Question about eyesight requirements

[Frank N. O.]

I was wondering a bit about the requirements for a pilot's eyesight. You know when you look into something bright then you can see some things floating over your eyesight. I think I heard once that this is something on your eyes that increase in numbers over time and can't be fixed. How are the pilot requirements regarding these things? How much is too much and how low a light can you see this at before forgetting all hope to become a pilot?

Frank

[Rooster Cruiser]

I was wondering a bit about the requirements for a pilot's eyesight. You know when you look into something bright then you can see some things floating over your eyesight. I think I heard once that this is something on your eyes that increase in numbers over time and can't be fixed. How are the pilot requirements regarding these things? How much is too much and how low a light can you see this at before forgetting all hope to become a pilot?

Frank

??

Huh?

??

Sorry Frank.  You need to be a bit more specific in your questions.  This one confused me...   

[Frank N. O.]

When I look into/towards bright light (not necessarily the sun, a bright day and looking at a light coloured wall or even the blue sky can do it) then I see small "things" floating over my eyeseight. I heard about this in a tv-program year ago, that it's something that increases by age and can't be fixed. I can sometimes see this in milder brightness and I'm wondering if this will make me disqualified for any pilot-rating.

In general I also need to wear sunshades in less light than other people because it appears my eyes are more than usually light sensitive, I can see very well in the dark however.

I guess I need to get an eyetest then, the only problem is that last I heard then I can probably forget getting an apointment this year due to the a long waiting period.

Edit: I searched the net for "floaters" and "eyesight" in danish and found a link saying that it has something to do with the retina disconnecting and that it normally doesn't start until age 50 and that it's one 1 in 10000 or soemthing. It says it might go away on it's own or can be fixed with laser or other means, and that certain types of food can help or worsen the situation.

Frank

[G-man]

Frank, There are two common test circulating the medical community for pilots.

One is the parrot test---Unfortunately it would not be appropriate to post that one here---In the interest of discretion, Soccermom would not allow me.


I can however post the more "widely" used test:

1.  Turn off  the lights in the room.
2.  Allow 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust to your computer screen BEFORE scrolling down.
3.  After your eyes have adjusted---scroll down to the picture below.
4.  Stare at the picture for 5 seconds and then complete the review below it.

Scroll down when and ONLY when your eyes are adjusted

Review:  If you saw two dolphins---WELCOME to the world of aviation---you passed the test. If not, please drink copious amounts of martoonis and retry at a later time.

Sorry Frank---could not resist...

[Mike]

HA HA!! LOVE the test G-Man! 

Frank:
What you see is just your natural eye fluid slowly floating down across your cornea. Don't worry about it.
Everybody has it, only we helicopter pilots try to ignore it, or drown in out rather, by drinking martoonies...

Just try not to look into too many bright lights ok?! 

[Oddball]

AHHHH so thats why you pilots wear really dark sunglasses! 

[TheSoccerMom]

Frank, I think every person alive has floaters of some type in their eyes -- it's natural and normal.

As for eye exams, I'm sure if you can see enough to walk across the room there, you can pass an FAA exam.  It's pretty basic. 

I'm blind as a bat, and have never had a problem. 

 

[Oddball]

is that before or after a few crownies?   

[Ragwing]

As for eye exams, I'm sure if you can see enough to walk across the room there, you can pass an FAA exam. 

is that before or after a few crownies?

Before.
After a few crownies, if you can see enough to crawl across the floor...

[Frank N. O.]

Thanks for the replies, one less thing to worry about

Frank

[Gulfstream Driver]

Frank, as long as you've got 20/20 corrected (with glasses if needed), you're fine.  Color blindness is the one you can't fix, but that can't stop you from getting a license.  You'd only have restrictions on night flying.  I think there are like 7 different color blindness tests, which you can search for online.  And, if you fail one test, you can request a different one that you might be able to pass. 

[undatc]

Funny story about eye sight and controllers.  We also have to pass te eye test, however I'm not sure why as we can make our data blocks as large as we want.  A lot of the guys instead of actually doing the test, have memorized the test and just go in, repeat from memory the acronym for the direction of the arrows, and walk out.  The acronym is Dr Uul for Down Right Up Up Left.

So anyway, this guy goes in sits down, puts his head on the machine, is so confident he doesn't even open his eyes, repeats the acronym and gets up, triumphant for yet another year.  The young nurse, which he was also trying to impress, slightly puzzled asks him to repeat the test once more, just to make sure.  "Sure" he says and sits back down, and actually looks at the test this time.  The shapes are blurry so he repeats it again.  At this point the nurse for sure knows something up and asks him if he has reading glasses.  He replies yes and she asks him to use them on the test once more.


Guy sits back down, with his reading glasses on, and is shocked to see that there are no arrows, but different letters and you had to identify the letter.  He now has to have his reading glasses within arms reach of him at all times while he is on position.   

[undatc]

Frank, as long as you've got 20/20 corrected (with glasses if needed), you're fine.  Color blindness is the one you can't fix, but that can't stop you from getting a license.  You'd only have restrictions on night flying.  I think there are like 7 different color blindness tests, which you can search for online.  And, if you fail one test, you can request a different one that you might be able to pass. 

The color blindness test is a real PITA.  A buddy I went to school with has some weird type of colorblindness that there isn't an FAA approved test for, and they have been looking/trying to get a specific test approved for him so he can pass his ATC medical.  This has been going on now for almost 3 years, no one has the guts to tell him its not going to happen.  But what can you do when you've sunk 100k into a career that you suddenly cant get hired in?

[YawningMan]

But what can you do when you've sunk 100k into a career that you suddenly cant get hired in?

Take up ballet and threaten to do "The Nutcracker Ballet" with a shotgun instead of a nutcracker.