Medical requirements (eyes)

[ooOO00OOoo]

Could someone please point me to where I can find the requirements for eyes? I don't think I can become a pilot but would like to check and make sure.

[HardCorePawn]

Not necessarily... my wife got her Class 2 medical... and her eyesight is about -7 and -6... and she also has astigmatism...

she just got an endorsement on the medical that said correcting lenses had to be worn (ie. glasses or contacts) and she had to carry a spare pair while flying...

Laser eye correction is also an option...

One thing that may cause issues is 'Colour Impairment'... they're still a little iffy on people being "colour blind/deficient"... although they were taking submissions earlier this year on a proposal to ease the restrictions...

As for what the requirements are... Part 67 , Subpart C deals with the Medical Standards required... it lists the standards for Class 1 (67.101), 2 (67.105) and 3 (67.107).

You might want to try The CAA Website... look under the A to Z listings for medical stuff... there is a link to Part 67 there... or try calling the CAA or your local DME and ask them...

[ZK-KAG]

Yep as per Part 67.103 - Class 1 Medical Certificate

Vision
(m) An applicant must−
(1) have no history or diagnosis of any vision disorder that is of
aeromedical significance; and
(2) without limiting paragraph (m)(1), have no history or diagnosis
of any of the following specific medical conditions, to an extent
that is of aeromedical significance:
(i) abnormality, disease, or pathological process of the eyes
or their adnexae;
(ii) sequela of disease or trauma of, or a surgical procedure
on, the eyes or their adnexae;
(iii) abnormal fields of vision or binocular vision
performance;
(iv) surgical procedure affecting the refractive status of
either eye; and
(3) without limiting paragraph (m)(1), have distant visual acuity,
with or without correcting lenses, of 6/9 or better in each eye
separately and 6/6 or better binocularly; and
(4) without limiting paragraph (m)(1), have near visual acuity, with
or without correcting lenses, of N5 or better binocularly at a
distance of between 30 and 50 centimetres, and have
intermediate visual acuity of N14 or better binocularly at a
distance of 1 metre; and
(5) without limiting paragraph (m)(1), have no deficit of colour
vision to an extent that is of aeromedical significance.


I presume that as long as you can meet these requirements with or without corrective lenses you're sweet.
http://www.caa.govt.nz/rules/Rule_Consolid...nsolidation.pdf

[ooOO00OOoo]

So I was born with a lazy eye, I had surgery to correct this, So this violates (iv) surgical procedure affecting the refractive status of
either eye; and or a surgical procedure
on, the eyes or their adnexae?

[victor_alpha_charlie]

But before that it says: "have no history or diagnosis
of any of the following specific medical conditions, to an extent
that is of aeromedical significance:"
So it pretty much means as long as your eye's working properly now. I think.

[ooOO00OOoo]

Oh and apparently I only see through one eye at a time, changes so quick that I can't notice it. In case that is of some info, oh and also the operation was done 1 month after I turned 1.(september 94)

Reason I want to know if I can or can't get a license so I can either plan for when and where I'll learn, or stop kidding myself and really think about what I'll do

Thanks for this info guys.

[Alex]

Maybe get in touch with an CAA-approved medical person? If you desperately can't find anyone in WGTN (shouldn't be too hard to locate one), I can give you the number of one up here in Rotorua...

ALex

[Nunner]

Way back when I was a budding young PPL my eye test confirmed I was CP4 (colour blind...ish) and it was determined that
I could not fly in weather if it was " Torrential Rain or Dense Fog"!!!! The reason given was that I would see the threshold lights as
Red and not Green !! Hence why I was only able to fly on a clear day and only into a controlled airfield.
The fact that I was not prepared to fly in Torrential rain or Dense fog was neither here nor there !!
By the way my nipper had a lazy eye but because we got to him in time we trained his lazy eye to see by patching up his good
one and now at least he has vision but I guess it does have a few restrictions as I am sure you will find out,dont pay to fly until you know.
Cheers
Nunner

[ooOO00OOoo]

Cool thanks guys. I will ask my parent if I can see my optometrist again, (Haven't seen him in quite a few years) I don't think he is CAA approved but he may be able to shed some light

[A185F]

See if you can go to one that is caa aproved. If one goes for a medical and has problems then they send you to various optometrists who can do testing to caa standards. I had to go when I got a class 1 (not 2 which I already had) and they did heaps of testing and stuff (put that cr@p in my eyes to make puples huge- very weird) and found I needed glasses to fly. Several medicals later I dont need em any more which is strange, must have fixed them selfs

[ZK-KAG]

CAA Approved Optometrists

Most info you need is here:
http://www.caa.govt.nz/medical/medical_home.htm

[pois0n]

You can go see a CAA certified optometrist or any registered ophthalmologist, a friend of mine just got his eye testing done for his class one medical today. He can shed some light on this, once the admin approves his account

[HardCorePawn]

Well my wife has a squint as well... so a history of eye problems is not necessarily a show stopper... the important thing to note is 'of aeromedical significance'...

Basically its a bit of a 'catch-all' clause so they do not have to specify everything that could possibly be wrong... but it does not mean that if you have a defect you will fail...

as I said, the best thing to do is talk to an expert... in this case I would find a CAA Approved eye doc... they will be able to give you the definitive answer... although be prepared to pay for the definitive part of that answer... a free consultation will probably give you the answer 'it depends'

But better to spend a few $$ now than to find out that years of planning etc is for nothing...

[Nunner]

QUOTE (HardCorePawn @ Nov 11 2007, 11:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well my wife has a squint as well... so a history of eye problems is not necessarily a show stopper... the important thing to note is 'of aeromedical significance'...

Basically its a bit of a 'catch-all' clause so they do not have to specify everything that could possibly be wrong... but it does not mean that if you have a defect you will fail...

as I said, the best thing to do is talk to an expert... in this case I would find a CAA Approved eye doc... they will be able to give you the definitive answer... although be prepared to pay for the definitive part of that answer... a free consultation will probably give you the answer 'it depends'

But better to spend a few $$ now than to find out that years of planning etc is for nothing...

Just on a real technicality a "squint" is not the same thing as a "lazy" eye,if not picked up early enough and you loose the other eye for whatever reason and the lazy one has not been detected at an early age then you're basically stuffed!
Nunner

[Drizzle]

a friend of mine just got his eye testing done for his class one medical today. He can shed some light on this, once the admin approves his account

I Have had a lazy eye practically since I was born, wore glasses to try and help correct it and for the most part it has (didnt have any surgery). However it has left me with slightly deficient 3D vision, but not enough to be of 'aeromedical significance.'

Oh and apparently I only see through one eye at a time, changes so quick that I can't notice it.

I have a similar thing with my eyes, it's funny when the doctor covers an eye, then the other, and back again, I can feel my lazy eye going lazy and then not.

I would recommend Dr Logan at the Wellington Eye Centre. Costs $100 to get a full CAA eye examination, and as someone said, better to pay a little more now than to find out later you have wasted so much.

From me with a similar situation, I'd say you'll be fine. the surgery you had could complicate things though. Good luck!

[ooOO00OOoo]

Cool thanks for that. Dr Logan is my optometrist so he knows all about me and my eyes

[towerguy]

it depends also on how much you want to fly and at what level - I know of several guys who were told by the Campaign Against Aviation here that they were not able to meet the medical standards and went overseas instead and are now in the left hand seats of heavies! I myself had a fight because of dizzy spells after having glandular fever as a kid and growing 6" taller in 6 weeks - kept on keeling over when I stood up too quickly. Anyway after being turned down Medical for RAF, ATC and RNZAF I took the fight to a Remuera specialist who happened to be the ex-head of the RCAF medical unit and he did a gazillion tests and sent them a letter saying there was no reason I could not fly and he would give me a letter of introduction to the Canadian forces if they didn't take me here. (Wish I'd taken it now!) Anyway I got in as aircrew on the next intake! - managed to stuff it up anyway but thats a different story. Ended up in ATC and still no problems.

it all boils down to - don't let the b@stards here push you around - if you really want it - fight and fight hard.
good luck with it.
cheers

[ooOO00OOoo]

Thanks for those words of inspiration Towerguy. So there are different standards in different countries? or is NZ so damn strict?