Re Certification after laser correction
 

I hold a Class 1 medical and considering laser refractive surgery. I would be grateful to hear from anyone who has gone through the re-certification process with the CAA. Any problems / dramas or all went smoothly etc..

Do a search and look at the CAA website for the information you are after.

http://search2.openobjects.com/kbrok...caa/search.jsp

Hi Props - can I ask why, if your eyesight is good enough to get a CAA Class 1 medical... why do you want laser surgery ?

I would guess for the same reason that anyone wants laser surgery, to get rid of glasses or contact lenses. To be able to swim, dive and do other things without the hindrance of poor eyesight. Regardless of whether you need a class 1 or not it is desireable to not need correction.

It's possible for a person with -5 dioptre myopia to hold a class 1 (not pass an initial but renew). -5 is fairly poor vision without correction.

As I am aware CAA class 1 SRG medical will consider you if you've had LASIK procedures as long as the pre-operative prescription was within the CAA limits. LASIK is preferred to LASEK. Wavefront is better still.

Don't disagree with any of that, C_T.

But the reason I ask is because of the need to balance the risks against the benefits.

Sure, the thought of not having to grope around for contacts etc. first thing in the morning, that's a big improvement in quality of life for a lot of people.

Usually the procedure works very well, and it's getting better all the time, but problems can and do still occur. Perhaps if you don't drive at night, or depend on the quality of your vision for your work, you may not be too worried about losing a line of BCVA, or night haloes, or worse.

But for a pilot it's different... when your livelihood depends on it, I'm just interested why someone would consider it worth the risk.

Grainger I agree, there is a risk that is reducing all the time. I guess I got lucky, I have ended up with plano prescription and the slight night halos that I had with contacts have gone completely since surgery.

It is possible for a number of things that can happen in life to affect your vision, but by undergoing laser surgey you are electing to take that risk.

Some of my flying activities would be curtailed if I lost the class 1, but my livelihood would be OK. Thinking carefully about it, if I depended on being at the sharp end I probably would not have risked it.

btw, the BCVA line would come back with lesser correction, and my clinic said they would do a free second procedure if necessary. The biggest risk with LASIK is accidentally rubbing your eyes soon after surgery and rippling the flap.

Eeeuuuwww grosss :yuk:
Thanks C_T... put me right off my sandwich, that has :uhoh:

I have had lasik at accuvision in London to get a class 1, the price was middle of the road but the quality of the job was top notch. i had nearly 5 dioptres of long sight in my right eye now its about 1. the standard is 3 months loss of licence pending medical review. but speak with the med division at gatwick because they are now well up to speed with this subject.

I would be grateful if you could let me know how you get on with the boys at Gatwick.

props:ok: