Vision?

[flyalot]

When going for a medical, your eye sight does not make 20/20. Do you get a medical with the restriction to wear corrective lenses? Our do you get denied, and have to come back once you have corrective lenses?

 

[erj-145mech]

When going for a medical, your eye sight does not make 20/20. Do you get a medical with the restriction to wear corrective lenses? Our do you get denied, and have to come back once you have corrective lenses?

You have 2700 hours and an ATP and you don't know the answer to this?

 

[flyalot]

Alright smart ass! Just wondering if they put the restriction on if you barely miss the bar. Knowing it is an easy fix.

 

[erj-145mech]

OK, a$$ w!pe, the deal is, that either you fricken pass or fail. There is no grey area. its in black and white.

20/20 is 20/20, its not 20/30 or 20/40.

 

[flyalot]

Just like going for a check ride. Pass or Fail. Except you have the human factor. Which works wonders.

 

[Lazy8]

Alternatively, if you're worried that your vision may not be as good as it once was you can get the vision part of your FAA Medical test done by an optometrist before you see your AME. AME's generally have piss-poor vision testing equipment, bad lighting, and they don't give your eyes time to adjust if they flick the lights off and on. It can be tough to show your best effort on the vision evaluation with those kind of conditions.

Just print out form 8500-7, have the optometrist fill it out, and bring it to your FAA Medical exam. This satisfies the vision evaluation for your AME and medical.

http://forms.faa.gov/redirect.asp?fnumber=8500-7&url=forms/faa8500-7.pdf&hit=7

g

 

[Dustin H]

Hey Grove thanks for the heads up! Very useful info.

I've always had no problem getting 20/20 at the optometrist, but when I go for my medical exam I just barley pass the eye tests. This also seems to raise my blood pressure. Go figure.

 

[flyalot]

Thank you for the great info Grove. Just the thing I was looking to find out.

 

[Way2Broke]

Alternatively, if you're worried that your vision may not be as good as it once was you can get the vision part of your FAA Medical test done by an optometrist before you see your AME. AME's generally have piss-poor vision testing equipment, bad lighting, and they don't give your eyes time to adjust if they flick the lights off and on. It can be tough to show your best effort on the vision evaluation with those kind of conditions.

Just print out form 8500-7, have the optometrist fill it out, and bring it to your FAA Medical exam. This satisfies the vision evaluation for your AME and medical.

http://forms.faa.gov/redirect.asp?fnumber=8500-7&url=forms/faa8500-7.pdf&hit=7

g

Any idea how long this thing is good for?

 

[SPilot]

I had a friend who failed it once. The doctor sent him out as if he was never there, and told him to come back with corrective lenses. My friend went across the street to walmart, took the eye test and bought the cheapest glasses, went back to the AME a few days later and got the medical.

 

[Fedora]

Bottom line is that you have to pass, either with or without the corrective lenses. When my eyes grew borderline as I grew older, I bought a set of drugstore reading glasses for a few bucks. I kept them in my pocket whenever I went to the AME. Sometimes I could pass without them, sometimes I needed them and got the "must posses corrective lenses" statement. Went back and forth like that for nearly ten years. Now I need them all the time.

 

[Fblowjets]

Take a few days off and get LASIK, had it 2 months ago and see 20/20 and 20/15. No looking back. I too Had my BP raised due to the vision test, but now no problem. Good Luck..

 

[Way2Broke]

Take a few days off and get LASIK, had it 2 months ago and see 20/20 and 20/15. No looking back. I too Had my BP raised due to the vision test, but now no problem. Good Luck..

Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK.

 

[Fblowjets]

True, but ya dont know till ya try. It cost very little to find out. I'm just saying thats all.

 

[propilot]

So you take a week off, get your eyes fixed, then what? Do you head to the Doctor and get a new medical or is there a waiting period to let your eyes heal? Does it void your current medical until you get a new one? How does that process work?

 

[Fblowjets]

The whole lasik thing is a gray area. It really took about 3 weeks to heal, but I could operate normal within 24 hours. I have heard of some people getting back to flying within 2 weeks. Your AME will let you know. My AME did the lasik so it was real easy. My advice is if your 121 or 135, give yourself a couple of weeks off and you will be fine. I know its hard to get time off, but man what a difference. If you need more info on how my procedure went im me and I can give details.
Hope this helps. PS. I never lost my medical..
FBLOWJETS