Astigmatism exceeding 3 dioptres

[enzino]

I am asking this question on behalf of a cabin crew colleague that would like to pursue her career in the flight deck. She was refused a class 1 certificate a year ago due to her astigmatism exceeding 3 dioptres.

I have read the Part-MED relevant section, and it doesn't strictly say that she is unfit. Does anyone have any more information and to what authority she could refer to?

[what next]

Originally Posted by enzino

I have read the Part-MED relevant section, and it doesn't strictly say that she is unfit.

This is the current version of EASA Part MED: https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/docume...rt-med-issue-2
In section AMC1 MED.B.070 (page 38) subsection (d) (1) (iii) it says: "astigmatism not exceeding 2.0 diopters". I was told that this value is relevant for initial issue of the class 1 medical. Further down in the document it says that with an astigmatism between 2 and 3, an examination by an eye specialist should be done every 5 years and above 3 every two years. Again, I was told (by my AME and an expert to whom I was sent by our authority) that these values only apply once you already have been issued a class 1 medical. I can't read this from the EASA document, but this is how they interpret it here (in Germany).

Originally Posted by enzino

Does anyone have any more information and to what authority she could refer to?

In my experience, this would be the medical department of your aviation authority. They have the last word, so they should be involved right from the beginning. They will send your colleague to an eye specialist that they choose (it is useless to go to a specialist of your own choice, as I had to find out the hard way) who will examine her and write a report for the authority. Based on this report, the authority will decide if they can grant an exception - under certain conditions (in my case yearly examination by a specialist) - or not. The whole process will take a few months and cost a four-figure sum in Euros, but without, she stands no chance.