Contact lenses

[phnuff]

I have looked on the CAA web site re ppl's in contact lenses and to be honest, find the whole subject confusing. Are there any PPL's out there in the UK who wear contacts, and have you ever had problems ??

[Beethoven]

Hello sir/madam,
I wear them...have a class 1 JAA medical and no problems to report....if u wear them ok on the ground there is no reason not to wear them while flying.The JAA medical says simply "shall wear corrective lenses and carry a spare pair of spectacles"
Best wishes,
Beet

[big.al]

As a PPL I usually wear contacts and carry a set of glasses in my flight bag. Contacts give me much better all-round vision (no blind spots behind the frames) and thus a better lookout for other aircraft. Without either I could barely see the 'plane I was sitting in, let alone fly....

[Whirlybird]

I wear them and have no problems whatsoever, and I have a Class 1 medical.

A few things you should know, however:

1) You will need to carry a spare pair of specs when you fly.

2) The CAA won't allow bifocal/varifocal/progressive or any similar sort of lenses. Although shortsighted, I was half an inch out for reading as well when I got my Class 1, and they insist I carry a pair of reading glasses too. I carry them, but never actually use them. However, even if you have this problem, a Class 2 medical probably won't pick it up unless it's severe.

3) Some of the airline pilots find they get dry eyes when flying with contacts, but I can't see this being a problem for PPLs; I've never found it is.

[Tiger_ Moth]

Contact lenses are fantastic.

[AerBabe]

How very helpful of you T_M :rolleyes:

Phnuff - It might be worth you posting the same question on the Medical/Health forum if you want any more detail. You could also phone the CAA (if you have an hour or so to spare ;) ) and talk to someone there.

This from someone who has 20/20! :p

[EyesToTheSkies]

Sorry if this seems obvious, but all PPL's please remember not to have your spare spectacles actually IN your flight bag but outside, readily to hand. I usually put them behind the pax seat of the C152 that I fly. Haven't needed the spares yet, and I hope I never will, but I would want to grab them quickly if I did.

:cool:

[distaff_beancounter]

I have been wearing hard contact lenses, since I was a teenager, which is longer than I care to admit here!

Like the other posters, I much prefer them to glasses, due to the better periferal vision.

My Class 2 medical certificate, has the usual endorsement
"2/VDL Shall wear corrective lenses and carry a spare set of spectacles (Distant vision)"

I do always carry the spare pair of glasses when flying. BUT, I always carry a spare pair of contact lenses, whatever I am doing, including flying.

I have never lost a lens in 14 years of flying, but suppossing I did, then I do have a question.

If a pilot losses just one contact lens, what should she do?
1. Carry on flying with 1 lens & 1 naked eye?
2. Put glasses on, with 1 contact lens still in place, which would put that eye out of focus?
3. Flick remaining contact lens out, & then put on glasses?
4. Replace missing contact lens, with 1 from the spare set carried?

[[u]]

If a pilot losses just one contact lens, what should she do?
1. Carry on flying with 1 lens & 1 naked eye?
2. Put glasses on, with 1 contact lens still in place, which would put that eye out of focus?
3. Flick remaining contact lens out, & then put on glasses?
4. Replace missing contact lens, with 1 from the spare set carried?


Good question, I've asked this myself. :)

I think if you lose one contact in flying it's best to proceed,
if both eyes are relatively 'even', if there is a significant difference
in eyesight and you 'loose' your best eye - get your glasses.

As my eyesight is 'evenly' bad at both eyes, I decided that
if I lose one contact in flight I will just proceed, the glasses
are there if I lose one contact while on a 'stopover' and I
accedently forgot to bring my spare contacts :rolleyes:

[Hersham Boy]

Unless I'm seriously misled, it's not quite as simple as properly correcting your vision and carrying spare specs.?

My understanding of the CAA site says that there are limits to your visual acuity (not sure what), astigmatism (ditto), long/short-sightedness (+5.0 and -8.0 dioptres) and the difference between your uncorrected eyesight (anisometropia) (3.0 dioptres).

Of course, if you don't require serious correction then this is not terribly relevant!

Check 'dis for more...

CAA Eyesight for JAR Cl 2 (http://www.caa.co.uk/srg/med/default.asp?page=538)

Hersh

[distaff_beancounter]

Hersham Boy
You are perfectly correct.
Contact lenses are only acceptable to the CAA, if the pilot's UNCORRECTED vision falls within the limits laid down for a Class 1 or Class 2 medical, as applicable.

[phnuff]

Many thanks for your thoughts folks. My wife has now pointed out to me that if I go to contacts she will 'exit stage right' (so to speak). I think I'll stick to my specs (for now at least

[Rote 8]

distaff

I fly with contacts. The question you have raised is one that I have considered before and if it were me I would wip out the remaining lens straight away. I find "asymetric" lens wearing a bit wierd for want of a better word and would not want to try flying in that condition. Lets face it if one is gone, the other by itself is a bit poinless.