to choose Swisslasik.
Mr. Karaagacli-Leoni organized everything for me:
the preliminary examination in Zurich, the flights, the hotel, a city tour in Istanbul, etc. After I signed the contract, I received a Swisslasik pass. This included all the information I needed for the trip and my stay in Istanbul.
In September 2006, I flew to Istanbul with a companion. At the airport, we were picked up by a German-speaking Turkish woman who welcomed us very warmly and took us to the hotel. We had chosen the more affordable Hotel Gül, a simple hotel with a friendly, German-speaking owner.
The next day, we were picked up again for a city tour. In the center of Istanbul, we visited the Blue Mosque, the cisterns, and other sights. The following day, it was time for the operation. We were taken by taxi to the hospital. A preliminary examination followed, during which everything was checked again very thoroughly. The German-Turkish-speaking companion translated everything for me so that I could communicate with the doctors.
We decided to go ahead with the LASEK procedure. After the preliminary examination, I was taken into the operating room. The doctor who operated on my eyes was always very calm. You could tell that he had performed such operations many times before, which of course reassured me.
First, a sterile cover was placed over my face and my eyes were disinfected. Then my eyelids were opened and fixed with the help of a small device so that I could not close them during the operation. Next, the so-called flap was loosened and rolled to the side. The laser was then used to remove corneal tissue, which took only about 10 seconds. Everything was completely painless and problem-free. The second eye followed immediately afterward.
After about 20 minutes, I was already able to leave the operating room. After a brief check-up, we were taken back to the hotel. The next day, the first follow-up examination took place at the same hospital. I was given eye drops and painkillers. During the first few days, I experienced slight stinging and tearing. In addition, my vision was poor during the first six days after the operation. After about a week, it gradually improved.
Back in Zurich, I went for a follow-up examination one week after the operation and again after four weeks. Everything had gone perfectly. After four weeks, I could already see very well. Only in the dark was the contrast not yet optimal, but that is normal. The doctor in Zurich explained to me that it takes about three months to achieve the final visual acuity.
Looking back, I have to say that I would have this operation again in a heartbeat. Being free from visual aids has made my life much more enjoyable. The whole organization around Swisslasik was very good. Mr. Karaagacli-Leoni showed a lot of commitment and was always there for me. In the end, the whole thing cost me just 3,000 Swiss francs.