Corrective lenses

[Stikman]

Well, it's finally happened - my current medical requires distance vision correction.
I haven't had much luck with prescription sunglasses - my current pair reduce the glare from the sun, but make it difficult to read some of the digital displays in the cockpit. What do other pilots use and recommend?

[evansb]

Contact lenses. You can wear any kind of sunglasses you prefer.

Wear the breathable kind of contact lenses. Change them every 30 days or so.. I use AIR OPTIX Night & Day.

[Capt Claret]

I've had multi focal glasses for years now. I've tried clipons and transitions (change tint with UV exposure). Because the transitions would not darken in the car due to its UV stabilised glass, I've reverted to prescription multi focal sunnies, and non sunnies.

Whilst I can see adequately without the specs if not reading I just keep them on most of the time when awake. Sunnies travel either in my top pocket or in a hard protective case, and get switched over as required.

Multifocals can take some getting used to, I was lucky they only took a day or so, whereas a mate took 18 months.

[Old Akro]

If its your first prescription, its probably pretty weak. In which case I'd question whether you really need them in flight. On the ground and take-off landing maybe. But probably not in flight. Its a pretty wide, fuzzy line that you cross to require glasses. Whether or not you pass or fail the test (when your eyesight is borderline) depends on ambient lighting in the test room, your tiredness, etc.

I have prescription sunglasses (not required by my licence) which I wear for driving, but use a pair of plain lens sunglasses flying. I need reading glasses in poor light (once again not yet required by my licence - but its coming). I find when I need reading glasses (ie IFR charts), I don't need sunglasses. So I shuffle between the 2.

In your case, I'd consider swapping to your old non prescription glasses in flight.

I trust you are aware that once your licence requires glasses you need to fly with a second back-up pair?

[Snakecharma]

Serengeti now do prescription sunnies.

Ray ban do also, but ray ban only do polarised, which makes then useless in glass aeroplanes.

I have a pair of Serengeti RX multi focal sunglasses and they are the best pair of sunnies I have owned

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Stikman

Send a PM to Flopt - he should be able to answer all your questions.

He is an experienced pilot/optometrist/CASA approved eye examiner (or whatever its called).

Dr :8

[43Inches]

If its your first prescription, its probably pretty weak. In which case I'd question whether you really need them in flight. On the ground and take-off landing maybe. But probably not in flight. Its a pretty wide, fuzzy line that you cross to require glasses. Whether or not you pass or fail the test (when your eyesight is borderline) depends on ambient lighting in the test room, your tiredness, etc.

I was passing the aviation test every year and decided to get my eyes tested when I noticed I couldn't read road signs well. The test recommended glasses and I decided to get them, the difference to my flying was very noticeable. Spotting traffic at great distance and visual judgement all improved dramatically, even just the enjoyment of the scenery. My next medical I turned up and brought the glasses just in case, passed the test without them, then the nurse noticed the glasses case and they put distance vision required on my licence.

I think if the av medical picks up you need glasses then I reckon you need them for sure and its not just a minor correction.

On the sunglasses there is a driving tint that you can get which sort of works in a broad light range, from mid level sun to flat light in cloud, to relatively low light around dusk.

[Capt Claret]

My next medical I turned up and brought the glasses just in case, passed the test without them, then the nurse noticed the glasses case and they put distance vision required on my licence.

I think if the av medical picks up you need glasses then I reckon you need them for sure and its not just a minor correction.

My situation was very similar with the exception that for about 10 years with two different DAMEs, the eye tests were performed and passed without the use of the spectacles. Then one year the DAME in CNS added the requirement to my medical paperwork without any awarding or advice. This meant that on receipt of said medical I had to go out and purchase a second pair of specs.

I no longer see that DAME, :mad:

[Captain Nomad]

Another vote for contact lenses.

For those who are more short-sighted, one of the best things about contacts is the recovery of your peripheral vision clarity. Normal sunglasses of your choice can be worn.

Disposable soft contact lenses (with backup glasses) is a great workable long term solution.

If you only use them for flying and don't fly that often you could consider getting the single use 'daily' disposable lenses. Just put the lenses in for the flying day and chuck them away at the end of the day.

[Tidbinbilla]

Both my frames are Rayban. It's the optician that makes the lenses. I have had mine for 3 years.
I should have listened to my father 😃

[Stikman]

Thanks for all the replies, gents.
I've been wearing glasses for about 10 years because I'm long-sighted, this is the first time I've had the condition on my medical.....lucky I keep a spare pair in the car :)

[Capt Fathom]

I carry three sets of glasses. If you break or misplace one, you've still got two. Good to go!

[Capt Claret]

I should have listened to my father

What Tids, prey tell, was your father's advice? :\

[Old Akro]

lucky I keep a spare pair in the car

Stick a spare pair in your flying bag - even if they are chemist shop specials.

[Mach E Avelli]

If you are going to cheat with the chemist shop magnifier specials as a back up, carry a jeweller's screwdriver and about three inches of very thin wire in your kit.
That way, when your prescription glasses have the inevitable frame failure, if you catch the screw, you can reset it. If you lose the screw, the wire will do.
You need the chemist shop jobbies to see enough to make the fix!
How do I know this? The first time it happened I did not have the screwdriver or wire.
The security goons may not like the screwdriver, but if it is small enough and carried in your left shirt pocket it shouldn't be detected. Get one with a plastic handle. In the unlikely event that it does set off the detector alarm, the goons think it is just your pilot wings.
Or instead of spending $20 on all of the above, you could simply be fully compliant with about $600 worth of proper back up glasses.

[Lodown]

Capt Claret: "Stop it or you'll go blind!"?

[Old Akro]

If you are going to cheat with the chemist shop magnifier specials as a back up

I was actually thinking about the CASA ramp check. :eek:.

If you happen to get ramped on a short hop on a sunny day and you've forgotten the spare pair, a $20 chemist shop set in the bottom of the flight bag will look like a solid gold investment.

We were ramp checked at Avalon last year. We flew from an airfield that could be seen from circuit height at Avalon, but the CASA ramp check was like we had flown from Perth. There was zero recognition that a 15 min flight did not require a full flight plan, W&B, maps etc. In that circumstance as soon as they see the licence endorsement they will ask to see the back up glasses. There will be no recognition that you could get by without them for a short flight on a sunny day. There will be no recognition that a reasonable back up plan might be to have a pilot passenger fly the return leg if you stand on your glasses.

So, as insurance I'd have another pair in the flight bag, regardless of whether they are an old prescription, chemist glasses, etc.

[bentleg]

I use prescription sunnies, graduated lenses, with the recommended (see DAME handbook) N.D. 15 tint. Neutral density, greyish tint. They work fine.


[*my current pair reduce the glare from the sun, but make it difficult to read some of the digital displays in the cockpit*]


The wrong tint will affect your colour vision, some colours you will not see, or not see clearly.

[Andy_RR]

I use prescription sunnies, graduated lenses, with the recommended (see DAME handbook) N.D. 15 tint. Neutral density, greyish tint. They work fine.


[*my current pair reduce the glare from the sun, but make it difficult to read some of the digital displays in the cockpit*]


The wrong tint will affect your colour vision, some colours you will not see, or not see clearly.

I have prescription sunnies with a slightly green tint that I was told was developed for the RAF, allegedly, and which improves recognition of objects against sky and ground. I think it actually is an improvement, but it does play with your colour vision - in my case for the better, since as CVD, I accidentally discovered one day I could finally choose the ripe bananas at Woolies!

[redsnail]

If you don't want Raybans, then Oakleys can be prescription made too. I use them and many of my colleagues do too. Yes, they aren't cheap but they are really good quality. Don't get the Iridium coating as that makes the cockpit screens a bit hard to see. Without that coating, it's easy. :ok: