The Eye Examination

Good eyesight is vital to flight safety, which is why the eyes are examined so closely. Generally it does not matter if you need to wear glasses or contact lenses to meet the requirements – 95% of commercial pilots over the age of 50 need glasses! However, there is a limit to the amount of correction permitted in corrective lenses. For distance vision: Class 1 limits are +5 to -6 dioptres and for Class 2 the limits are +5 to -8 dioptres. There are also limits for astigmatism of 2 dioptres for Class 1 and 3 dioptres for Class 2. (You will find these figures on your lenses prescription).

Eyesight is tested at three distances:

6 metres – for distance vision
1 metre – for reading instruments
30-50cm – reading distance: e.g. charts, radio frequencies etc.

For those of you approaching your late 40s it is almost inevitable that you will require glasses for reading by the time you are 50 - no matter how good your eyesight has been in earlier life. As we get older, the lenses in our eyes become less pliable and can no longer resume their natural spherical shape necessary for close vision. Generally speaking our distance vision does not change very much with age.

The remainder of the eye examination is to check for defects of visual fields; squint; eye movements; and the health of the eye itself – including the back of the eye (the retina).

It is important to remember that if you need glasses you must be able to pass the visual requirements at all three distances with the one pair of corrective lenses. Full lens near vision correction is not acceptable – you will need bifocals, varifocals or 'lookover' glasses. Varifocals are acceptable – bifocal contact lenses are not.

Laser Eye Surgery
There has recently been some relaxation of the rules regarding laser eye surgery, however the decision to have LASIK (laser) surgery still has significant implications for JAA medical certification.

LASIK is acceptable for unrestricted certification at 3 months postoperatively if refraction at 2 and 3 months shows stability (less than 0.75 dioptres variation) and no glare or any other are noted. A report stating refraction at 2 months will be required. Pre-operative refraction must not have exceeded +5 to -5 dioptres for Class 1 certification and +5 to -8 dioptres for Class 2 certification.

For commercial pilots, and their employers, three months off work may not be an acceptable option.

Follow up will be required as follows:

Class 1 Ophthalmic review at AMS (CAA Gatwick) at 3 and 12 months
Class 2 Local ophthalmic review at 3 and 12 months.

Cholesterol Test
Basic examination
ECG
Peak Flow Measurement
Blood test
Audiometry