Now sight is another thing........presumably if you fail on sight all you do is get down to the opticians and get a pair of specs?
Not necessarily; it depends what's wrong. There's a maximum amount of shortsightedness allowed, a max difference between each eye, and a whole host of other things. When I did my initial Class 1, young guys who thought they were perfectly fit were failing on eyesight grounds...maybe for ever. If you're serious about getting a CPL, get your ass down to Gatwick before you do any training!!! And for the Northern lads/lasses, check out cheap flights or use your air miles - the CAA building is very close to the airport.