Visual Standards Questions...

[LeeRadford]

Hi, right I know things like this have been discussed before but cant seem to find the answer for my problem...so here goes...

Im 20 (21 next week) and hoping to start PPL for my 21st bday, so went into opticians today to have an initial examination, taking along the visual standards for class 1 and class 2 to see if I would pass either (I believe you only need Class 2 for PPL but wanted to know if I would pass Class 1 aswell).

With my glasses on everything is fine sight wise just the only thing my optician was concerned about was the fact that I had a squint (a tropia apparently). On class 2 it says "A disorder of eye muscle balance (such as a squint) may need specialist assesment"
whereas for class 1 it doesnt mention a squint at all.

Does this mean that this will rule me out completely from getting a class 1, or should it just be presumed that it will also need specialist assesment at Gatwick?

Im currently on a waiting list to get the squint fixed, if I was to have it fixed before the medical would there be a 'settling period' where I would need to wait?

Sorry about the essay and thanks in advance for any help!

Lee

[Irishwingz]

Hi Lee

I had the same issue - I had a huge manifest squint but after assessment in Gatwick I was adjudged to be ok fit to fly with it however, because my prescription was so high they wouldnt give me a class 2 - they said I could appeal it and i might get it, fortunately the South African CAA were ok with this and I'm getting my class 2 with them so its off to SA with me later this year.

Back to the squint - I was suprised that the specialist in Gatwick passed my squint as it was way outside the limits - I've had it so long he said the chances of me getting double vision were ZERO! Thats the safety issue at hand. Go see him, nice chap, it'll cost you £49.

For more info - do a search on this forum with 'squint'

Good luck with it!

Wingz

:}

[BlipOnTheRadar]

Hi Lee

I had my squint surgically "corrected" when I was 18 months old... it was the worst thing I had ever had done to me! The doctors thought that it was the best way to treat the problem at the time... invasive surgery!! the bast way!! I would hate to have seen the worst way... it would probably involve several pounds of nails stuffed into a block of semtex. Now, 34 years later I'm living with the after effects... particularly weak muscles in my left eye, but that can only be expected after what they had been through. But it's not the doctors who have to live with that.

There are more natural treatments, the Bates Method of eye exercises could work wonders. I only wish I had been given the option to try it. A search on the internet for "treatments for strabismus" will give you a start.

Surgery is a last resort. If the exercises don't work what have you lost?

If all else fails... learn to fly in the States. The FAA are far more pilot friendly, I have an FAA Class 1 even with my amblyopia.

BlipOnTheRadar

[LeeRadford]

wow thanks for the advice wingz and BlipOnTheRadar!

Ill have a word with the opthamologist (sp?) at the CAA and see what he says! Im deffo gonna look at the bates method aswell, it sounds quite interesting... wonder why opticians never mention that one (put them all out of a job? :) )

Lee

[DanRS]

Just for reference guys when I first started seriously looking into pilot training and found out that my lazy eye (amblyopia) was possibly going to cause an issue, I did some searching on the internet. It turns out there is a specialist in London who is doing detailed research into the condition.

While there is only a limited amount that can be done (at the moment) for adults, it may be of interest.

The guys name is Bruce Evans and is apparently well known in optical (or whatever the word is) Circles. I would certainly recomend doing a google search and have a look at some of the comments.

Cheers Dan