more eye problems...

[internationalspy]

Ok, I'm currently aviation major in college and one of the prerequisites to sign up for the course is to pass a Class 1 medical. Which I did, but here is my question.

When went for my medical I felt they were a bit shoddy in their procedures, basically rushing me through to get my money...

I have a light Amblyopia in my left eye (lazy eye for the layman), although it is not really noticeable in day to day activities. I was wondering if anyone knew the eye requirements for the medical. I tried looking them up, but I didn’t really understand their medical mumbo-jumbo.

My basic concern is that college being ridiculously expensive (I'm paying about $40,000 per year everything included!!!) I don’t want to waste my money getting a CFI rating then be told that I can’t work.

The only thing I can think of is to go to a different doctor, but I didn’t really feel like shelling out another $120

Thanks

[Vee One...Rotate]

You say that you're worried about wasting $40,000 a year on your course and then seem reluctant to spend $120 to put your mind at rest!

Anyway, I don't think you even need spend that. Take a list of the eyesight requirements to your local optician and, for a no doubt much lower fee, they'll be able to tell you if there is any real cause for concern. I imagine the mumbo-jumbo you talk about is mostly to do with short/long sight and astigmatism limits rather then related to lazy eye but I may be wrong.

Good luck with your course

V1R

P.S. $120 for a Class I - the CAA here charge over £400 for an initial medical! A much less civilised amount

[Bird Strike]

One could hazard a guess that since you have passed your Class 1, there shouldn't be a problem. However for your own peace of mind I suggest you do go ahead and spend $120 or whatever it would take to have what you need to get done to put your mind at rest. Better still, go to an aviation ophthalmologist if such a thing exist over there, and have it confirmed that you are within limits and that it is unlikely for you to over the limits.

I don't claim to know anything about the FAA medical, and I don't even know if amblyopia is a problem with FAA medical - I thought even monocular pilots could fly on SODA over there?

Anyway, go get checked out, seek professional opinion from those in the know (i.e. specialist in aviation ophthalmology or something like that), and save yourself a worry and potential waste of money. Good luck...

[internationalspy]

thanks

I know that I technically passed the test but as I said I though that the Doc didn’t do a complete examination, and when I tried to ask him about it he just brushed me off.

Just as a side note (and I know that I should put this on another post) how did other people get tested out there? For me it was a little machine that I placed me eyes to and that’s how they did all of the tests.

Thanks for your advice.

[Flyin'Dutch']

The visual requirements for the medicals can be copied of the websites of the regulatory bodies (FAA/CAA/SA CAA) and you can take that to any optician who will be able to tell you (probably for a fee) whether you meet the requirements.

Indeed people who are monocular can be certified by the FAA.

The long and short of it is that you will need to go and see someone who can do the eyetests for you and compare them against the regulations.

That I think is the best this BB will be able to come up with.

And yup there are some machines with which you can do all the eyetests.

FD

[lotusbridger]

Read your PM's International Spy