The curse of Roaccutane
 

Hello,

I have recently been accepted to start Initial Officer Training for aircrew, however my progress has been temporarily halted when it was discovered that many years ago I took a drug called Roaccutane, which apparently has a detrimental effect upon some people's dark-adaptation (night-vision).

I have to attend some visual tests with a specialist ophthalmologist and I was curious if this is a situation that anybody here has previously encountered? If so, could anybody detail the procedures and the likelihood of permanent effect caused by the drug?

Thank you kindly,

Bridge23

As is the search facility.

Lots of Docs peruse the medical forum try there.

The curse !?
 

Around about the time you were born, I was undergoing a 6 month course of Roaccutane. Did the trick better than anything else but it was certainly new at the time. A couple of years later I joined up but never mentioned the fact that I had been on that particular drug. Have been flying pretty much ever since including over 300 hrs night, mostly on NVG. I wouldn't say that my night vision has been affected so I wouldn't worry on that count.

That said, I'm bald as a coot but that might just run in the family ....

Ah, qwirky drugs!
 

I can relate to what your going through.

After being selected in 2003 I had to attend Selly Oak for eye exams due to being prescribed Roaccutane in 1999.

Try not to worry about it. Did OASC might feed you scare stories about it dissolving the back of your eye balls? (that's what they told me.... w#nkers!). As I later found out at the hospital the drug isn't/wasn't on the RAF safe list so they need to check everyone who took it before being accepted for air crew duties.

However, it did push my start date for AAITC back by four months. So don't quit your job like I did!

Good luck :ok:

If you would like any more info PM me.

Cheers,

MM

I was prescribed roacuttane by the RAF and a couple of years later was told to go to an RAF eye specialist because the drug had been identified with night vision problems. This was worrying as I was already aircrew.

The specialist who later peered into my eyeballs gave me the all clear and said he personally thought it was a waste of time me being there.

Anyway, I got the all clear.