Cataract Surgery

Soraith

Soraith

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Aug 20, 2011
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15
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St Louis MO
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Soraith
I had a cataract removed on my left eye in 4/11 and will have the right done soon, next 90 days or so. I use reading glasses +1.75 right now until
I get my right eye done.

Any problems here?

I havent held a medical in 20 years and just got the flying bug again.
My annual work physical is pretty intense. Sight, Hearing, EKG, Blood,
Urine ect. No problems to date except for the cataracts.

Anyone suggest a AME here in St Louis? I work downtown and live just south of Six Flags.

Thank you in advance!

Soraith
 
Wait for Dr Bruce to comment. There is one more form the surgeon will need to complete that all is well, no problems, and you can see. That form will accompany the STD flight medical application.
 
I fly with two monocular guys, they do great - so I bet you can work around it! (one comm, one atp)
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I fly with two monocular guys, they do great - so I bet you can work around it! (one comm, one atp)
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They most likely have a SODA attached to their medical for monocular (one eyed) vision.

Nut I do not believe that was the OPs question. He is not monocular.
 
At the final post-op for the second eye, have the ophthalmologist fill out form 8500-7. Have him document your procedures under #14 and include which intraocular lenses were used. Under #16 it should say something to the effect that you are post uneventful bilateral cataract extraction and that your vision is stable.
 
Thank you very much Doctor and others. Just waiting on the right eye to hit the magic insurance point to get it fixed as well, hopefully in the next month or so.

Soraith
 
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Soraith said:
Thank you very much Docter and others. Just waiting on the right eye to hit the magic insurance point to get it fixed as well, hopefully in the next month or so.
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The magic words to get the second eye done in a timely manner are 'the decreased vision in that eye affects my activities of daily living such as operation of a motor vehicle' :wink2: .
 
:no: Thats not going happen. If I did that and I would be suspended from work until it was done, submitted
and approved in DC. I have six weeks of vacation and that would take 3 to 6 months minimum.
If I do it on the sly as others have tried over the years I get fired at the very least.

I know the next question and I can't answer. Its nothing special it just has special rules I have to live and abide by.
 
I didn't have my second one done for years aftert the first. Wasn't needed.

While mixed there were some neat features like color differences when you look at objects with either eye blocked. The Brain does a good job of re-aligning the vision.

Good Luck
 
After my last check my right is really close. When I did the left Doc said 5-6 years then 3 months later I got worse so I went back. He did the surgery the next week. I'm hoping its SOON!
 
Dr Bruce, I have had a SODA (with GADO Ride) in 1972 and am wanting to start flying again. I have had two catariact surgerys last year and glasses are not required for distant vision. Are the SODA's on file and can you get a copy of them.. I was told they were none expiring.

Thanks for all the time you spend in the GREAT group..

Commercial ASMEL. Retired CFII
Thanks again.
 
They sure are. Write, Records Librarian, FAA Civil Aeromedical Insititute, 6700 MacArthur Blvd, Ok city, OK 73125-0080 and request your "blue ribbon medical record". It's free, and it's everything the FAA ever had on you. It'll be in there :).
 
bbchien said:
They sure are. Write, Records Librarian, FAA Civil Aeromedical Insititute, 6700 MacArthur Blvd, Ok city, OK 73125-0080 and request your "blue ribbon medical record". It's free, and it's everything the FAA ever had on you. It'll be in there :).
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How long do they keep those records ?

He could have been in the federal pen and they would have burned the records by now, but I guess your medical file remains forever.
 
"For ever and evermore".
"hallelujah"
"praise the administrator" (which after the retirement of Allan Engelhart has just a tad of irony associated with it)
 
Aopa med certification department told me that i would also need visual field testing in addition to the form 8500-7 to renew a third class medical. I had cataract surgery 6 weeks ago and have 20-20 ou with correction now.

I don't read this anywhere else.

I got the opthalmologist to fill out the form above but didnt know to adk for this. Do i need to go back and get it? There is a small cataract on the other eye which isn't obscuring vision and not ripe to operate yet.
 
No that's wrong. Give him the 8500-7 and let him have at. Unless you had retinal detachments, formal VFs are NOT required.
 

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etsisk said:
how bad does your vision have to get before they'll do the surgery? Thanks!
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Once the reduced visual activity impairs your activities of daily living.

For one person that is not being able to see the golf ball after a 300 yard drive, for others that is not being able to read the large print books from the local library.

Chances are, if you notice the decreased vision, they are ripe to be taken care of.
 
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