Contact lens and medical

I just got my new medical. When I got the certificate I saw that under
limitations it said "None". My previous medical used to say "must wear
corrective lenses". I should have simply walked away with the
certificate, but instead I asked them why that limitation was missing.
The response was "You wear contacts? Well, that changes everything. You
should have told us about the contacts". The FAA form does not ask
anything about wearing lenses (except near vision), and they did not
ask me about it during the exam either. I thought all that mattered was
your corrected vision, not uncorrected vision. In the end we had to do
some extra stuff to get that fixed, and I got another certificate with
the correct statement. She said that I should stop wearing contacts for
24 hours before coming to the medical exam, and bring the lenses with
me. I have never heard of this before. Anyone else had similar
experiences?

In article om,
"Andrew Sarangan" wrote:

I just got my new medical. When I got the certificate I saw that under
limitations it said "None". My previous medical used to say "must wear
corrective lenses". I should have simply walked away with the
certificate, but instead I asked them why that limitation was missing.
The response was "You wear contacts? Well, that changes everything. You
should have told us about the contacts". The FAA form does not ask
anything about wearing lenses (except near vision), and they did not
ask me about it during the exam either. I thought all that mattered was
your corrected vision, not uncorrected vision. In the end we had to do
some extra stuff to get that fixed, and I got another certificate with
the correct statement. She said that I should stop wearing contacts for
24 hours before coming to the medical exam, and bring the lenses with
me. I have never heard of this before. Anyone else had similar
experiences?



I've always had my eyes checked for vision both uncorrected and
corrected (when I wore glasses).

There are restrictions on what you're uncorrected vision can be,
regardless what it is corrected to.

The suggestion to not wear the contacts for 24 hours prior is to allow
the eye to adjust to not having them in. Not sure with newer lenses,
but with hard lenses they reshape the eye somewhat.

Andrew Sarangan wrote:
I just got my new medical. When I got the certificate I saw that under
limitations it said "None". My previous medical used to say "must wear
corrective lenses". I should have simply walked away with the
certificate, but instead I asked them why that limitation was missing.

FAA Medical Examiner Guide:

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...ess/exam_tech/

Kev

Andrew Sarangan wrote:
I just got my new medical. When I got the certificate I saw that under
limitations it said "None". My previous medical used to say "must wear
corrective lenses". I should have simply walked away with the
certificate, but instead I asked them why that limitation was missing.
The response was "You wear contacts? Well, that changes everything. You
should have told us about the contacts". The FAA form does not ask
anything about wearing lenses (except near vision), and they did not
ask me about it during the exam either. I thought all that mattered was
your corrected vision, not uncorrected vision. In the end we had to do
some extra stuff to get that fixed, and I got another certificate with
the correct statement. She said that I should stop wearing contacts for
24 hours before coming to the medical exam, and bring the lenses with
me. I have never heard of this before. Anyone else had similar
experiences?

You did the right thing. The FAA would have sent you a letter soon
afterwards telling you that your medical was invalid and that you need
to send supporting evidence to describe the procedure that caused your
vision to become corrected and your reaction, recovery etc. You must
supply documentation evidence to remove glasses/contact restrictions.

-Robert

Dale wrote:
In article om,
"Andrew Sarangan" wrote:


I've always had my eyes checked for vision both uncorrected and
corrected (when I wore glasses).

There are restrictions on what you're uncorrected vision can be,
regardless what it is corrected to.

The suggestion to not wear the contacts for 24 hours prior is to allow
the eye to adjust to not having them in. Not sure with newer lenses,
but with hard lenses they reshape the eye somewhat.

I've never been asked to take my contacts out during my medical exam.

-Robert

Kev wrote:
Andrew Sarangan wrote:
I just got my new medical. When I got the certificate I saw that under
limitations it said "None". My previous medical used to say "must wear
corrective lenses". I should have simply walked away with the
certificate, but instead I asked them why that limitation was missing.

FAA Medical Examiner Guide:

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...ess/exam_tech/

I don't see anywhere in there where it says you must take our your
contacts or conduct a vision exam uncorrected. I wonder if that's
another urban legend. Interestingly, I did a private with a student
last year that wore the monocular correction (one near, one distant
contacts). She had no problem getting her 3rd class but the link above
indicates that that is not allowed.

-Robert

Andrew Sarangan wrote:
I just got my new medical. When I got the certificate I saw that under
limitations it said "None". My previous medical used to say "must wear
corrective lenses". I should have simply walked away with the
certificate, but instead I asked them why that limitation was missing.
The response was "You wear contacts? Well, that changes everything. You
should have told us about the contacts". The FAA form does not ask
anything about wearing lenses (except near vision), and they did not
ask me about it during the exam either. I thought all that mattered was
your corrected vision, not uncorrected vision. In the end we had to do
some extra stuff to get that fixed, and I got another certificate with
the correct statement. She said that I should stop wearing contacts for
24 hours before coming to the medical exam, and bring the lenses with
me. I have never heard of this before. Anyone else had similar
experiences?


I used to have that issue. I do not understand the corrected and
uncorrected. I finally told the doctor that I cannot see the chart, much
less the letters on it without correction. He stopped the uncorrected
testing. I have worn contacts 20 years.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI

Dale wrote:

There are restrictions on what you're uncorrected vision can be,
regardless what it is corrected to.


Dale-

Go read the FARs on this. Next time you post a statement like that, do
us all a favor and make sure you know what you're talking about.

Here's a nice little summary for you to see the exact requirements for
each class of certificate:
http://www.leftseat.com/FAAforms.htm

I wasted several years getting into professional aviation because of
unsubstantiated statements made by people like Dale. I remember
hearing so many times that "Professional pilots have to be 20/20, Major
airlines only hire people with 20/20 natural vision, etc."

All total BS. To get a 3rd class medical, you have to be correctable
to 20/40 (distant vision, each eye). To get a 1st or 2nd class, you
have to be correctable to 20/20 (distant vision, each eye).

"Dale" wrote in message ...
The suggestion to not wear the contacts for 24 hours prior is to allow
the eye to adjust to not having them in. Not sure with newer lenses,
but with hard lenses they reshape the eye somewhat.

I don't know if it was coincidence or if the contacts caused me to lose
a considerable amount of distance vision.
Before I wore contacts I could see clearly up to a distance of 30ft
away and right after I started wearing contacts (early 80's) my clear
vision dropped to arms length and has stayed that way ever since.
I'm over 40 now and still wear the same prescription for distance
viewing and I still don't require any correction for reading, go figure.

I also find that I can spot things at a distance much quicker than my
non-correct vision pilot friends... What's up with that?

David 8 )

Robert M. Gary wrote:
FAA Medical Examiner Guide:
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...ess/exam_tech/

I don't see anywhere in there where it says you must take our your
contacts or conduct a vision exam uncorrected. I wonder if that's
another urban legend.

It's hard to find in there. Go to #51, Near and Intermediate Vision.
Then Examination Techniques. Even though it doesn't seem to matter
what it is uncorrected, so why test it?

Interestingly, I did a private with a student
last year that wore the monocular correction (one near, one distant
contacts). She had no problem getting her 3rd class but the link above
indicates that that is not allowed.

Strange. I also had no problem when I was using monocular five or so
years ago. Or perhaps he forgot to ask Can't recall. Switched
to progressives anyway.

Regards, Kev