Coping with Specs

[Bahn-Jeaux]

Just got my first ever pair of prescription specs and wondered how others cope.
After a good while of struggling to read smaller print and then normal print becoming harder to read in anything but bright daylight I gave in and submitted myself for an eye test.
Result was that I now have my first pair of reading specs which are fine for anything between 6" and 2' 6" but beyond that, I dont need them and the glasses make things harder to see. I have succumbed to age.:{

What I am trying to come to terms with is having to have the damned things on and off like a yo yo and wondered how others cope.
How do you cope with having charts on your knee, glancing down then back up again.
Bifocals?, a little tiddly pair that sit on the end of your nose like some victorian school ma'am or what?
I am enjoying not squinting now but the constant on and off and going out and forgetting them is really p***ing me off.

[ShyTorque]

Comes to us all eventually - eyes OK but arms getting too short....... I used to be able to focus almost at the end of my nose then suddenly...wham - off they went.

I had trouble with my reading specs too. I found that the prescription ones put the instrument panel out of focus because it was slightly too far away to be classed as "reading". So I went to Boots and bought a weaker, frameless pair off the rack which I put on the end of my nose when flying. I look over them to see outside the aircraft. Perfect! I keep the prescription ones handy to read the very small print on Jepp plates etc. BTW, I think the CAA don't like pilots wearing bi-focal reading glasses, they have to use the half-frame type.

[soay]

I have the same problem, which is worst when map reading. Half-frame reading specs, perched on the end of my nose help, but I still find them a distraction when landing. However, on low sun days, sunglasses are essential, so I've had a pair of tinted bifocals made by my optician. It would have been better if I could have sat in the cockpit while he marked out the lense area, because I just had to guess where the top of the lense should start, and I guessed too low.

Headsets can make it difficult to change or remove specs in flight, but I have the Clarity Aloft (www.clarityaloft.com/) ones, which allow you to push the specs up to the top of your head when you don't need them.

[HiFranc]

You may want to talk to your CAA approved doctor. They'll be up-to-date on the latest CAA requirements and be able to advise.

[Johnm]

You could go with half frame readers and I've been flown by airline pilots wearing those!

The other possibility might be varifocal or bifocal with more or less plain glass at the top.

Talk to a good optician (if you can find one)

[Chequeredflag]

I tried these (only need glasses for reading), and could not get on with them at all. Looking from left to right made the whole image distort - made me feel disoriented.

I have a half size pair that I sit on the end of my nose, so I can easily see over them - they have very thin "legs" that fit under the headset without allowing noise ingression, and a neck strap so that they will not get lost if removed.

I guess all glasses are a pain, but you do get used to them.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

The CAA recommend against varifocals - trying out a mockup in the opticians made me feel sick very quickly. I use bifocals built especially for flying, with the near vision part optimised for reading the map on my lap (I took the map in to the eye test) and my normal distance vision prescription. It turns out that I can read the instruments through either part of the lens.

And of course the necessary identical spare pair. Total around £500, but who said flying was supposed to be cheap? (Actually I don't just use the bifocals for flying, I've discovered they're quite good for chairing public meetings too, as I can both read the papers on the table in front of me and recognise which punter is waving at me from the back of the hall.)

[TheOddOne]

The CAA recommend against varifocals -

Gertrude,

With all due respect, where on EARTH did you get that from? Please quote current source. My AME (who used to work for the CAA) says they're perfectly acceptable, much better than the contacts that he wears. I've been wearing Varifocals for over 10 years now with excellent results, instant success rom the first pair. I can go from map to instrument panel to outside without any problems or waiting for my eyes to adjust. I guess we each have our own requirements - good that the bifocal setup suits you.

Generally...

I think that the 'half-moon' type are quite dangerous because you wind up with either a great chunk of frame just across the middle part of your field of view or a major dislocation in your vision, again in the middle of your field of view. One guy I fly with has this problem - not good!

Last time I visited my optician, we had a long debate about where to put the various parts of the prescription across and up the lens, which as resulted in an even better performance from my specs. Like Gertrude, I have a second pair (as required by the regs - do you carry a second pair?) with identical prescription and just as importantly, IDENTICAL optical centres, but with a photochromic tint so that I can go from one pair to the other without having to wait for my eyes to adjust. This is also great for driving, when conditions change from light to dark. Of course, there's a downside, over 800 quid for 2 pairs of lenses, in my existing frames. However, good vision is a first essential for a VHF pilot, so I reckon the cost is balanced by safety considerations.

Cheers,
TheOddOne

[Gertrude the Wombat]

I got that from phoning up flight crew licensing medical and having a discussion with them.

The particular person who answered the phone that day said that I could use varifocals if I really wanted to, but that the CAA didn't really like them and recommended I try bifocals first.

It's possible of course that this was just the personal prejudice of the person who answered the phone but that wasn't the impression I got.

[TheOddOne]

Gertrude,

Thanks for that. I guess I'm concerned 'cos I get on so well with them - they're the solution for me. Still, so long as my AME gives me my medical every year, I shouldn't be so worried.

Cheers,
TOO

[UV]

I too wear Varifocals and have done so for years. Woulnt look back. In the early years the CAA were not too happy about them because they can impair side vision. However, they have had a change of mind and now accept them.

Soemeone mentioned having to carry a spare pair of glasses. Not always so. Only if the Medical Cert is so stamped, and, depending on the strength of your prescription this is not always the case!
UV

[Lister Noble]

I had to have reading glasses for my medical.
X1.75 half moon type ,cost £2.99 a pair from the optician who did the test.
They are easy to use and fit easily under the headset earphones, but I push them up on my forehead when not using them.

From the CAA Eye test form given me by the CAA medical examiner for the optician:---

Full frame reading glasses are not permitted.
Varificocals and contact lenses are.
Bi-focals with a small D segment are preferred to execs,whatever that means?
Lots more stuff about contact lenses which is beyond me!
Lister:)

[VP959]

I suggest that whether or not flying in varifocals is OK depends very much on what you fly. I wear varifocals normally, with distance vision lenses in the upper section fading to no prescription at the bottom for close vision. I also keep two pairs of standard glasses for flying, one clear one reactolite. I only ever once flew with the varifocals on, simply through forgetfulness. Never again!

The problem, at least for me, was to do with flying an open aircraft with a very wide visual field, both to the side and down. When helmeted and well-wrapped up against the cold, one's head movement is slightly restricted, with the result that your eyes are pretty much forced to move to the "wrong" bit of the lens. This was particularly bad when looking sideways into a turn, where the helmet tends to limit head movement a bit.

I can well imagine that flying in an enclosed cockpit with a relatively high glareshield would be perfectly OK in varifocals though, so it's almost certainly just an issue for some types of aircraft.

VP

[muffin]

I acquired a pair of varifocals just before my last medical. They enabled me to pass the test with no problem but I only normally wear them for reading. I fly f/w and rotary, and I hate to think what would happen if I tried to hover a helicopter wearing them. Actually, I will have to try it - with another pilot on the duals on the other side. The problem is that when hovering, you need a general perception of where you are in relation to the horizon all round, its a bit like balancing on a stationary pogo stick. My bifocals cause straight lines near me to become curved which has the effect of distorting the horizon. Wearing reading glasses perched on my nose is easy - I just look over the top for the hover reference points.

[cavortingcheetah]

:)

I use full frame tri-focals. The bottom lense is for reading, middle for panel and overhead panel and top for outside. They work very well at night and solved the problem of the dim lighting on the O/H panel. You never have to take them off - when flying of course, not when emulating Michael Caine in Ipcress mode.
They are expensive and, of course, you need two pairs to fly commercial? Well, I have to admit that my spare pair is not quite of the same standard as the master spectacle.
Puss in B**** sorted them out for me.
Varifocals just bounce your head around which on a long duty day leads to a headache, to say the least.
I don't like the concept of contact lenses in cockpits and besides that professional opinion, they jump out when the trolley girl smacks you.:E

[VP959]

Muffin,

Had a go in a R/W sim wearing varifocals and can confirm that trying to hover in a restricted area tricky, although hovering in an open space was OK. The real challenge is when you have to switch from distant view to down and sideways; the tendency is to just move your eyes rather than move your head.

I found it extremely challenging trying to approach the flight deck from the side, for example.

VP

[Cusco]

I've always worn specs in the cockpit, just as I wear 'em for night driving.
In the air they 'sharpen up the numbers'.
However about 4 years ago, the CAA apparently moved the goalposts and I found my licence bearing the 'must wear specs' stamp.
I already had a pair like Gertie described with a tiny 'D' at the bottom to read the map on my lap.
Worked well in the cockpit, but b*gger all use anywhere else: to read the newspaper I got a crick in my neck tilting my head back.
These were IIRC£350.00 and I didn't fancy buying two pairs which were only of any use to me for 50 hours a year.
Then I discovered Varifocals ,which, with photochromic lenses, are the dogs spherules: I can use them anywhere , including in the cockpit, I can read the dials, see traffic and read the numbers on the ground.
They're light, and when my prescription changes with advancing age I'll get another pair.
Meantime my bifocals are well and truly relegated to 'spare'.
One Caveat though with varifocals: and that is if you have a high refraction error, the amount of head swivelling can be unacceptable: a friend of mine regularly found himself tripping up kerbstones on crossing the road because of the forshortening effect of high correction varifocals.
However, they suit me just fine.
Safe flying

Cusco:8

[Whirlybird]

When I did my initial Class 1 medical at Gatwick in 2001, the doctor there told me that the CAA didn't recommend varifocals, particularly for helicopter flying. I have no idea if that's changed or not. Anyway, I tried them. I don't recall a problem with hovering, but trying to fly low over trees into a confined area was terrifying. I couldn't judge my height over the trees, as I had no idea which bit of the lens I was looking through. I had the varifocals on a free trial from Boots, and I went back and swopped them for bifocals. I had to experiment a bit to find the best place for the closeup bit, but once I got it sorted out, they work fine. However, I've talked to helicopter pilots who use varifocals, and it seems that they're fine once you get used to them. I just think I might kill myself while getting used to them! :eek:

[Studefather]

Went to the (large) expense of having RB Aviators reglazed with my varifocal prescription with graduated tint. Wonderful for everything except the final roundout and height judgement for flare when I lose the input that I suppose is the peripheral general awareness info. The same happens with my normal none tinted varifocals. A bit critical for a Chipmunk flyer when forward field is obscured during the flare. Now modified Downwind checks to include "Specs Off" but it's amazing how frequently I forget - ready made excuse for a bounce on landing!

[BroomstickPilot]

Bahn-Jeaux,

I returned to flying recently after a break of many years. I had worn varifocals for twenty odd years previously and continued to wear them when I resumed flying. I am still wearing them now and would not like to have to convert onto bi or tri focals. Yes, you can get a distortion when your eyes are turned well to one side or the other, but I find the horizontal line of bi-focals much more annoying.

There is little of what other posters have said that I would disagree with. I would merely add that I feel you should stick to using in the air whatever you are used to using on the ground. I would, however, add the following.

First of all, remember that for flying varifocal specacles need to have good big lenses with plenty of depth. The modern shallow styles are OK for fashion purposes, but might be too sensitive to the angle of your head for flying in.

Go for thin, metal frames. These are much more comfortable under a headset and less likely to interfer with the seal of your headphones.

Plastic lenses are a lot lighter than glass (especially the ultra-thin ones I use), and are probably safer also in an accident. Plastic lenses can also be provided with three coatings all at once; i.e. anti-scratch, anti-reflection and anti-UV: get all of them, they are worth while. (The cheaper opticians will insist only two can be applied together - rubbish)!

Some authorities don't like photo-chromic lenses because of the time it takes them to clear after bright light is removed, so I don't use these. I have had graduated tints added to my varifocal sunglasses with the angles chosen to ensure that my eyes are shielded from the sun, but the instrument panel is unobscured.

When I go flying, I have three pairs of specs with me, first the fashion specs I wear all the time and that I drive to the aerodrome in, second a pair of large lensed clear specs, third a similarly large lensed pair of sunglasses as described above. All of these are varifocals.

Broomstick

[Footless Halls]

Very useful thread - this. Once again Pprune scores over the magazines.
I also have reached the age where reading glasses are needed. I also had a pair of (very natty) tinted varifocals made up. I only wear these for flying or driving. I find them great but with one important caveats - they make distance judgement when taxiing VERY tricky. I now will not taxi with them on, having experienced an unfortunate case of self-inflicted hanger-rash. Apart from that I find them great in the air - making reading easier, instruments easier to read and vision outside fine.
I do wonder, now having read this thread, whether my roundout is affected glasses off and glasses on and I am going to try, carefully, some experiments to see what effect the glasse have in the circuit. Another intrepid airman will ride shotgun during this experiment, needless to say...

[Keef]

I've worn glasses since about 1950, and varifocals for a fair proportion of that. I'm delighted with them The critical bit with varifocals is to get them made up to suit what you do. There are a lot of "options", apparently - or so my optician tells me.

I fly with mine, and have no problems.

The only catch is: if I nod at you, I'm not agreeing: just getting you in focus.