Hayfever & Career
I am an Engineer (age 33) with a passion for aviation, considering a career change as a Flying Instructor but with an allergy problem from Sydney, Australia. I suffer from hayfever induced conjunctivitus (usually 2 days every 2 months, since 1999). I have started an immunisation treatment 10 months ago (and have been advised to expect the treatment to take at least 3 years). I am much better since discovering that my particular allergy is caused by a noxious weed called PELLITORY/PARIETARIA JUDAICA, which I now avoid as much as I can (unfortunately Sydney is now full of this weed). Apparently this a common allergy around the world.
I saw an Aviation Medical Examiner recently who surprisingly told me that with a proper course of eyedrops/approved antihistamines for "flare-ups" he believes that this condition does not bar me from a Class 1 Medical, assuming that the medications cause me no sideffects that can interfere with my flying. I am not currently taking these medications and am hoping my condition could improve even more. I have tried a few anti-histamines in the past with little success. I went to this meeting expecting the Doctor to say that I couldn't be a flying instructor, and should try to get a non-flying job in aviation.
My problem is now making a decision - I am able to finance my flying to Commercial Level (full-time without the need for a parttime job) from my savings. I guess my worry is spending $50k with a flying school only to find no-job because of my medical condition. I guess I am also worried about a paying PAX seeing their pilot with sore-red-eyes, even if it is only every other month.
I suspect most in this forum would tell me it would be wiser to seek another occupation. I am also worried that I may not be committed enough to spend the kind of money, and hard-work required to get a Commercial License, medical problems aside.
On the other side of the coin though, my allergy doctor tells me that he has 747 captains as patients who are no worse than me in the allergy department. He doesn't think that it is as big an issue as I seem to. My concern is that common allergy symptoms such as a runny nose/stuffed nose/sneezing (which I do not thankfully suffer from) do not appear to be as serious a concern as sore-red-watery-eyes for piloting a plane.
So now I have 2 doctors telling me that I can do it, and only my inner voice telling me to think before I leap. And yet 99% of the time I am A1 OK. Good vision/don't wear glasses/physically fit.
Any thoughts by Commercial Pilots would be appreciated. (I have 10 hours in a Piper Warrior to date).
Regards
HK