Class 1 appeal and laser surgery

[divorcingjack]

Hi everyone,

Having taken and failed my class 1 medical recently, I am devastated. I was failed on having excess anisometropia (difference between my eyes). I was just outside the initial limits, but inside the renewal, but gatwick failed me anyway. Is there an appeals procedure available, as my optometrist believes that I should have been passed. I have written to gatwick a number of times requesting a copy of my results for my optometrist to look at, but as yet have not recieved a reply - does anyone know if I have a right to recieve a copy ?

It also says in the medical section of the CAA website that there is no way that having laser surgery could help you to pass the medical that you would not have passed before, but in my case this is not true - do the CAA realise this ? Sorry for the long post, but I am so frustrated and confused at the minute. Any advice or suggestions much appreciated ! Thanks guys.

divorcingjack

[Pilot16]

divorcingjack, I truly empathise with your situation as I have also been failed recently due to my eye sight. I too wrote a post hear regarding appeals, but little help came about.

What I have learnt is that you CAN appeal, and sometimes the CAA do grant you the Class 1 after reviewing your case (and you are successful). If you really feel you have the grounds to appeal, call the CAA up, speak to someone and explain and ask whether there is a chance for a review.

The CAA should send you copies of the reports soon. It took ten days for mine to arrive.

I WILL be appealing as I FIRMLY believe I have been failed on no real grounds. My eyesight is WITHIN their requirements according to three different independent optometrists Ive been to recently (including Specsavers).

All the best with yours, if you need further advise
feel free to PM me anytime.

Regards.

[divorcingjack]

Pilot16,

thank you so much for your reply, I really appreciate the solidarity ! I am so disappointed, but am determined not to let those ****** at gatwick get the better of me ! If necessary, I will go to the states to do my FAA CPL and then come back and go for a class 1 on renewal standards. Nothing is going to stop me being a pilot, as it has been my lifetime dream sinece the age of 4 !! Thanks again, and let me know how your appeal is going. By the way, do you know if the appeal involves going back down to gatwick to be reassessed ?

Cheers, divorcingjack :ok:

[Pilot16]

Sorry for the late response. I have been meaning to reply but something else gets in the way.

Anyway, I am quite sure according to the research i have done, that you will be asked in again for a review.

I have talked to the CAA and explained that all my independant optometrists I have been to so far say that im am within your Class 1 initial limit. The lady on the other end said to send them in the eye reports and they'll have a look.

Do you mind telling me the exact numbers they gave for your eye sight? i.e. your acuity, refractive correction etc.

P16

PS. Try researching the bates method online and see what you can do with it.

[divorcingjack]

Hi again,

I have never had to wear glasses or contact lenses and have always had 6/6 vision using both eyes together. My left eye is 6/6 and my according to gatwick, my right eye is shortsighted by 2.63 dioptres. An independent optometrist says that by wearing a -2D contact lens I can see to the required level, but apparently this is not acceptable as it is not my "true" refractive error. I did demonstrate this during the exam, but he failed me anyway, as 2D of anisometropia is the initial limit. I wish gatwick had mentioned this little piece of information before they took me for the full exam fee !!

I find it staggeringly unfair that people who have -5 dioptres of short sight in both eyes and have bad vision when not wearing their glasses are considered safer to fly than me !! AAARGH!!! It also says in the regulations that there is no way that having laser surgery can get you a medical certificate that you could not have obtained by wearing glasses.. also blatently not true!

I phoned gatwick today and asked again for my results, which they have promised to send out to me .. fingers crossed this time ! Can I ask you if you remember a machine being used to change the lens in front of your eye or did they use the glasses with the interchangeable lenses ? I only ask because it states in my letter of denial that I have -2.63D, and apparently the lenses for the manual method only come in 0.25D steps! This could mean that my actual reading was closer to -2.5D.. strange...

Sorry for the very long post, but thanks again !

divorcingjack

[mazzy1026]

I am in the same boat as you guys however I am awaiting my class 1 medical shortly. I have -5.50 in both eyes and am banking on a fail however, I have been advised to just go down and see what happens and that I can take the eye examination first.

Here is a question that has been burning my mind: I need to upgrade my prescription very very slightly before I go for the medical (I assume) so that I have up to date lenses etc however, call me tight if you like but I have been wearing glasses since I was 7 and dont fancy forking out another £200 on a new pair - therefore I was considering just buying a new pack of contact lenses (with an accurate up to date prescription) at around £25 and using them for the medical.

What happens here then ? I know that you can use them if you dont wear them 72 hours before the test which is fine however can I use my glasses afterwards when I eventually do get new ones ?

About 4 years ago my eyes were around the -5.00 and -5.25 dioptres mark so to me this shows only a tiny increase - do you think this will be so? I am 21 and people usually say that the eyes steady off at the age of 25?

Its a bloody nightmare this eyesight malarky - I wish it was like the FAA rules that say as long as they can be corrected then you are fine.....but we can only dream on.

Regards

Maz

[divorcingjack]

Hi Maz,

first of all, best of luck with the medical, I know exactly how you are feeling .. sick to the stomach no doubt ! The contact lens issue depends on your normal use - have you worn contacts before ? If you haven't, you have to have a letter from your optician stating that you have been wearing contacts for a month consistently and successfully for over 8 hours per day. They will check this so don't go without it ! If you have worn contacts before the JAA states that you must carry a spare pair of specs anyway while you are flying, so you would have to have glasses made up no matter what!

Hope this helps and let us know how you get on !!
divorcingjack

[mazzy1026]

Cheers mate - so it looks like I will have to get a new pair anyway ! Oh well - even more dosh towards the never ending trail of flying !

Thanks mate

Maz

[Pilot16]

divorcingjack,

The CAA requirements state that correction must not exceed -5 dioptres for short sightedness. Im reading this just off the requirement sheet i printed of their website in front of me. So to clear things up!...there must not be 2 diptres DIFFERENCE in refractive correction between the two eyes? Is this what is meant by 'excess anisometropia'? If this is the reason why they failed you mate then I truly feel for you. Why on earth did they not put such a vital information on the website? Im sure you will find a way around.

I think i have a somewhat unbelievable situation. Today I had another (final) independant eye examination with a top eye consultant (and so the test cost me a LOT of money)...what I heard from this optometrist after the test was unbelievable. She said my right eye was 6/7.5 (which i was failed on) and told me I would have no problem passing the Initial Class 1 as my eyes are perfectly healthy too. 6/7.5 without correction.

I had kept descreet the fact that the CAA has given me a shocking 6/18+ on the right eye!!

This is shocking!! There is a staggering difference between what CAA reckons and this eye test I had today (and many others too).

The CAA perheps need real optometrists at their den :*

[no reds]

. . Divorcingjack
. . firstly I hope you`re not divorcing the Jack I know but if you are the best of luck to the pair of you,
. . secondly with caa problems I strongly suggest that you stay in touch with them directly and let them know about other opinions fully and privately ! . . there is no worthwhile appeal !
. . good luck

[Pilot16]

My mistake, it does say on the CAA website that there must not be 2 dioptres difference in the two eyes.