All i know about the European air law is what is published at the JAA site, if you use the links above, on my other post you will be able to see a pdf (acrobat FILE) with jaa regulations for health.
At the end of the document appendix to part B i think paragraph 1 and 7 have the numbers for eye restrictions.
Doctors at the med checks arent stupid, Lasik is much more easily detected because there is always some corneal scarring, and even if you had it a couple years ago, it can still be detected in an eye exam that any employer will perform, and that should be performed at the med checks.
I am a greater fan of ortho k because it is not permanent, and it is not nearly as traumatising to the eye as lasik. Mind you it can still be detected in a topographical examination of the eye, when I had my class1 they checked.
Also orthoK is a reversable process. Obviously if your eye doc prescribes some incorrect contacts, your eye will suffer the consequences of suffering a little trauma (nothing like surgery lasik, where there can also be many complications like hallos, dryness of the eyes, loss of focus....It is a bit complicated...)
I think the issue is not to try and fool anybody because even if you pass, your employer will check and you will not be hired.
The issue is ok i had lasik (Faa) I will not be able to fly from 6 to 12 months and then after the surgery effects have stabilized my aviation doctor can check that there has been correct healing of the eye, and no adverse effects, then you shoul be able to fly again( and you can in the US-faa but you do have to declare to the faa that you had surgery!)
In the case of ortho k I think the same applies, ok I am doing the ortho k treatment , but my eyes have stabilized, and I have no complications with night vision, or decreased eyesight at the end of the day...Fine I can safely perform my job, so I should be able to fly.
This makes much more sence to me then, Oh had surgery we donīt know much about that and we heard some people had complications-NO CLASS 1. Oh had ortho k OOOPs NO Class1.
This in my opinion is not based on the jaa regulations which donīt even mention ortho k, only surgery, and even the jaa says you can be qualified to fly if you have proven that you meet the standards of eyesight after surgery.
From what I hear in the UK, docs are a bit tighter with the law (Jaa), but this should not be so because JAA is for Europe, and the purpose is to be able to have a standard, safe exam that would be the same anywhere in Europe, no buts or ands, just sticking to what the JAA says, if you can read the chart...and...and... then it should be the same anywhere in Europe.
We are not in the military, and even US military is testing lasik on their pilots to decide if it will be aproved, what can happen to make us lose our glasses? A suden depressurisation? We are not flying open cockpit planes with our glasses hanging by our ears...Come on!!!
In the past pilots with glasses have performed aerobatics, and been world champs! They have been captains for the US airforce1 plane of the US president, and many airline captains... Obviously there should be a minimum, but things should change, and the Jaa is in my opinion a good thing, but still many issues exist due to its young age, and slow adoption (and interpretation) of the standards by many countries.
Best Regards, I have medicals next week and I will let you know how things go...
