Yes my DAME made it quite clear 2 medicals ago that I had to bring the 2nd pair and reiterated it at the last medical in May. At both medicals I was put through the rigorous testing procedure with my normal glasses, and then had to go through the whole thing again with the spare pair. Massive WOFTAM. Yes, I need vision correction to fly. No, I don't need to be tested twice to confirm this fact!
Clinton nailed it in his submission (well done sir).
Where is the evidence of any accident or incident that was a result of somebody's glasses mysteriously disintegrating in flight..?? Is there a record of anything that has caused CASA to adopt this..?
If you're in turbulence that is severe enough to knock the glasses off your head, I'd be more worried about the aircraft disintegrating than my glasses!!
I've been wearing glasses for well over 30yrs and have NEVER had a situation whereby I had to reach for the spare pair due to the main pair failing in some way. And I can't think of any situation that could arise in flight that would. Maybe others could enlighten me.
Then there's the expense of maintaining 2 identical sets. If you need full blown prescription glasses they are bloody expensive. Yes, you can put the eye test on Medicare, but the actual glasses are where they get you. Hundreds of $$ to upgrade the lenses, even if you re-use the same frames. And then if you want prescription sunglasses as well...
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How's this for a scenario - somehow my main pair of glasses snap in half and fall off my face. Likelihood..? Infinitesimally small. I reach for my flight bag and pull out the 2nd pair. As I'm putting them on, they also snap in half. Likelihood..? About the same as before. Maybe I should be carrying a 3rd pair..?? Ridiculous I know, but no more so than the original rule.
