Patient Experience
As a 78-year-old with rapidly progressing cataracts in both eyes, I had nearly given up on reading my beloved poetry books. Dr. Karaatli didn't just see me as another elderly patient; he designed a staggered surgical plan that considered my mild tremor and anxiety. At Liv Hospital Bahcesehir, his team used some kind of laser-assisted technique he explained in simple terms. The most remarkable moment was during my second eye's follow-up when he placed a book of Rumi's poems in my hands and said 'Now read with your heart again.' I'm weeping as I write this - not from pain, but because I can see my great-granddaughter's smile clearly for the first time.
Our 8-year-old son developed a sudden, terrifying cross-eye (strabismus) after a fever. Multiple doctors suggested waiting, but Dr. Mesut Karaatli identified it as a rare accommodative spasm requiring immediate intervention. What struck us was how he transformed the examination into a game - 'following the spaceship light' - making our terrified child giggle. His treatment involved special prism glasses and vision therapy exercises presented as 'secret agent training missions.' Six months later, not only is the alignment perfect, but our son proudly declares he wants to be an eye doctor 'like Dr. Karaatli who has magic hands.' The care at İstinye University Liv Hospital felt like a partnership rather than just treatment.
I'm a graphic designer who suffered a freak accident - a chemical splash from a printer cleaner. Rushed to emergency at midnight, I was certain my career was over. Dr. Karaatli was called in and performed what he later called a 'corneal irrigation marathon' for 45 minutes, talking calmly about Istanbul's architecture to keep me distracted. The innovation? He used amniotic membrane transplantation as a biological bandage, something he said would heal with minimal scarring. For three weeks, he personally checked my progress daily, even on weekends. Today, my color perception tests are actually BETTER than before the accident. He didn't just save my vision; he saved my life's passion with what felt like artistic precision.
My routine checkup turned into a life-altering discovery. As a healthy 42-year-old marathon runner, I went to Dr. Karaatli for dry eyes. During his exhaustive examination (he spent 45 minutes when most doctors do 10), he noticed subtle changes in my optic nerve periphery. He ordered specialized visual field tests that revealed early-stage glaucoma - completely asymptomatic. His approach was revolutionary: instead of immediate drops, he created a 'pressure modulation plan' combining selective laser trabeculoplasty with customized nutritional guidance. He explained my eye pressure patterns like weather systems. A year later, my condition is stable without medication. Most doctors treat problems; Dr. Karaatli finds hidden storms before they become hurricanes.