Eyesight

[superdove]

Hopefully someone can help. I have recently had my medical at Heathrow in the process of becomming a trainee atco. Everything was going well until the eye test, where I found the right eye was slightly weaker than it should have been. Although the doctor did not seem too phased and said that with corrective lenses it should be ok. Does anyone know the limits to which the corrective lenses have to be to be acceptable? I was unaware I had a problem with my eye and would be devestated if something I had little control over stopped me in something I have wanted to do for years.

[JustAnotherVictim]

Superdove

Try not to panic. If your right eye is only SLIGHTLY weak then you should have no problem at all-especially if the doctor didn't seem too concerned.

Off the top of my head, the JAA limits are -3.00 dioptres for each eye including astigmatism. However, I'm not sure how applicable this is because I was issued a CAA medical-not sure if this is still the case?

Take it easy!

[ferris]

On this topic;
Has anyone had LASIK done?
Thinking about risking it, and would appreciate any input (anecdotal or otherwise).

[Vee One...Rotate]

The limit you're talking about is now 5.00 dioptres. Visit the CAA's website and find the .pdf file witht he Class I requirements in it - it's very comprehensive.

Off the top of my head, the CAA will consider someone who has had laser surgery, for a class I, one year after the procedure took place...as long as your eyesight was not outside the limts BEFORE the op.

Good luck,

V1R

P.S. There's loooooads on eyesight on the forums - just run a search.

[Llamapoo]

Just to expand on V1's post - the CAA limit is +/- 5 dioptres, but NATS will only go as far as +/- 3 dioptres. Fell foul of this one myself. If you didn't notice it, odds are you'll be alright.

If memory serves, ICAO specifies +/- 8 dioptres.

[pumuckl]

As for ATC in the UK you need a UK Class 1 medical (NOT a JAA Class 1), the limits for eyesight are stricter than for a JAA Class 1, namely: +/-3 dioptres (for an initial medical anyway). It has nothing to do with NATS - it's the CAA that set the limits for the UK Class 1.

When I rang the NATS medical department a while back (there should still be a thread somewhere in the medical forum on this specific issue) the doctor I spoke to said that the UK CAA will eventually bring the eyesight limit in line with the JAA member states, but they don't know when that will happen yet. The JAA Class 1 initial limits are less strict: -5/+3, but for ATC you still need the UK Class 1 medical. I also rang the Gatwick medical department at the time and the doctor there told me the same thing.

On a positive note, I was slightly over the limit (-3.25) (which is why I was so interested in this) but as I am in my late 20s the doctor told me that my eyesight should be stable, therefore I would be fine. I now have my UK Class 1 medical (as well as a JAA Class 1), so no problems there.

It might be best if you ring the NATS or Gatwick medical people to confirm this though, never know, the rules might have changed since July 04.

p. :)

[Vee One...Rotate]

http://www.caa.co.uk/srg/med/default.asp?page=529

V1R

[pumuckl]

Thanks, V1R! :ok:

I got my UK Class 1 at Gatwick, not through NATS or their medical department. I specifically asked for a medical covering ATC in the UK, and the doctor at Gatwick confirmed that I need the UK Class 1 and the eyesight requirements are +/-3 for that. Quite possible that NATS have their own rules though.

I am actually off to the NATS medical department in a couple of weeks as they do their own medical check no matter what certificate you hold prior to starting their course. When I told them that I already hold a UK Class 1 all they said was that I would not have a problem with the medical side of things...wonder what else they require at the medical check?! I will try to find out more and report back. :confused:

I actually found the link to the previous thread I was referring to earlier:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=124642

I suppose the best thing would be to ring either the CAA or NATS medical department direct to confirm what the current position is. Seems strange that you can have worse eyesight as a pilot than as an ATCO...

See what they say in two weeks time...

p. :8

[5milesbaby]

As far as I was aware NATS doesn't have a medical centre. The Beehive Medical Centre at Gatwick is operated by the CAA and is a totally different section from NATS, and thus run as a separate operation. I think all the doctor's who work at the centre's (LACC/LTCC/EGLL etc) are all CAA Medical Branch employee's, nothing to do with NATS, they just follow NATS guidelines.

[PPRuNe Radar]

NATS has a Medical Centre, last I heard it was located in the Control Tower Building at LHR.

I think they can even do initial Class 1 certificates, or at least used to be able to, unlike pilots who have to go through the hoops at CAA Gatwick.

[pumuckl]

Just to follow up on my last post - I have now been to the the NATS medical centre at Heathrow (underneath the tower) and can confirm that Radar is absolutely right. NATS have their own medical centre situated at Heathrow tower.

As I understand it, the doctors are definitely NATS employees, but are certified by the CAA to be able to do initial UK Class 1 medicals and of course renewals. You don't need to go to Gatwick for an initial class 1 as an ATCO with NATS.

I already had an intial UK class 1 which I got earlier in the year and the NATS doctor treated me as a renewal - although I had to do most of the medical again as it was my "initial" medical with NATS. It was explained to me that NATS itself keeps the medical info on record and it would be easier to do the medical again than NATS asking for my permission for the CAA to copy all the info and send it to them.

The doctor explained to me that the CAA only make sure that I will be fit for the next year or two until I need to renew my medical. NATS on the other hand want to make sure that I will be fit for the next 20 or 30 years as the doctor would have to recommend whether or not I would be suitable for the NATS pension scheme!

Oh, regarding the eyesight requirement - the limit is -3 /+3 at the moment for an initial UK class 1 medical as per the link I gave in an earlier post.

Hope this helps.

p.