33 yr old and vision problem career changer

[njboeingfan]

Hi all! As the title states, I am 33 with a vision problem. 20/20 left, 20/25 corrected right. If I can get a waiver or a regular 1st class medical, do you think I can get hired? I have a private already. Thanks!

[SeanD]

Originally Posted by njboeingfan

Hi all! As the title states, I am 33 with a vision problem. 20/20 left, 20/25 corrected right. If I can get a waiver or a regular 1st class medical, do you think I can get hired? I have a private already. Thanks!

I dont see why not if it is correctable.

[wheelsup]

Look into a SODA, or find an AME with an easy eye machine. I did the latter.

[murl]

I just read one of the posters on the wall how is it normally done?

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by murl

I just read one of the posters on the wall how is it normally done?

It can vary - I've seen the machines with doughnuts or letters, posters on the wall w/ DEFPOTEC or their own lettering system, machine/wall hybrid where they bounce it off of a 10' wall using a mirror, etc. Also, some machines are easier to read than others. Some places they are hard to read do to quality of equipment, lighting, etc.

[3green]

Just go to a AME and they should be able to issue you a first class medical with corrected lens if you have the glasses with you. It isn't a big deal, just get some glasses.

[falconvalley]

boeingfan is saying that they have vision corrected to 20/25, not correctable. That means they can't see any better than that with corrective lenses.

Here are the medical standards for eyes:

§ 67.103 Eye.

Eye standards for a first-class airman medical certificate are:
(a) Distant visual acuity of 20/20 or better in each eye separately, with or without corrective lenses. If corrective lenses (spectacles or contact lenses) are necessary for 20/20 vision, the person may be eligible only on the condition that corrective lenses are worn while exercising the privileges of an airman certificate.
(b) Near vision of 20/40 or better, Snellen equivalent, at 16 inches in each eye separately, with or without corrective lenses. If age 50 or older, near vision of 20/40 or better, Snellen equivalent, at both 16 inches and 32 inches in each eye separately, with or without corrective lenses.
(c) Ability to perceive those colors necessary for the safe performance of airman duties.
(d) Normal fields of vision.
(e) No acute or chronic pathological condition of either eye or adnexa that interferes with the proper function of an eye, that may reasonably be expected to progress to that degree, or that may reasonably be expected to be aggravated by flying.
(f) Bifoveal fixation and vergence-phoria relationship sufficient to prevent a break in fusion under conditions that may reasonably be expected to occur in performing airman duties. Tests for the factors named in this paragraph are not required except for persons found to have more than 1 prism diopter of hyperphoria, 6 prism diopters of esophoria, or 6 prism diopters of exophoria. If any of these values are exceeded, the Federal Air Surgeon may require the person to be examined by a qualified eye specialist to determine if there is bifoveal fixation and an adequate vergence-phoria relationship. However, if otherwise eligible, the person is issued a medical certificate pending the results of the examination.

If your vision problem resides in the near vision, you should be good I think.

[wrxpilot]

Originally Posted by murl

I just read one of the posters on the wall how is it normally done?

My opthamologist sees a lot of pilots and told me that the poster on the wall method is the most difficult and is not as accurate as some of the others (such as the projected chart method). In fact, she had a guy come see her that was 20/15 uncorrected but failed his first class medical... He had to get a waiver signed by her stating that he was at least 20/20.

Just another point of reference... I am 20/20 corrected and can see about half the letters on the 20/15 line. When I did my first class a couple of weeks ago, I passed 20/20 each eye for the wall chart, but it was right at my limit. I couldn't see any of the 20/15.