Radgirl,
You've probably just entered the world of aviation related medicine. In general, Medical Examiners that do not fly themselves do not understand where a rule comes from or how it applies to aviation safety.
Moreover, as a they progress in the hierarchy, they tend to exercise their profession not in a caring and understanding way, but find self-gratification in their relative position of power. It becomes even worse when they contribute to medical regulation, as this results in a phletora of perceived risks converted into medical restrictions without any scientific or statistically sound base. In addition, there is a whole medical industry that profiteers from this regulation (test equipment, test development, etc... which would be completely superfluous in a normal diagnostic evironment).
That is why we pilots tend to avoid this crowd like the plague and we look at them with the disdain they deserve.
Up to you of course what kind of an AME you want to become. But if you haven't flown yourself so that you can appreciate what the risk/benefits are of a medical restriction, you haven't earned my respect. And no, you cannot learn this from an aviation medicine book.
Think that I'm exaggerating ?
- Blindness in one eye : is the risk acceptable to pilot solo ?
- Deafness in one ear : can the person fly IFR ?
- Color Blind : can the person fly safely at night ?
- Type I diabetic : ok to fly if blood sugar tested every 30 minutes ?
- Myopic coming for a first medical with 8 diopters but with 20/20 vision after correction. Ok as an ATP ?
Think carefully before you answer.
AME's that don't fly find their own profession too important so that they think they have to make a restrictive contribution, when in fact medically speaking, flying should be looked at the same way as driving a car. If the person is really medically unfit to fly, it will show in the training phase or at the very latest, on the checkride. And of course, AME's earn annual or bi-annual fees for each pilot willing to continue.
And the same applies the distinctions between Airline Transport Pilots (Class 1 medicals) and Private Pilots (Class 2 medicals).
The good thing about these amendments is that at least some people have seen the light in some areas. But it clearly doesn't go far enough.