Eyesight / laser surgery...? ICLS'...?

[iko wapi choo]

Ok, Firstly im not a pilot, im an operations manager for a european charter airline but i figured this place would be as good as any to post my query as it is frequented by professional people and i wish to gain as much info as possible before making any decisions.. Obviously i shall be visiting an opthalmologist for a consultation....

So, heres my query... im thinking about a possible change of career (not flying/aviation related), however i would not pass the medical with my current eyesight levels i would need Laser surgery or ICL'S (implantable contact lenses) to bring my eyesight to the required standard (without spectacles) now how do i know what is right for me... im wary about consultants advising me based on how much i'll be paying them. I have trawled various search engines but can only really find the general company websites with patients testimonies saying how great things were..
Oh, for the more technically minded my prescrition is as follows:

RIGHT EYE:
SPH: - 5.00 CYL: - 0.75 AXIS: 118.0

LEFT EYE:
SPH: -4.75 CYL: - 0.75 AXIS: 180.0

Distance acuity: RIGHT: 6/5- / LEFT: 6/5-

Any thoughts / advice / links / help / personal stories would be greatfully accepted. Many thanks

I W C

[A333]

I'm not exactly sure but from what I heard, laser surgery is not allowed if you want to pass the medical (I'm in Australia and that's what I heard), PLEASE correct me if I am wrong as I want to know for sure as well whether you can do laser surgery and pass the Class 1 Medical (CASA).

[EGAC_Ramper]

I can only go on what I was told for my CAA medical for a Class 1 for commercial pilot.With regards to laser surgery You CAN have it done BUT must have met the medical criteria before having it done.Which means you CANNOT have laser surgery to bring your eyesight within the medical limitations so as to pass the medical.As for implantable lenses haven't got the foggiest!


Regards

[Hawk]

Tons of stuff from the pprune archieves here http://www.pprune.org/forums/search....by=&sortorder=
cheers
Hawk

[Emmett01]

I belive from what I have seen, the JAR Flight crew lciense does allow laser surgery. The CAA say they are not the happiest but they will alow it. Whats happens is they will leave the surgery correction for a year to see whether the correction will weaver any. The down side is that your current eye sight must be within +/- 5.00 diopters for it to be allowed. You can ask an opticin exactly what this means. Check the CAA web site and go to the safety section where it tells you the visual standards for a class 1 medical.

www.caa.co.uk

Good luck with it.

[7120]

Forget about ICL's. LASIK or LASEK should sort you out, assuming your proposed career change poses no barrier to laser eye surgery.
How do you chose? Visit at least three centres. Ask three questions. What percentage of patients achieve normal vision without glasses? Is the result sustained years out from surgery? What percentage of patients have or report adverse events? Then you "pays your money and takes your choice".