Finally, the dream of a life without visual impairment has been fulfilled – Surgery 17.06.2010 – Report from Sunday, July 25, 2010

Motivation
In 2004, I first heard about LASIK (on Telezüri, Lifestyle). Immediately, I was excited, having been nearsighted all my life. I was tired of my unsatisfactory vision with glasses and the good vision with contact lenses, but with the downside of irritated eyes in the evening. However, I was very apprehensive since this surgery was new to me, and I didn’t know anyone who had successfully undergone LASIK. Over the next six years, I gathered all the information I could about LASIK. In 2008, a good friend of mine went to Istanbul with Swisslasik. My first reaction was: “You’re crazy!” But after hearing about his experiences with the perfect organization, the top-notch Eyestar clinic, and of course, the excellent results from the surgery, I was fully convinced. I still had to wait two more years due to pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Pre-examination in Zurich
During the pre-examination, I got the green light. However, I didn’t expect too much from this exam. Questions about the surgery and all the details weren’t answered, as the ophthalmologist had no connection with Eyestar or LASIK. Also, you must absolutely travel by public transport. Because of the pupil dilation, everything was blurry for hours (e.g., reading text messages was impossible), and I was extremely sensitive to light. I was a bit annoyed with the pre-examination in Switzerland, as later at the Eyestar clinic, they gave me drops after the pupil dilation that immediately restored my vision! But it was a good sign that they are more advanced in Istanbul than the doctor in Switzerland. I’ve definitely lost my belief that Swiss standards are the highest of them all…
Swisslasik / Organization / Hotel
The fact that Swisslasik organized everything for me was very convenient. The booking was quick, questions were answered immediately, and the contact was very friendly. Everything went perfectly. At the airport, we were already greeted (in German) and chauffeured in a large new Mercedes to the hotel. The Taksim Park City Hotel is highly recommended. The rooms are small, but clean, nicely decorated, and well air-conditioned. The location is perfect: Two corners away, and you’re at the clinic, and it’s also very easy to get to the shopping district, where there’s always something happening.
Clinic
Don’t be put off by the building (the smell in the stairwell – they should do something about that). Once I entered the secure, code-locked clinic, I was pleasantly surprised: modern, clean, friendly, and with a very pleasant atmosphere. For every examination, I was assisted in Swiss German. The equipment was state-of-the-art. The doctor took his time for the consultation. I was told things about my eyes that I had never been told in Switzerland. I got the reassuring feeling that I was in the hands of specialists. There were five of us on that day (3 Swiss, 1 Swede, and one person with an undefinable language). We all had to be at the clinic at the same time, but it was never boring. We always had something to do (exams, reading information sheets, etc.). The process was fast, and we were always kindly provided with drinks. After a lunch break, our surgery was scheduled on another floor of the clinic. The waiting area here was a true relaxation oasis. In a separate room, I was given surgery clothes and my face was disinfected.
The Surgery
The surgery itself lasted only a few minutes, but for me, it wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. Not because of pain, but rather because of the “handling” around my eye. First, a white plastic piece was attached to my eye (for eyelash fixation), then the eye was cut open, followed by the fixation ring, and it briefly went black. By this point, I was in a panic. However, the team kept encouraging me, and whenever I moved too much, the machine simply stopped. Immediately after the surgery, I couldn’t open my eyes, and I felt pain as if there were two blades in my eyes. A few minutes later, I received more numbing drops – the pain immediately went away, I was able to open my eyes, and through a fog, I realized that I could already see clearly!
After the Surgery
I was able to return to the hotel without any problems since my vision was already quite good. I put on eye pads and went to sleep. After 2 hours of sleep, I woke up with the same “knives in the eyes” feeling and a very strong headache. Fortunately, they had given us painkillers. I didn’t need any tears. After another 2 hours of sleep, the pain was gone – and the sharp vision was there! An amazing feeling!
At the follow-up the next day, I could read the smallest letters – the result: 120% vision! +0.25/-0.25. We were able to visit the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar (Istanbul is surprisingly modern, clean, and the people are not pushy). However, I must say that in the afternoon, my eyes became tired, a little scratchy, and the vision was slightly foggy. The prescribed drops burned in my eyes and also affected my vision. During the flight home, I could read for a maximum of 30 minutes, after which the text became blurry.
My biggest “problem” was light sensitivity. For a week, I even wore sunglasses indoors, as TV, the computer, and lights all blinded and fatigued my eyes.
Four Weeks Later
No more scratching, no pain. However, I noticed that I had more and more trouble reading on the computer (sharpness/fatigue/headaches). In fact, the follow-up in Zurich showed that I now had farsightedness of +0.5/+0.75 (overcorrection – a friend who had surgery in Switzerland had the same issue). The doctor was happy with the result, saying it had healed beautifully. The farsightedness wasn’t a big deal; my eyes just needed to adjust to the new way of seeing. For most people, this resolves within 3 months. The final result is usually clear only after 6 months.
At the moment, it’s a bit annoying, and I’m glad I’m “just” a housewife and don’t have to do 9 hours of computer work with these eyes. However, from my acquaintances, I know that a bit of patience after surgery is necessary – whether LASIK is done in Switzerland or Turkey.
Life without contact lenses is wonderful, and I would definitely have the surgery again! Of course, in Turkey. I would recommend Swisslasik and Eyestar to my best friends.
Stephanie Fritschi