eyesight

LASIK

The best thing that modern medical science has ever done for me. Stunning.

You better be right Patty boy 😉 , I’m going to see about LASIK a week on Tuesday . Optimax , Charing Cross Mansions , Glasgow . I’m ****ting myself already.

Patty: Did you have to have time off from flying? Do you know what the FAA rules are for that?

Were you correcting long or short-sightedness?

LASIK

The best thing that modern medical science has ever done for me. Stunning.

On my last US medical, it was the first time for a medical that I had needed eye correction.

I found it easier to do the sight test without my contacts. Consequently, I got my medical without any mention of endorsements for eye correction!

You are probably right Ken , I use the daily disposable lens and they are fine .

Hows the flying coming on anyway ?? , are you training over at Cumbernauld ?? – meant to ask earlier but I lost your Email address in an impressive PC Tower fire .

[email]ageorge@haemonetics.com[/email]

Al

At this stage in my flying career I’d rather spend the 1200-1400 quid and 6 months on lessons. Although, now that torique contact lenses are available as disposables I am tempted to go back to contacts. The only reason I stopped was the cost of the solutions.

If only my eyes were like an ex boss, long sighted in one eye and short sighted in the other!

I’ve heard that night vision can be affected after the surgery and there are doubts over the long term effects – nothing concrete though.

Guess it’s over to our undercover reporter(s) 🙂

JC

To be honest Ken , three of my workmates have had the LASIK treatment and they say they delighted with the results , I probably will have it done at some point in time . How do you fancy going along to one of the Optimax open nights in Charing Cross – just to have a look around ?? – and if you book the treatment on the night they knock the price down . Although I would be wary of anybody offering discounted eye surgery !!

We’d require some testament from our previous victims^H^H^H^H^H^H patients (not as in last will and… )

I spent 5 years installing and maintaining Mercury / YAG Rod Lasers . Very interesting . Laser eye surgery ?? – No.

Howdy JC

On both my Class 2 Medicals the eysight test seemed to be very straight forward – just reading the eye chart with each eye individually. AFAIK the NPPL requirements are the same as for driving a truck i.e not particularly onerous.
As for actually flying – as PPL is all VFR technically you don’t actually need to look at the instruments! and should be spending all your time lookng outside, so if you need to wear your bins to see long distances then do this, even it it means a slight compromise on reading the instruments. A fuzzy ASI is better than a mid-air!
Obviously for IMC etc then reading the instruments is a bit more important!

Blimey.. (not literally).

Does this mean that if you have surgery to correct a problem preventing you getting a medical you’re unfit and need to go through fire to get a ticket, or if you have laser surgery ‘cos you’re sick of wearing bins you still have to have all the hassle?

What about NPPL medical? There’s no restrictions on driving after Lasik as far as I’m aware so how does this affect the medical?

JC

From the linked document

Refractive surgery
The CAA does not recommend refractive surgery for certificatory purposes. However, individuals undergoing LASIK will be ‘temporarily unfit’ for the following three months. or all other techniques, including LASEK, the period of unfitness is one year following surgery. The applicant will require a favourable assessment by an ocular specialist (at Gatwick for Class 1) before a medical certificate can be issued. A full written report from the consultant carrying out the surgery will also be required, which must include pre-operative and post-operative refractions and any complications from surgery.

While we’re on the subject, what is the position on laser corrective surgery? I’ve often considered having this done, and the cost is coming down considerably (£1200).

Ta 🙂

JC

Thanks for the replies. I have just discovered the following article describing the acceptable correction for various eysight conditioins.
http://www.optometry.co.uk/articles/20040702/chorley20040702.pdf

Ken

Dodrums: Do report back after your medical. I shall be interested. I’m sure we all will be.

It rather depends on your AME.

Strict interpretation gives you criteria to fulfill wearing the vision aids you wear when flying.

This means that if you can ‘peer over the top’ and pass the ‘close-vision’ requirements of the CAA then you are legal.

Some practitioners frown on this though.

Moggy

I don’t know whether this link might help to answer your question? Not quite the same topic, but a close variation?

http://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=149610&highlight=#149610