eyesight?
I am 26 and interested in becoming an Air Traffic Controller but I wear glasses. After contacting NATS HR and my optician, I have been informed that my right eye is OK but my left eye is only just within the set ATC candidate vision limits (correction of +-3.5 dioptres).
As such I would like to ask all the qualified ATCs on here a few questions:
Why is it that the minimum vision requirements for ATC candidates is so much higher than that for pilots?
Do any ATCs wear glasses/contacts or do you all have perfect vision?
Do the maximum ATC eyesight correction limits (+- 3.5 dioptres) apply only to ATC trainee candidates or do they apply for all ATCs throughout their respective careers at all ages?
If they apply for all ATCs and considering that everyone’s vision deteriorates with age: what would happen if a qualified/working ATC’s vision deteriorated to below the minimum sight requirements (i.e. had to wear glasses that gave him/her a visual correction of greater than +-3.5dioptres). Would they be required to resign or given another job etc? Has this happened before?
If I apply for ATC training will the fact that I wear glasses be held as a mark against me in the application process?
Taking in to account that I am 26; I do wear glasses; that the current amount of correction those glasses give to my left eye is near the ATC candidate limits and that invariably my eyesight will deteriorate as I get older, would you or would you not advise me to apply for the ATC training?