EyeSTAR LASIK Institute is the product of many years of research and dedication on the part of our founder, Dr. I. Gurkan Celikkol. Dr. Celikkol is a renowned researcher of the cornea and neural networks and was involved in a number of post-doctoral fellowships and research in the best laser centers in the U.S.

Dr. Celikkol set an aim to create a laser center in Turkey dedicated exclusively to laser treatment, utilizing the finest system and best technology in the world, and holding standards equivalent or even better than the centers in the U.S. and the world.

EyeSTAR was founded in 1999, and as a leading provider of quality laser eye surgery in Turkey, the center continues to treat thousands of patients from abroad, making it the only Turkish medical establishment where 95% of patients are foreign.

EyeSTAR History:

• 1988-91: Dr. Celikkol's conducted groundbreaking research on the cornea's topographic change caused by refractive surgery. The same year he developed neural networks, an artificial intelligence based software to examine the effects of surgery on the corneal surface.
• 1992: Dr. Celikkol developed a convergent software to analyze topographic data of the cornea with VRML through the web. This was the first application to provide virtual reality examinations of the cornea under surgical stress. Dr. Celikkol continued medical research work at Johns Hopkins University and the University of California in San Diego. During this time he also visited many hospitals and eye laser centers. EyeSTAR surgeons began eye laser treatments using the first commercially available laser in the world.
• 1999: Dr. Celikkol returned to Turkey and founded EyeSTAR LASIK Institute in glamorous Bagdat Caddesi in Istanbul, Turkey's first and only lasik institute dedicated to the treatment of eye laser surgery. EyeSTAR started health tourism in Turkey with the first patients from Germany, who were musicians and spread the word about EyeSTAR in Germany. All treatments at EyeSTAR were secured with a 5 year patient guarantee.
• 2000: The first clinical trial of keratoconus treatment by UV light was performed at EyeSTAR. This eventually became the most popular method for the treatment of keratoconus in the world and was a solution for patients that would have otherwise required a corneal transplant.
• 2004: EyeSTAR acquired the world's fastest laser: the WaveLight Allegretto Eye-Q 500Hz . The same year the center was relocated to Taksim, Istanbul's city center, to facilitate transportation, hotel accommodations and sightseeing for patients.
• 2005: EyeSTAR became the first and is still the only clinic to enforce a patient maximum of accepting no more than 10 patients per day. EyeSTAR's work became internationally renowned and was featured on national German television, ZDF and German magazine, Focus. EyeSTAR patients were mostly German, Austrian and Dutch. EyeSTAR acquired and tested the ACT laser, the first eye laser made exclusively for presbyopia. As it did not meet EyeSTAR standards, use was discontinued.
• 2006: American Pilot Cameron Nosler chose EyeSTAR for his eye laser surgery because of EyeSTAR technology that was not available in the US at the time. Nosler was featured in the Anatolian newspaper. Patients from all over Europe visited Istanbul for eye laser treatment at EyeSTAR after even more press coverages, including being featured on the cover of FACTS, an important Swiss magazine. EyeSTAR became the first, and is still the only eye laser center to offer a Lifetime Care Guarantee.
• 2007: EyeSTAR was featured on national Swiss TV, SF1, as a representative of health tourism in Turkey. 2008: EyeSTAR was awarded the ISO 9001 international quality standards certificate for LASIK and eye laser treatment service from the prestigious and strict German TUV-SUD organization.
• 2008: EyeSTAR was the first center in Turkey to offer a breakthrough treatment for presbyopia, PresbyLasik.
• 2010: EyeSTAR was the first and is still the only center to offer eye laser treatment exclusively tailored for dry eyes, S-Lasik.

Today, EyeSTAR surgeons are reputed internationally for their academic and surgical skills. They consult, teach, and attend conferences throughout the world to stay at the forefront of our field. Our patients hear about all of the new developments in the industry straight from our surgeons.

The EyeSTAR team is known for its excellence in care and many languages, including native English, German, Bulgarian, Japanese, French, Italian, Romanian, Russian, Turkish, Spanish.