2close,
The old Deviation route used to be available to those who had eyesight meeting the renewal limits but not the initial limits. The procedure for me was that I had to get a PPL and go for a Class I medical after that. I was issued a Class I (Deviation) - as expected. I then did pro training and was issued with a CPL (A). The Deviation was then removed and I now hold a bog-standard Class I medical (with a requirement for corrective lenses of course).
I'm flying for a living now and haven't really kept up with the current requirements but I think the limits were relaxed in some areas a few years ago (with the Deviation route being phased out).
B&S