Vision Improvement
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: UK
Contact lenses and class 1
Captain Ratpub
Re whether to wear glasses or contact lenses to the class 1 - I have just done my class 1 and asked the optometrist there for confirmation on whether it was ok to wear contact lenses to the medical as there seems to be a bit of confusion amongst ppruners.
The answer is: It is ok to wear soft contact lenses, ie. the disposable kind to the eye exam and also during the 72 hours prior, but if you wear hard contact lenses, ie. gas permeable ones, then you should remove them 72 hours prior to the exam and wear your glasses. Apparently the hard ones change the shape of your eye (so wouldn't give accurate readings when examined without them), but the soft ones don't change the shape of your eyes.
You could also ring the CAA medical people to confirm this - I was told this when I made my booking, but I wore my glasses just in case and then found out I could have worn my soft contact lenses to the exam and also during the 72 hours prior. The optometrist examined my eyes with my glasses, without my glasses and then also asked me to put my contact lenses in. I would probably recommend wearing your glasses to the exam as you then get examined with and without them first. You then get asked put your contact lenses in and you can wear them for the rest of the day. If you came with your contact lenses already in, then you would have to remove them to get checked with and without your glasses and you would have to wear your glasses for the rest of the day.
Hope this helps.
p.
Re whether to wear glasses or contact lenses to the class 1 - I have just done my class 1 and asked the optometrist there for confirmation on whether it was ok to wear contact lenses to the medical as there seems to be a bit of confusion amongst ppruners.
The answer is: It is ok to wear soft contact lenses, ie. the disposable kind to the eye exam and also during the 72 hours prior, but if you wear hard contact lenses, ie. gas permeable ones, then you should remove them 72 hours prior to the exam and wear your glasses. Apparently the hard ones change the shape of your eye (so wouldn't give accurate readings when examined without them), but the soft ones don't change the shape of your eyes.
You could also ring the CAA medical people to confirm this - I was told this when I made my booking, but I wore my glasses just in case and then found out I could have worn my soft contact lenses to the exam and also during the 72 hours prior. The optometrist examined my eyes with my glasses, without my glasses and then also asked me to put my contact lenses in. I would probably recommend wearing your glasses to the exam as you then get examined with and without them first. You then get asked put your contact lenses in and you can wear them for the rest of the day. If you came with your contact lenses already in, then you would have to remove them to get checked with and without your glasses and you would have to wear your glasses for the rest of the day.
Hope this helps.
p.
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: 51°30'0N 0°8'60E
Had the Class One today and the eye-wizard chap did all sorts of exciting tests on my peepers. I thought I had failed it all but then he told me that I was well within limits!
Unless I am unknowingly epileptic, I await my little bit of CAA paper. Big grins!
Also, I was surprised and impressed by how considerate and down to earth all the medical staff were at Gatwick. Friends had me thinking they would all be ogres and nasty disinterested nurses - nothing could be further from the truth.
Captain Ratpup
Unless I am unknowingly epileptic, I await my little bit of CAA paper. Big grins!
Also, I was surprised and impressed by how considerate and down to earth all the medical staff were at Gatwick. Friends had me thinking they would all be ogres and nasty disinterested nurses - nothing could be further from the truth.
Captain Ratpup
