Medical & HealthNews and debate about medical and health issues as they relate to aircrews and aviation. Any information gleaned from this forum MUST be backed up by consulting your state-registered health professional or AME.
Hi. I see that EASA has removed the uncorrected visual standards from its new draft MED regulations. The draft says law by April 2012.
However does anyone know if any JAR nations have already adopted these standards? One forum said some JAR states would have it by October 2011...
I ask as I have to get a Portuguese FCL Class 1 medical shortly and I have quite a lot of astigmatism (5 dioptres from memory?) in my left eye, and maybe 2 D in my right eye, Corrected vision is fine (6/6) and I hold class 1 medicals in other countries that like EASA, have no "uncorrected" limits.
I know the 2006 JAR FCL3 Class 1 can, (under some circumstances) allow people with high corrections etc to pass if they correct OK and are experienced etc, but I don't know if I can trust that... (Have 10K+ TT, 4K jet etc).
So here comes my story... I applied unsuccessfully for class 1 medical three years ago. According to AME, my condition was disqualifying as per JAR-FCL 3 requirements. I chose a different career in aviation as a result.
About 4-5 years ago I was diagnosed with some retinal degenerations in both eyes. I received some l@ser therapy and have had no problems afterwards, getting my retina checked once a year just to be safe though. My vision has stayed at -1,25 / -1,0.
JAR-FCL 3 states following: Cataract surgery, retinal surgery and glaucoma surgery entail unfitness. [ ][A fit assessment] may be considered by the AMS [at revalidation or renewal] (see paragraph 7 Appendix 13 to Subpart C).
Paragraph 7 Appendix 13:
(b) Retinal surgery. [ ][A fit assessment] for Class [ ][2] and [ ][a fit assessment] for Class [ ][1 at revalidation or renewal] may be considered by the AMS normally 6 months after successful surgery. [A fit assessment for Class 1 and 2 may be acceptable to the AMS after retinal l@ser therapy.] [ ][Follow-up, as necessary, will be determined by the AMS].
So is my case hopeless or is there a way of passing class 1 medical examination with my condition? I have not gone through the future EASA medical regulation documentation yet. Could it improve my chances?
It's a very specific topic, I was just hoping, that some of you could suggest how to approach this. Maybe you have some specialists I could contact in order to work this out or have been diagnosed with a similar condition?
Forgive me if this has been done before. I have astigmatism and am able to have l@ser treatment to correct this condition. Can anyone describe Class 1 medical limitations/requirements regarding this?
In case of LASIK surgery you need 3 months to re-instate your class 1 medical, whereas in case of PRK surgery you need 6 months to re-instate your class 1 medical. In the case you are not yet a professional pilot or have already started your flight training, I would suggest to get your medical 3-4 months after the operation in the case of LASIK surgery.
Awh, I would even say nothing about the operation then.
I suggest you to go to Dr Orton, located in Stansted.
More than 2 dioptres, eh? If yes, I am in your same situation and I'm unfit for class 1 medical in Europe. In November we will have news about new regulation that will enter in force by april 2012. Thanks to these new regulations I will be fit for a class 1 medical, all pre-operative limitations in case of myopia will be removed, dunno about astigmatism though.
I will probably spent 1 or 2 years in the USA where I will undergo a LASIK or PRK surgery and later convert my licences to JAA. FAA does not require 3 months in case of eye surgery, so I would be able to get in the sky just after the opthalmologist checks my eyes ater 7-10 days the operation and declares me able to fly without any problems by filling a simple module to be sent to the FAA.
Hope EASA will adopt the same procedures soon.
Very professional and it will take only 1 or 2 hours instaed of a whole morning.
JL
Last edited by Bad medicine; 24th Aug 2011 at 12:36.
Reason: Removed commercial link
Jerry thanks for the comments. Peter is my AME so maybe best if I start and have a chat with him. I am 3 dioptre, though got my class 1 years ago because I held an FAA CPL and could be tested on the revalidation figures then (3 or under)
If it is only three months then probably a path to take.
I read that the requirements for SIA Cadet Pilots recruitment is 'Myopia of not more than 500 degrees and astigmatism of not more than 125 degrees, fully correctable with optical aids. Visual acuity of at least 6/60, correctable to 6/6. For candidates who have undergone corrective eye surgery (e.g. Lasik), the pre-surgical visual acuity should also meet the above requirements'.
If I have overshot the myopia degrees in one of my eyes but I still plan to go for Lasik is it still possible to get in? If not, how do they check after the lasik operation?
Most pilots who have never needed glasses begin to require reading glasses in thier forties for near distance sight and in low light due to Presbyopia. Once starting to wear reading glasses one wonders if it compounds the situation requiring stronger reading glasses over time.
Just wondered if anyone had tried eye exercises and an improved diet with any success!
Location: A Whilom nimble brain. With 31 million posts.
Age: 73
Posts: 3,374
My wife was half way though 'Better Sight Without Glasses,' when she gave up and got a pair of readers.
Interesting book that, written in a quaint old-style English.
One of the great problems with building up eye muscles is that some of the things you're trying to strengthen are slack in the difficult bracket. It would be like pushing a piece of string.
My son had two surgeries for strabismus. One at 1 yrs.old and the second at 6 yrs.old. Although the surgeries made his eyes look better they did not help his vision too much. He was alternating his eyes to see (didn't know this was possible) and the doctor that did the surgery didn't tell me he could not use bith eyes together. I came across vision therapy, and althought his doctor said it would be a waste of time and money, I decided to try it.
The first vision therapy place I went to was not helpful. I then took him to the college of optometry, where they started vt exercises with my son. About a month or two into the vt, he started to get double vision, which cleared up. From that day forward, he has been able to use both eyes together and now has binocular vision. His depth perception has also improved. Till this day he has not needed surgery or vt. He is able to wear contacts and thank God is seeing well. Please get vision therapy, it really does work!! It has been over 3 yrs. now. Let me know if there is anything else you would like to know. Best of luck!
Visual Therapy / Eye Exercises that really work???
Hello everybody... How is it going?
I hope that moderators don't merge this thread to any another one, as the topic here is a bit unique, I think!
I've researched the internet trying to find natural, risk-free and effective methods to improve or regain the eye functions and visual acuity. Thank God, my eyes are good enough to maintain class 1 medical, but I"m just worried about the future! Plus that keeping good eyesight is simply important to everybody everywhere!!
I've heard and read lots of stories about people who were able to improve their distant vision, near vision, squint, strabismus, or even strabismic amblyopia (lazy eye with squint) using visual therapy techniques or some kind of eye exercises! Sounds brilliant..!!! However, I got lost in the search results! I don't know which of these does really work, and which is just a false claim to get the customers' money! I cannot separate science from fiction there!
So to all ppruners... I hope that you provide your inputs on this topic, share your story if you have tried anything as such... You know that our eyes are one of our biggest assets in this career.. Probably there are lots of people out there who really want to secure their future on the flight deck, others want to join in, others who are really good and highly motivated people and truly skilled but they just can't get the job because of a tiny single line at the bottom of an illuminated board that they can't fully distinguish and read 6 meters away! May be there is a real and safe solution for all of them somewhere out there to give them back the hope!
I spent 4 years working on something called the Bates Method - google it and you can find out loads.
For me, unfortunately, there was no success, indeed my acuity worsened over the time from -0.25 to -2.25, but I have heard of other people who claim to have improved their eyesight.
For me, my optition has convinced me that myopia and other acuity problems are genetic, but there are loads of different views out there.
Also, I should mention that you don't have to have 6/6 vision naturally to fly - I'm not sure about the Class 1 standards in Bahrain, but here in the UK you can be between +5 and -6 for the initial medical, providing you are corrected to 6/6 with both eyes together and 6/9 in each eye seperately.
After the initial medical there are no further limits, so you can have any error of refraction, and providing you can be corrected to the standards above you will pass the visual section of the medical.
I have a JAA class 1 from the UK as well... but just to clarify, I'm talking about , for example, those who cannot achieve 6/9 in each eye separately with or without correction.. Or those who can't achieve 6/6 with both eyes with or without correction!
Only a slight scent of improvement in their vision could dramatically change their lives to the better!
and probably more earlier on in that lengthy thread too.
I have also heard of unverified claims that "pinhole" glasses (qv) can help to improve visual acuity, and I've certainly lost count of the number of times making an emergency "pinhole" by curling my forefinger behind my thumb has saved the day when I have no glasses to hand!
Thanks Jack. I appreciate your help, but these are very little comments and sporadic.. There are plenty of stuff other than Bates method, pinhole glasses, and iPhone app! There are lots and lots of techniques and therapy initiatives from various parts of the world. & trust me, there are so many others are entering the list everyday!
Some people might have tried something that worked well, other methods might have not proven any improvement.. I guess lots of people would be interested to know about these. I hope this thread remains dedicated to serve this purpose and see if it could help somebody ... or at least save his/her time searching around!
New vision standards about to become law?
