Eyesight and flying

[A Passenger]

I just went to an optometrist today and found out that my vision has gotten worse (and probably will continue to get worse.) I have always worn glasses but my eyesight has really gone down in the past few years. I'm now at 20/800 vision uncorrected and probably can't be corrected to anywhere close to 20/20. Can I still fly? I love aviation and flying and still want to be involved in it, even if it is not as a pilot.

I'm double-majoring in Aviation Flight and a non-aviation program. If I can't fly, should I just drop aviation and focus more on something like buisness or computer science? I'm considering ATC or aviation management as possible career paths if I can't fly anymore.

 

[mzaharis]

God, I'm looking for a picture of "Washout" from Hot Shots!

Seriously, here are the FAA medical standards. Doubt you can get a waiver, even for a 3rd class medical, unless you're pretty close to 20/40 corrected. If you're looking to be a professional, you'll need 20/20 corrected. Again, I don't know how flexible they are about waivers, but I'd imagine that they wouldn't provide too much leeway, if any.

http://www.faa.gov/avr/aam/game/version_2/03amemanual/WEB/Medical%20Standards.htm

See the following site for an FAQ on FAA medicals, including appeals, just in case.

http://www.cami.jccbi.gov/AAM-300/amcdfaq.html

I don't know about ATC or other aviation-related work.

I hope you find something that is both compatible with your vision issues and personally satisfying.

 

[U of I Tweak]

Poor Vision

Hey, 10 years ago my vision was 20/600. I don't know what it is now, but I know it's gotten significantly worse. I'd venture to guess in the 20/700-800 range. Anyway, my glasses correct me to 20/20 (and they're not hugely thick) and my current contact prescription is 20/15. I have had a first class medical, so I don't think you have to worry about it. Just get glasses or contacts (or both as I prefer) and you should be fine.

 

[mzaharis]

What is the problem that you think might prevent you from being corrected to 20/20? I have god-awful uncorrected vision (haven't done a 20/X measure in a while - haven't flown in a long time, but my left eye needs a -9.5 correction, and a bit of astigmatism), but I correct right out to 20/20 or better, with either glasses or contacts.

If you really can't be corrected to 20/20, flying may not be your profession, but if you can, your eyes shouldn't be an issue.

 

[JediNein]

Try an ophthalmologist, at the least, get a second opinion. While optometrists are good for most folks, they sometimes miss the right lens, especially with those that have low vision or severe astigmatism.

 

[Vik]

Can it be fixed with LASIK?

Try and find a book on doing eye exercises to improve your eye sight. I've heard it can help.

Eat plenty of carrots!

Let us know what you find out.

I just went to an optometrist today and found out that my vision has gotten worse (and probably will continue to get worse.) I have always worn glasses but my eyesight has really gone down in the past few years. I'm now at 20/800 vision uncorrected and probably can't be corrected to anywhere close to 20/20. Can I still fly? I love aviation and flying and still want to be involved in it, even if it is not as a pilot.

I'm double-majoring in Aviation Flight and a non-aviation program. If I can't fly, should I just drop aviation and focus more on something like buisness or computer science? I'm considering ATC or aviation management as possible career paths if I can't fly anymore.

 

[mzaharis]

Can it be fixed with LASIK?

Try and find a book on doing eye exercises to improve your eye sight. I've heard it can help.

Eat plenty of carrots!

Let us know what you find out.

People with extreme vision correction need to be careful with LASIK. For example, according to my optometrist, I am probably not a good candidate for LASIK, due to a large correction, plus a flat cornea. Of course, if you see a reputable doctor, he/she should be able to advise you much better than any of us can (unless there's an opthomologist posting here).

If you do qualify, picking a LASIK surgeon is a bit like picking a pilot. Pick the doctor with the most quality experience. Not too surprisingly, the doctor with hundreds or thousands of LASIK procedures has a greater likelihood of success, and a greater ability to cope with complications, than a less experienced doctor.

I don't know how the FAA feels about LASIK, but I believe that one of my links in my earlier post discusses that. See item 12:

http://www.cami.jccbi.gov/AAM-300/amcdfaq.html

[humor on]Of course, if it's Walleye-vision, you could get a delicate corneal inversion procedure... a multi-opti-pupil-optomy. But the route of entry is not too good.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102059/quotes (look near the bottom)
[humor off]

 

[mayday1]

don't know a heck of alot about this... but I have a pretty bad astigmatism in both eyes, and regular glasses and lenses weren't helping.. my doctor prescribed "toric" lenses (somehow weighted contacts) designed to correct for astigmatism... these are great! I've never had better vision - i think i'm corrected now to 20/15 in both eyes.

only downside - they cost a bit more than regular lenses..

 

[JediNein]

If it helps any, my Mom has 20/1000 and 20/1200. She sees 20/15 and 20/20. It took an opthamologist to do it. Plus, the guy does extra tests on her every 6 months to make sure she doesn't get any of the dread problems that can occur with that kind of low vision.

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[ustillflyin]

I was also 20/800 and decide to investigate LASIK surgery to correct my eyesight for flying Commercially. I spoke a medical represenative at CAMA in OK and they
confirmed that the FAA now accepts LASIK corrections. I strongly suggest the "wavefront" style of correction.

Of course, see an eye doctor before you decide on any procedure and it never hurts to make sure to consult your AME both before and after the procedure.

(which is how I went about it)

P.S. taking my CPL test in about two weeks

 

[Swass]

There are better mehtods now and coming soon than Lasik and the old PRK style surgeries. Lasik can leave you with horribly dry eyes and countless other problems.


Google "Verisyse". This is a reversible procedure especially for people with low vision. There is another version of this awaiting FDA approval that uses soft lenses that will be even better. It might be awhile before FAA approval though.

Always see an Opthalmologist (MD or DO, it doesn't matter) as they are better able to provide proper treatment for a variety of things which could come up that an OD (optometrist) may or may not catch. Also, you can see the Opthalmologist on your health insurance as an ordinary co-pay (pm me for "guidelines") whereas most policies limit the visit to an eye Dr to once a year for glasses etc.

 

[JediNein]

Opthamologist in Health Ins?

whoops...

 

[Vik]

Can the FAA even tell if you've had LASIK?

 

[scuzzer23]

I have a book called Improve your vision without glasses or contact lenses. It shows you how to do eye exercises that improve your vision. It cost me $5 on amazon.com. Since most people have myopia (nearsightedness), I will give you the basics of what it says for myopes:

DO NOT read with your corrective lenses on. This causes near-point stress on your eyes and will not only give you more headaches, but will accustom your eyes to focusing too near. If you wear contacts, read with reading glasses (the convex type) and hold it far enough out so that it will be slightly blurry. This will, in time, increase your distance vision. The more you focus into your "blur zone" the more your eyes will become accustomed to it and will, consequently, see better.

Think of the use-it-or-lose-it philosophy. If your eyes only focus far or only near, you will lose the agility of the ciliary muscles that focus your inner lens. If you practice looking back and forth between and object a foot away and an object much further away, you are exercising the eyes ability to focus. This works much better if you are NOT wearing corrective lenses.

If you wear corrective lenses all the time, it is the same thing as sitting in front of a computer screen all day and not giving your eyes a full "workout". The reason most people's vision gets worse over time it because of constantly wearing "corrective lenses", which really don't correct anything at all but instead make your eyes go into a state of progressive myopia.

The best advice is to do eye exercises and only wear corrective lenses when absolutely necessary. You can even have your optometrist prescribe a slightly weaker lens, as this will stabilize your vision, meaning your vision won't get worse.