Laser Eye Surgery - Do CAA Allow it?
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Here is some breaking news on policy changes by the US Government in relation to PRK and LASIK. Sooner or later the CAA and European airlines will catch on also. Hope nobody objects too strongly to the occasional element of factual information in these rumour pages.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2..._20003093.html
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2..._20003093.html
Guest
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I have a good friend who had very poor eyesight. He had laser surgery which worked very well, and he now has a class 1 medical.
The secret is is not to tell the CAA that you have had it done. Apparently it is virtually undetectable.
He also got a job straight away on a jet!
The secret is is not to tell the CAA that you have had it done. Apparently it is virtually undetectable.
He also got a job straight away on a jet!
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Apparently Lasik and PRK-treated eyes can be picked out easily using corneal topography. This is used by the US military for screening.
Your friend, having lied to the CAA and his employer, will have to perpetuate the lie at every medical in the future. If he does get caught out, and he may well do, he will not only be out of a job, but also probably prosecuted.
I underwent lasik myself and aim to fly commercially at some point. Despite the success of my treatment, I would not consider lying about it. If I and people like your friend believe our eyesight is good enough, we should fight our case. The cockpit of an aircraft is a busy enough place without the sort of extra baggage your friend has brought into it.
Your friend, having lied to the CAA and his employer, will have to perpetuate the lie at every medical in the future. If he does get caught out, and he may well do, he will not only be out of a job, but also probably prosecuted.
I underwent lasik myself and aim to fly commercially at some point. Despite the success of my treatment, I would not consider lying about it. If I and people like your friend believe our eyesight is good enough, we should fight our case. The cockpit of an aircraft is a busy enough place without the sort of extra baggage your friend has brought into it.
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EJECT-
I am delighted to see that another idiot is shortly to join us on the flight deck!
Seriously, you have never flown on a commercial jet, and I can assure you that someones eyesight is the least of your worries.
Your eyesight does not go in an instant, it goes gradually over many months, so it really is not going to cause too many problems.
I agree that the CAA should allow it. I would remind you over a very serious incident on a 737 a couple of years ago when the Captains glasses fell off, and in his attempt to retrieve them nearly caused a major accident. All I am saying is that if your eyesight is within limits when you go for your class 1 medical, why give the authority the chance to refuse you a medical by opening your mouth.
One final point, how many commercial pilots do you know that trick the urine test at their medical by not eating or drinking for 24 hours before they go for their medical? There is a real danger here if the pilot is diabetic and does not know it.
I am delighted to see that another idiot is shortly to join us on the flight deck!
Seriously, you have never flown on a commercial jet, and I can assure you that someones eyesight is the least of your worries.
Your eyesight does not go in an instant, it goes gradually over many months, so it really is not going to cause too many problems.
I agree that the CAA should allow it. I would remind you over a very serious incident on a 737 a couple of years ago when the Captains glasses fell off, and in his attempt to retrieve them nearly caused a major accident. All I am saying is that if your eyesight is within limits when you go for your class 1 medical, why give the authority the chance to refuse you a medical by opening your mouth.
One final point, how many commercial pilots do you know that trick the urine test at their medical by not eating or drinking for 24 hours before they go for their medical? There is a real danger here if the pilot is diabetic and does not know it.
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Snapscan
yes the eyes are within limits at 6/6 and 6/5 uncorrected and even better when use wear glasses for a small degree of astigmatism. I was tested by a couple of optitians who declared that I met CAA and JAA standards respectively. I have also been subjected to fairly intense scrutiny by a number of surgeons at the request of the chap who "did" my eyes. Their comments typically were along the lines of "I can't see anything" as they carried out slit lamp examination.
Problems is, this procedure is part of my medical record so even if I was inclined to omit to mention that I had Lasik, CAA could still catch on merely by contacting my GP. (His name goes on the Class 1 medical application form). Surely it's better to try to win the CAA over than to invest a great deal of time and energy on training and securing employment knowing it could all go in an instant if my secret were to be revealed.
Did you notice, by the way that the US Military have just dropped their ban on Laser-treated candidates?
yes the eyes are within limits at 6/6 and 6/5 uncorrected and even better when use wear glasses for a small degree of astigmatism. I was tested by a couple of optitians who declared that I met CAA and JAA standards respectively. I have also been subjected to fairly intense scrutiny by a number of surgeons at the request of the chap who "did" my eyes. Their comments typically were along the lines of "I can't see anything" as they carried out slit lamp examination.
Problems is, this procedure is part of my medical record so even if I was inclined to omit to mention that I had Lasik, CAA could still catch on merely by contacting my GP. (His name goes on the Class 1 medical application form). Surely it's better to try to win the CAA over than to invest a great deal of time and energy on training and securing employment knowing it could all go in an instant if my secret were to be revealed.
Did you notice, by the way that the US Military have just dropped their ban on Laser-treated candidates?
