20/20 one day, only 20/25 the next...WHAT?

[parmandjack]

Hello,

Hoping you can help clear my confusion.

I passed my Cat 1 medical vision test with a new pair of progressive glasses I got fitted for, when I got tested for them, the optician tested me at 20/20 corrected, as well as the close/far measurements. With the progressives, I could read all of line 10, and most it not all, of line 11 clearly, with both eyes together and each eye individually.... better than 20/20... no problem... Passed the med no problem.

Trouble is, the progressive lenses (which the optician never told me), distort vision everywhere except for the specific focal point centered in each of the 3 individual viewing areas (reading, middle and distance)...in other words, completely useless for a pilot, who can't just quickly peek to the side to view a control gauges status (or simply driving your car and needing to look out your side mirrors).... never mind while in the cockpit, hurtling downwards in minimum vis and IFR conditions at 180 knots towards the numbers, while having to bob and rotate your head up/down/left/right to find the correct part of the glasses to view the gauges through...(side note - the flight surgeon I went to for my medical told me that she has a number of pilots with the progressive lenses and that they all hate them for the reasons I already stated. She told a story of one 737 Captain for WestJest who upon doing the vision test for her, had to wiggle his head around in the manner I described above to pass the test. On seeing this, she asked him if that was how he flew an IFR approach plate, to which he promptly replied yes! He still passed his med, but she strongly advised me against the progressives and to go with the bifocals).

SO.... I went back to my optician, told him these were useless, and that I wanted regular old bifocal lenses... He made a big hoo-haa about it, telling me that they were very hard to get, and called "executive" lenses, had to be special ordered etc... He also told me when I asked about tri-focals (which should do the same as the progressives) that these were not made, and that it had to be progressives or bifocals...SO anyway, I said, "make it so".. and he did... On getting the new bifocals though, I immediately noticed before even leaving the shop, that I had lost vis with them... he said it took a bit of adjusting... so I left. One week later I returned to him. I told him that with the progressives, I could read line 11, but now with the bifocals could only read line 7 (distance), and that the focal point of the reading portion was about 6 inches short of being able to read my car dashboard clearly, as it was a little thicker and slightly blurry compared to the right eye), never mind a cockpit panel (but as I said, only for the left eye, the right eye was fine).... This seemed strange to me because my current old reading glasses let me read a book close up, as well as clearly see the furthest point of my dashboard in my car, or the cockpit panel....anyway....

SO now the optician testes me again, but with taking my complaints, ahem, comments in consideration. but NOW he sez I'm only correctable (if using the bifocals) to 20/25 in my left eye, which means (to my understanding) that as I cannot be corrected to 20/20 with the bifocals, I will fail my next Cat 1 med (in 6 months as I'm 44). So not only does this blow, but its also confusing... how can I be corrected one day to 20/20 in both eyes for progressive lenses (to line 11), but two weeks later only to 20/25 in my left eye, and now only able to read to line 7 with the bifocals?

If this is actually the case... I'm looking at several options. 1)Fly with the bifocals, but purchase another set of progressives that apparently gave me hawk-like super-vision and only use these for the Cat 1 medicals (at $450 a pop this is expensive); or 2) Memorize the eye charts and fake it; or 3) give up!

Last night while I took my 3 yr old to an eye specialist for a sty in his eye, I queried her on the trifocal lenses-vs-progressives, and she said the guy was pulling me, as trifocals, while not common, were available to perform just like the progressives...

Question 1:
Can this opticians assessment of 20/20 then 20/25 be correct? I have lost faith in his honesty on delivering what I need, vs what he wants to sell me.

Question 2:
With the options I see in front of me, what should I do?

Thanks in advance.

Jack.

[My Flight Surgeon]

1) He is an ass Tri-focals are available, he just didn't want to f*#* with them. I would change eye doctors. Don't go to a big box eye place like Lenscrafters or Eyemasters, but find a small group of professionals. Exam will cost a little more but it will be a better deal.

2) The Federal law says the eye doc has to give you a copy of your prescription. You can order glasses on-line for cheap. I buy mine at http://www.eyeglassdirect.com , progressive, for $85. Even if they only last a year, I am $$$ ahead. I mean, does 4 grams of wire cost $200? The lenses are all made by computer, they just set a block of plastic in the machine, punch in the correction and push the button.

As an aside, I wear progressives and you learn to turn your head to keep the focal area clear rather than turn your eyes. I did this when I was flying a great deal and do it when I drive and when I do surgery. There is a learning curve of about 6 weeks.

[parmandjack]

Originally Posted by My Flight Surgeon

1) He is an ass Tri-focals are available, he just didn't want to f*#* with them...

Thanks Walter, thats exactly what I was thinking too.

I just told me wife what you said and she laughed and said..."I told ya so, go and get your money back!" hahaha - I hate being confrontational though (because if he gives me a hard time about a full refund because this is the 2nd pair of glasses, and specially ordered twice t'boot, I'll go ballistic at this point ), so I told her I'd wait and see what the latest bifocals do for me when they finally arrive, which should be any day now. And if they don't fit the bill, I will go your route. Actually, I'm gonna go your route from this point forward, whether or not the bifocals arrive correctly or not, I think your feedback is a great idea.

I'll also make sure I give new progressives I get at least 6 weeks break in... although it is a literal pain-in-the-neck having to move your head instead of just your eyes....does it really become natural for you after some time?

Thanks Walter, I greatly appreciate your advice.

Cheers.

[My Flight Surgeon]

Yes, it does become natural.

Also, if the glasses don't work and you get too much crap, you can always file a complaint with the http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,...546---,00.html.