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Help from the eye docs out there

Webb

Webb

Well Known Member
Sponsor
I'm mad as H E double toothpicks. I just picked up a set of progressive bifocals and I cannot image how folks see through these. Perhaps I'm just sensitive but they are horrible.

According to the good doctor, my distance was 20/20 but has a minor astigmasism (sp?) so she put the correction in the tops and the bottoms to the proper reader needed. Made sense to me.

As I drove home wearing them to check them out, the distance was no better with the specs. Worst thing I noticed was the tunnel vision. Unless I looked directly at my dash, everything outside of a small band was blurred (badly). I had to turn my head to read anything. I can't imagine flying with these. In addition, if I moved my head, what I saw was tilted. There is no way in God's green earth that I could fly in IMC and not get vertigo.

When I got home, I tried to read with them. Center vision was outstanding if I didn't mind looking at a 6 inch width on a sheet of paper.

I've been using stick on readers on my sun glasses and drug store readers with excellent results. I got the glasses mainly for work so I dont' have to fool with readers but the new specs won't cut it.

After reading other posts on prescription glasses I know it should not be this way.

I am planning to go back to the optical shop but how should this be handled? Should I go for lined bifocals and get the widest? I liked the ideal of a progessive but how in the world do you get rid of tunnel vision?

I've got a copy of the script and don't mind sending the POC (piece of cr.p) to one of the opticians listed in another post with a mark of where my pupils are on the current lens and get them to make a set of lenses?

Short of the trash can....suggestions?
 
make certain that they built them properly and are actually what you ordered. You are the customer, get what works.

One day driving to school, my wife had a vertigo type episode. Nausea, rapid heart rate, then blackout followed by UrgentCare. plenty of tests later, no answers. this went off and on for 3 days. Finally we figured out she had picked up her new high dollar spectacles the day before it all started. A check of the glasses showed they had placed the focal points and splits in the wrong spots.

Make them do there job.
 
Webb,
I went through the same thing. I had never worn glasses before so this was exactly as you described.
I went for the progressive,auto shading,impact resistant ...
It did take a while but I did get used to them.
I only wear them while driving and flying.
You do have to move your head not your eyes.
At first the dashboard on my truck looked all distorted off to the sides.
While flying the ground seamed come up different while landing.
It will come with time!
 
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Webb said:
I'm mad as H E double toothpicks. I just picked up a set of progressive bifocals and I cannot image how folks see through these. Perhaps I'm just sensitive but they are horrible.
Short of the trash can....suggestions?
Click to expand...

Prescribing lenses is an art, not a science. It's really the truth. Once you understand all the factors they are trying to correct for and the limited power of the lenses you would understand the problem. You need to work with your optician to figure out what is most important to you and realize that it may take more then one prescription to get it right. It's also important to give the new lenses time. They may work for you once you become accustom to them. That said, progressive lenses are probably not for pilots. I would suggest wide lined bifocals or trifocals are what you need. Your optician should remake your lenses if you are not happy with the progressives, at no charge.

It's **** getting old, but it beats the alternative....

DavidB
 
I put off bifocals for about 5 years, then last year decided to give the progressive ones a try. I also have astigmatism and needed reading glasses too. I had similial difficulties you describe and it took about 2 or 3 weeks to get used to them. Your eye positioning and focusing learns to adjust where its automatic and soon you don't feel awkward with them on. You will love them when you gete used to them! No more tilting the head down to see over the glasses to see the IP!!
 
Works for me...

DavidBurton said:
That said, progressive lenses are probably not for pilots.

It's **** getting old, but it beats the alternative....DavidB
Click to expand...

In my experience, I disagree, but your mileage may vary. I have been flying with progressive lenses for 15 years, 10 years flying airliners. It does take a while to get used to the whole program, but it will become normal. Just be very careful walking down stairs for a few days. :eek:

It is important to find an optician that "gets it." Most of them want to put the transition a little too high for use in an airplane.

John Clark
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA
 
Bad fit?

I think these may be poorly fitted or just not for me. Let me explain what I have for the corrected field of vision.

As you look at your computer screen, imagine a bell shaped curve that is 6 inches tall and 6 inches wide at the bottom. Outside that area, the field of vision is blurred. You must move your head from side to side to read a page.

To compare this to reading, I picked up an 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper with printing on it. Same bell shaped field of vision. I can only read 1/2 of the page at a time. I must move my head and not my eyes to do so. In addition, while moving my head from side to side to read, the sides of the page slant (direction depending on way head is moving). Also the center of the bell curve is different on the 2 lenses the center focal point and is about 2 inches apart on a sheet of paper.

For the 3rd example, I can't even read a approach plate without moving my head because the edges of it get blurry.

For those that have a 6 pack in their plane, imagine looking at the attitude indicator but the ASI and altimeter is just starting to blur. All this is don't without dropping your head. Anything past that left or right is way out of focus. As you move your head to the right to see the altimeter, the ASI is out of focus and has rotated to the left. Move your head back to left to see the ASI and the altimeter is out of focus and has rotated to right. As this is just a small field of vision, what it's like to turn you head to look at the radio panel and the flight instruments just went to **** in a handbasket.

BTW - I tried to write this with my new $$$ glasses and couldn't focus except on an area about the size of a donnut without moving my head. Put on the 1.75's and saw the entire computer screen with no wobbles and nothing out of focus.

I read so much at work and rapidly, I'll look like I have Parkenson's as I move my head from side to side.

Progressives my rear end.
 
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Webb,
NOW I understand.
What time are you going back to the eye doctor ? :mad:
The field of vision I referenced is no where near that narrow.
It sounds like they manufactured them incorrectly.. but what do I know.
Good luck!!
 
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Hi Webb....

....In my business, a few feet off the ground at 140, looking at the light-bar on the cowl and the instruments as well, I ended up with lined bifocals. It took a couple of tries for my optician to place the line at a location where I could look down at the instruments and then over the nose to the field I am spraying without tilting my head at all...really nice. He moved the line 1MM at a time. During the flare it only takes a slight head movement to keep looking through the upper section of the glasses. If the progressives make you dizzy or p-oed, consider the line types. Sounds like your field of vision is really reduced...a bad situation. You need that in a high traffic area to be safe.

Regards,
 
Better Progressive lenses

I also tried the progressives a few years ago and literally got nauseous walking around with them. Went back to bifocals.
Then a couple of years ago we had an optician from Canada speak at an EAA meeting (I'm in the Detroit area so it's not far). He said MUCH better lenses are available, but they cost more, so they don't market them in the US because everything is so price driven they can't compete.
Bottom line: I got a pair of progressives from him, and the first time I put them on I thought they weren't progressive! No comparison to the ones I got locally. My wife ended up doing the same thing. Our lenses are made by NIKON. They are not cheap - $800+ depending on options (coatings, auto-darkening, etc) and that's Canadian, so the exchange rate comes into play as well (it helped me a few years ago :)
Take a look at VisionsOfCanada.com - Paul Boyko Jr. You don't even have to come to Canada, he can do the whole thing via phone and internet.
 
Webb said:
I think these may be poorly fitted or just not for me. Let me explain what I have for the corrected field of vision.

As you look at your computer screen, imagine a bell shaped curve that is 6 inches tall and 6 inches wide at the bottom. Outside that area, the field of vision is blurred. You must move your head from side to side to read a page.

To compare this to reading, I picked up an 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper with printing on it. Same bell shaped field of vision. I can only read 1/2 of the page at a time. I must move my head and not my eyes to do so. In addition, while moving my head from side to side to read, the sides of the page slant (direction depending on way head is moving). Also the center of the bell curve is different on the 2 lenses the center focal point and is about 2 inches apart on a sheet of paper.

For the 3rd example, I can't even read a approach plate without moving my head because the edges of it get blurry.
Click to expand...

Webb, I'm not an optical expert but I can tell you what you are experiencing is similar to my early exposure to progressives. At first they seem unusable.

But....somehow our brain adapts and we learn how to use progressives. You will learn to "point your nose" at whatever you are viewing. Sounds very cumbersome at first, but after a while it is second nature. The narrow field of vision at intermediate distances can be a hassle under some conditions, seems my progressives are at their narrowest at computer monitor distance. But the only time I really notice it is when I make a point of noticing it. :)

Give the progressives several days, they/you will get better.

By the way, my current progressives are from Zenni Optical (purchased online for $63.00) and work as well as the $350.00 optical shop glasses. I have a pair of 50% gray bifocals on order and am interested in seeing how they work for flying and driving.
 
Webb, I told my wife about your situation. It sounds almost exactly like what her problem. Too narrow of a focus area and each lens looking somewhere else. GO BACK and get them correct for you.
 
Webb,

I just went thru the same experience. Got progressives from Pearle Vision. Tried them for 2 weeks. I just could not get used to them and went back to trifocals. The problem was the distortion. Couldn't see the full width of a computer screen. Reading a book, couldn't see the full width of the page. Outside they worked pretty well and in the car they were OK.

I had tried progressives about 15 years ago. At the time I was doing close tolerance screen printing and I found the distortion a major problem. I found with the new progressives that the focused area was fine, but I think my personal standards are such that I would never be satisified with progressives.

My eyes are not too bad. My script is less than 2 on both eyes, an add of 2 for near and some astigimitism. I've worn glasses all my life (60 years) mostly for the astigimitism. Went to bifocals around age 40 and trifocals around age 50.

BTW, Pearle Vision has a cool machine that takes a digital photo of the inside of the eye. By keepiing that file, they will compare the images from year to year. My family physician told me about this and really recommended that I get it. Perhaps the best solution is to get my exam there and get glasses elsewhere.

Pearle Vision sells their own brand of glasses and won't reveal whose progressives they are using. The people in the store are nice but don't seem to be experts. Anyone have good experiences with any of the chain eyeglass stores? Or, how have others found good opticians?

Jim Butcher
Europa XS
 
Don't give up easily.

If you want progressive lenses, don't give up by trying just one brand. My first progressive lenses were high-dollar "Vari-Lux" recommended by Paul Harvey. They didn't work for me at all. I found that the cheaper ones from EyeMasters worked well for me and I've been wearing them for many years.
If I remember correctly, Paul Dye had pretty much the same experience.
 
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Get used to it????

Get used to it is what I am hearing. So I'm supposed to get used to the following?????

1) The bell shaped curve for each optical area is not lined up. What is in focus for 1 eye is on the edge of fuzzy for the other eye.

2) I cannot read a letter, computer screen, or even a journal without moving my head from side to side. Not only do I hear my marbles rattling around in my head but it has slowed my reading down by over 50% since I cannot move my eyes back and forth across the page. When holding the head level, even the computer keyboard is blurred on the sides.

3) To read the top of a computer screen I have to tilt my head way back to get to the top of the computer. A realistic pain in the neck.

4) The computer wobbles (rotates) as I move my head back in forth doing an imitation of Parkensons.

5) I had a wave of nausea trying to use. I have never experienced motion sickness before but it this is anything like it, count me out.

I love the ideal of progressive but not at the price. Perhaps the best is to take my sunglasses with the stick-ons at the proper level to the optical place and have them make 35mm lined bifocals.

Before I go there, is there a progressive lens that doesn't have this bell curve shaped tunnel of clear vision?
 
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Tunnel vision is right! Loose the progressive lenses. They are worthless when flying. I use good old Walgreen bifocals as I don't need far distant correction, only seeing things close up. It's called old man disease.
 
Boy, there appears to be lots of emotion here! And I understand why - vision is absolutely essential to everyone that frequents these forums. But to simply say "Progressives are worthless!" is kind of short-sighted (if you'll pardon the pun).

And no Webb, I absolutely don't think the message should be "get used to it" - I think you had some bad work done - go back and make them do it right, and THEN decide if progressives are for you. And maybe they aren't.

I personally have found the transition to progressives (about 6 years ago) to be completely a non-event. I can't even see the narrowed field of view that many folks talk about ( and I BELIEVE is real in their case). In the end, since everyone's prescription and needs are different, some things will work for some people, and others will work for others.

I am amazed that I can have such good results with "chain store" (Eye Masters) products - just lucky I guess. I love the progressives, becasue they work for me.

Paul
 
I think this thread is proving...

...that everyone is different, and what works for some folks does not work for all folks.

I started life with excellent vision. When I reached 40, something changed, but trips with eye dr's did not turn up anything...except that I needed glasses. The glasses did not help, and over the next decade, prescription changes, while somewhat useful, never worked as well as "sometimes" not wearing glasses at all.

A seven hundred mile move and a new eye doc later, this guy figured out that my original vision was 20/10, and at present was just leaving 20/15 on its way to 20/20. He had me try some progressive lens stuff, but that triggered some vertigo attacks. Trips to a bunch of medical specialist turned up nothing, but we did end up identifying a number of different triggers that initiated the vertigo attacks. It all came down to vision related items, and glasses were a large contributor. Progressives were out, bifocals were out, trifocals were out. For the moment, I am stuck with swapping between sets of glasses (and for the moment, not flying).

So, back to my first comment...everyone is different, and what one person can tolerate or adapt to , may not be what is acceptable to another individual.
 
Webb said:
Get used to it is what I am hearing. So I'm supposed to get used to the following?????

1) The bell shaped curve for each optical area is not lined up. What is in focus for 1 eye is on the edge of fuzzy for the other eye.

2) I cannot read a letter, computer screen, or even a journal without moving my head from side to side. Not only do I hear my marbles rattling around in my head but it has slowed my reading down by over 50% since I cannot move my eyes back and forth across the page. When holding the head level, even the computer keyboard is blurred on the sides.

3) To read the top of a computer screen I have to tilt my head way back to get to the top of the computer. A realistic pain in the neck.

4) The computer wobbles (rotates) as I move my head back in forth doing an imitation of Parkensons.

5) I had a wave of nausea trying to use. I have never experienced motion sickness before but it this is anything like it, count me out.

I love the ideal of progressive but not at the price. Perhaps the best is to take my sunglasses with the stick-ons at the proper level to the optical place and have them make 35mm lined bifocals.

Before I go there, is there a progressive lens that doesn't have this bell curve shaped tunnel of clear vision?
Click to expand...

Webb, it does sound like you are dealing with progressives that are incorrect for you. If the (ok opticians, help me out here) lenses are not located where they line up with the center of your pupils you will probably have the "one eye in the sweet spot and the other out of focus". I ran into that issue along with your problem #3 with the very first progressive set I had several years ago and the solution was to have the lenses reground (replaced) for the correct interpupillary distance and near vision correction.

The bell-shaped sweet spot seems to be the nature of the beast for progressives. The size of useable vision will vary with your prescription and size of frames......and the quality of your optician. :)
 
My first pair of progressives were vertigo-inducing. I could not safely drive home with them, but was told I would "get used to them". Turns out they were incorrectly made. Once I got a correct pair I could see OK immediately and could see perfectly in a few hours. Now I have a complicated prescription (prism, axis, near/far correction, you name it) and sometimes it takes a couple of tries for them to get it right, but it can be done. Soon you will automatically find the "sweet spot" for an infinite number of focal distances.
 
A few things I learned

As someone who has worn glasses since I was 5 switching to progressives was a bit of problem but mostly when walking down steps or looking down at my feet! Now that I have had them for twenty years I have periodically had trouble with new glasses. What I typically find is if I look at some object with one eye closed, find the sweet spot, then switch, the eye that is open is not in focus. When I went back with the glasses (I got them through work since they are safety glasses) the person said my eyes were weird and didn't track correctly up and down! Imagine my concern... I had weird eyes! Then I went to a different optometrist and they simply bent the lenses closer to each other! Problem solved. After developing a good relationship with this optometrist he mentioned that some of the newer, smaller, more fashionable frames make it tough to grind a large enough sweet spot to handle the vision needs. I generally don't have any problems flying although since I do a lot of computer work, I sometimes suffer eyestrain and have to give them a rest before the sharp vision comes back.

Paul
N694BP - reserved
 
Amazing what you can pull off when you're focused (pun intended)

I'm not willing to get use to it. I took them out to the plane, set down for a while and tried to fairly evaluate.

I could only clearly focus on the attitude indicator. The VSI and turn indicator were fuzzy. The radio stack was completely blurred unless I turned my head directly at it and if I was looking at the transponder, the GPS was out of focus. While looking straight ahead, the engine monitor was a pretty bunch of colors but not legible. I was also concerned that moving my head that much in IMC has the potential for vertigo.

Went back to the eye doc and discussed this with her. She agreed that progressives were not suitable for my needs. 35mm lines on their way now at the same level as my stick on's for the sunglasses.

While I was at it, went by Eye Masters and got 2 pairs ($49) of prescription readers for work. Took them 1 day. Should have gone their in the first place.
 
I would have bet everything I have , even my family, that mine would never suit me. I had the same problems discussed other than they did not make me dizzy or nauseous. I had nothing to loose giving them a try, so I agreed to keep them for two weeks. Long before the two weeks, talking about my problem with someone I was describing what I was seeing and I noticed I had good vision. I've had them for six months now and if I'm reading like on the computer, I prefer to remove them but for short paragraphs I leave them on. The dash, or looking out the cockpit is perfict.
I'd give them some time.
Ron
 
Hi Webb,

The issues you describe are 'normal' for progressives; your eye pro should have explained the limitations to you (mine did, before writing the prescription).

As others have said, some can get used to them & some can't, & some who can't, can't because the glasses weren't fitted to their eyes correctly.

The higher quality lenses should have slightly wider field of view down in the reading area, but even the best are limited & require moving your head while reading, except possibly a computer screen if you don't need much compensation at that distance. I've worn progressives (bought in Jackson from an optometrist) for about 4 years, & just bought a couple of pairs from Zenni. At first I thought they would be too 'cheap' to work, but after tightening a loose fitting, they now have the proper alignment to my eyes & it only took a couple of days to adjust from my previous pair.

I don't have any problem flying with them, but peripheral vision does suffer vs regular glasses, and I really miss the ability to wear contacts with their unlimited peripheral view.

I did try bifocal contacts a few years ago & we were never successful finding an adequate compromise. I do intend to try again, since the technology improves constantly.

If you want to try a different eye guy, email me off list & I'll give you a name. My guy actually learned to fly after talking with me about it for years, & he's bought a plane & now flies to his 2nd office on the Gulf Coast regularly.

Charlie
Slobovia Outernational
[email protected]
 
Thanks Charlie

Thanks I may give it a try later on. I'll send you an email later and get the info.
 
Corrective lenses=compromised vision

I have the progressives and cannot do without them in the shop. Drop something little while wearing bi-trifocals and it immediately goes out of focus to be forever sought-after.

I also have trifocals (moved up from bi- due to -ahem- maturation syndrome) which I use for flying, hunting, and driving as I get lots of my vision from moving my eyes within their sockets, not by moving my head from side to side.

Yup, I always carry two pair of corrective lenses/glasses with me every darned place I go. PITA, but works for me.:cool:
 
My experience with Progressive Lenses

Hi Webb,
Here's my experience with progressive lenses.

First, I'm nearsighted so I wear rigid gas permeable (hard) for distance, and I wear either half moon reading lenses or progressive lenses for near vision. I started wearing progressives last year and actually picked a cheap frame (well, cheaper than the other choices) because I didn't think I would wear them very often.

My optometrist designed them with no correction in the top with the bottom half "progressing." I like them so much I wear them almost all the time, even while flying.

I did a vision check yesterday in my truck, and for my truck instrument panel I can move my eyes right and left about 30 degrees in each direction and remain in focus even on the little letters and numbers of my radio. The only time I have to "point" my vision is when I'm trying to read something at the very bottom of the lenses. As others have said, when I focus on things a little farther away, the angle widens where everything is in focus.

My optometrist knows I am a pilot so it just may be that he designed the lenses because I'm a pilot, or it may be the nature of my correction. You said you have astigmatism. I think all of my correction is just due to presbyopia.

I would suggest you give progressives another try before you give up on them.

Don

P.S. I used to consider lasik surgery. I am 60, and my optometrist tells me I am beginning to develop cataracts even though I have corrected far vision of 20/20 and 20/15. He says when the day comes, they will implant new lenses which will give me 20/20 or better far vision in each eye. So goodbye contacts! Of course then I will be totally dependent on my reading glasses.

Footnote: My second career choice would have been Optometry.
 
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Thanks to everybody out there that replied. It sounds like the lenses that were made for me were not the ones I needed.

I am blessed with 20/20 distance vision with a mild astigmasism (sp?) but my since I crossed the 50 year barrier, I need readers more and more. The eye doc and I decided that a set of bifocals might be the ticket for work so I wouldn't have to take readers off and on or drop them down the nose to look over the top. She also felt the astigmasism correction in the top would make the distance a smidge more crisp.

I flew yesterday and did a half dozen instrument approaches and used foggles with stick on readers, perfect. Flew some more and wore the sunglasses with stick on readers, perfect. The entire panel stayed in focus and nothing was fuzzy.
 
Webb,

Sounds like you & I have similar eyes. I just found this note on the Zenni website:

Please be advised that if your spherical corrections are very minor, making your "Add" the strongest corrective part of the prescription, you may find that the design of a lined bi-focal is more suitable to your need, rather than a progressive (unlined) lens, as well as far more comfortable to wear. The reason for this is that your area of greatest need, is minimized in the design of a progressive lens (approximately the lower quarter and central third of the lens, 13-16mm in corridor width), while the lined bi-focal provides a larger, clearly delineated portion of the lens, for reading and other close work.

I think this is probably both our situation. I also found that my optician tried progressives in a 30mm tall lens which is apparently not enough height.

Enjoy your bifocals!

Jim Butcher
Europa XS
 
Same boat as you Webb. Just turned 50 and have to use the drug store reading glasses most of the time now. My distance vision is 'usually' 20/20 but as the day wears on and especially at night it's less than 20/20 for sure.

I use to have 20/+3.50 vision! (or however you designate that) I couldn't read the E at the top of the eye chart. Hated glasses, wore contacts for years until my eyes became allergic to whatever they were being made out of back then. Then in 1990 I had the 'old' Radial Keratotomy done (my eye doc was one of the laser correction pioneers but was not allowed to use it at the time unless vision was 20/+4.00 or worse). Worked great, no more contacts or glasses.

Now the glasses are back, makes me look and feel old but when their on I cant believe how blurry those words are without them. I'm just worried that my distance vision is slowly going, especially at night.

A friend of mine had similar vision and decided to go the laser vision correction path but have one eye corrected to near vision and one eye corrected to distance. Took him a little while to get used to it (actually his brain needed to get used to it) and now he swears by it and has been trying to get me to do the same.

Has anybody else had this kind of laser correction done?


Mike
 
Aircraftspruce has them for about $13 a pair. Look under OPTX Stickon Readers. They usually range between 10 and 20 bucks. You cut them with a sharp pair of scissors. Clean the sunglasses well and put them on wet. Work out the air bubbles and leave alone.

The best way to initally fit is to use a sharpie and draw a line across your lens opposite the side you put the reader on where you think it is correct. Sit in the plane and look around. If right, then you know level to set them. After installing, use alcohol (ethanol best) to remove the sharpie with a cotton cloth so you don't scratch your glasses or melt the lens if plastic with a solvent.
 
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Mike Armstrong said:
A friend of mine had similar vision and decided to go the laser vision correction path but have one eye corrected to near vision and one eye corrected to distance. Took him a little while to get used to it (actually his brain needed to get used to it) and now he swears by it and has been trying to get me to do the same.

Has anybody else had this kind of laser correction done?


Mike
Click to expand...

Mike, correcting one eye for near and one for far is called monovision, whether it is achieved by surgery or wearing contacts. Several years ago, the FAA wouldn't allow monovision with contacts and would allow it with surgery only after a six month waiting period. You should ask lots of questions about being a pilot with monovision. I found my AME (a NASA doctor) was not up to speed on it, and my best source of information was the AOPA. They had a doctor who I talked to by phone and he answered all my questions. In my case, I had been flying with bifocal contacts and didn't know they were illegal. They may be okay now. But that's another subject.

If you want to get brave you could call the FAA. The name I have in my file is Dr. Van B. Nakagawara, O.D. who I met at Oshkosh. I'm not sure if he is still there or not as it's been about 12 years. I remember him as being very helpful. Phone number for Dr. Nakagawara (on old business card) is 405-954-6235.

Share with us what you learn about monovision and flying an RV. (There...I made it an RV post!)

Don
 
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A long time ago when it was still cool to be an airline pilot (before the dot-com bust, 9-11, gas prices, economy, really before deregulation but I digress), you would have these silly 55+ yr old Captains all tan, gold chain, corn-row hair plugs, Rolex watch, etc, constantly dinging the flight attendants trying to strike up a witty conversation all the while the flight attendants would be rolling their eyes at what a fool he was making of himself. And of course, no way would the forementioned Captain be caught dead wearing a pair of reading glasses so several tried the monvision contact lens gig, for a while. It was always prohibited by FAA Aeromed but was quite low on the radar screen until Oct 1996.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001208X06964&key=1

Don't do that in your RV. Also an RV post!:D
 
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rv7boy said:
Mike, correcting one eye for near and one for far is called monovision, whether it is achieved by surgery or wearing contacts. Several years ago, the FAA wouldn't allow monovision with contacts and would allow it with surgery only after a six month waiting period. You should ask lots of questions about being a pilot with monovision. I found my AME (a NASA doctor) was not up to speed on it, and my best source of information was the AOPA. They had a doctor who I talked to by phone and he answered all my questions. In my case, I had been flying with bifocal contacts and didn't know they were illegal. They may be okay now. But that's another subject.

If you want to get brave you could call the FAA. The name I have in my file is Dr. Van B. Nakagawara, O.D. who I met at Oshkosh. I'm not sure if he is still there or not as it's been about 12 years. I remember him as being very helpful. Phone number for Dr. Nakagawara (on old business card) is 405-954-6235.

Share with us what you learn about monovision and flying an RV. (There...I made it an RV post!)

Don
Click to expand...


Thanks Don.
 
My doc says monovision is illegal

I have a contact for my left eye which allows me to read while my right eye is good for 20 20 at distance. It works great for riding my motorcycle, driving the car etc... but the doc told me at the physical to go back to the readers around the neck and leave the contacts in their case that this is not acceptable for FAA. :( I talked to him about the laser surgery and it was the same thing according to him.

Maybe he isn't totally up to speed? I would be surprised because I know he works with the FAA to get a lot of people through the paperwork to keep flying.

This is an interesting thread that effects us all!

Stewart
 
FAA and LASIK Surgery

7pilot said:
MY DOC SAYS MONOVISION IS ILLEGAL

Maybe he isn't totally up to speed? I would be surprised because I know he works with the FAA to get a lot of people through the paperwork to keep flying.

This is an interesting thread that effects us all!

Stewart
Click to expand...

Okay guys, in 30 seconds I Googled "faa monovision lasik" and found a lot of references (some not worth reading) but I also found a link to a 2006 FAA document.

Here's the quote worth reading,

"Airmen who opt for monovision LASIK must initially wear correction (i.e., glasses or contact lens) for near vision eye while operating an aircraft. After a 6-month period of adaptation, they may apply for a Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA) with a medical fl ight test. If the airman is successful, the lens requirement is removed from their medical certificate."

Stewart, your doc is correct that contacts for monovision are not allowed, and several years ago he would have been correct for lasik corrected monovision. You need to show this to your doc and get him up to speed, but as an AME he should be aware of this document since it's been published for two or three years.

Pilots wishing to pursue flying privileges with monovision after LASIK surgery should notice that a Statement of Demonstrated Ability with a MEDICAL FLIGHT TEST is required. At my age, I'll just stick with the reading glasses.

Here's the link to the document.

Dr. Nakagawara is listed as one of the authors of this document (see previous post).

Don

P.S. ANYONE considering LASIK surgery should read this document whether he/she is a pilot or not. It could be "eye opening!":eek:
 
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