Eyeglasses

J

JQ Public

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Just did my class 3. Passed it, I did. Surely the medical reform will pass now that I'm $175 lighter. The doctor did make a point of mentioning progressive bifocals were not allowed and that I should be sure to have regular bifocals with me when I fly. He is the same AME I have used for the last 10 years and in 20 years of bifocals and 30 years of FAA medicals, I have only ever had progressives.
Is this really true? Progressives are disallowed? One could be busted on a ramp check!?!
 
News to me. I've had them for the dozen medicals and it has never been suggested as a issue. Seems they make more sense for flying since you can adapt to varying distances of things in the cockpit.
 
The only vision adjustment I am aware the FAA frowns on is contacts that produce Near vision in one eye and distance vision in the other. I have been flying and doing Medicals, including 2nd class, with progressive eyeglasses. It was never a question.
 
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I've done a first-class twice with progressives, although I usually take the contact lenses + cheaters route.
 
JQ Public said:
Just did my class 3. Passed it, I did. Surely the medical reform will pass now that I'm $175 lighter. The doctor did make a point of mentioning progressive bifocals were not allowed and that I should be sure to have regular bifocals with me when I fly. He is the same AME I have used for the last 10 years and in 20 years of bifocals and 30 years of FAA medicals, I have only ever had progressives.
Is this really true? Progressives are disallowed? One could be busted on a ramp check!?!
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Me thinks your AME is not very progressive.
 
There was a rumor decades back that the FAA was "concerned" over progressives, but I don't think they've even come up with a recommendation, let alone a prohibition, on their use.

A lot of the issue with progressives is dependent on what the "addition" in the correction is.

Amusingly what my "near vision" correction primarily does is remove the distance correction (i.e., the bottoms of my glasses are darned near clear). It's amusing as I usually take off my glasses when I put on the foggles (I can see inside the cockpit fine). "Breaking out" requires me to put my regular glasses back on.
 
JQ Public said:
Just did my class 3. Passed it, I did. Surely the medical reform will pass now that I'm $175 lighter. The doctor did make a point of mentioning progressive bifocals were not allowed and that I should be sure to have regular bifocals with me when I fly. He is the same AME I have used for the last 10 years and in 20 years of bifocals and 30 years of FAA medicals, I have only ever had progressives.
Is this really true? Progressives are disallowed? One could be busted on a ramp check!?!
Click to expand...
OP here. Thanks for the replies. So I'm not going to run out and get lined bifocals. I thought it strange but maybe it was a new rule.
 
My eye DR. told me he didn't recommend progressives for pilots because of how they distort the peripheral vision. So I got lined. But he never claimed the FAA cared.

John
 
flyingron said:
There was a rumor decades back that the FAA was "concerned" over progressives, but I don't think they've even come up with a recommendation, let alone a prohibition, on their use.

A lot of the issue with progressives is dependent on what the "addition" in the correction is.

Amusingly what my "near vision" correction primarily does is remove the distance correction (i.e., the bottoms of my glasses are darned near clear). It's amusing as I usually take off my glasses when I put on the foggles (I can see inside the cockpit fine). "Breaking out" requires me to put my regular glasses back on.
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Me, too, except my near vision doesn't require bifocals yet. I've had docs offer to make bifocals with no correction in the bottom, but it's too easy to push the glasses up on my forehead, look under them or take them off. So I hood fly without my prescription, single vision glasses/sunglasses. It works for me . . .
 
Hank S said:
Me, too, except my near vision doesn't require bifocals yet. I've had docs offer to make bifocals with no correction in the bottom, but it's too easy to push the glasses up on my forehead, look under them or take them off. So I hood fly without my prescription, single vision glasses/sunglasses. It works for me . . .
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So when are your single vision and my progressive glasses going flying? Inquiring minds want to know?
 
That is interesting. I have progressives, have had them for probably the last 10 Class III's, and it never came up. But, my exam is the end of July and the AME sent an e-mail saying "don't wear contacts and bring your glasses." I don't remember this being brought up before. Maybe something has changed.
 
My medical states that I must have near vision correction available while flying. I've worn progressives and had "pilot" bifocals made once for peripheral vision concerns. I prefer the progressives. No comment one way or the other from my AME.
 
somorris said:
...the AME sent an e-mail saying "don't wear contacts and bring your glasses." I don't remember this being brought up before. Maybe something has changed.
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Hmmmm...... Interesting. Checking the FAA website and looking at guidance for AMEs ( https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...m/ame/guide/app_process/exam_tech/item50/amd/ ), I see that it says:

When corrective lenses are required to meet the standards, an appropriate limitation will be placed on the medical certificate. For example, when lenses are needed for distant vision only:

HOLDER SHALL WEAR CORRECTIVE LENSES

For multiple vision defects involving distant and/or intermediate and/or near vision when one set of monofocal lenses corrects for all, the limitation is:

HOLDER SHALL WEAR CORRECTIVE LENSES

For combined defective distant and near visual acuity where multifocal lenses are required, the appropriate limitation is:

HOLDER SHALL WEAR LENSES THAT CORRECT FOR DISTANT VISION AND POSSESS GLASSES THAT CORRECT FOR NEAR VISION

For multiple vision defects involving distant, near, and intermediate visual acuity when more than one set of lenses is required to correct for all vision defects, the appropriate limitation is:

HOLDER SHALL WEAR LENSES THAT CORRECT FOR DISTANT VISION AND POSSESS GLASSES THAT CORRECT FOR NEAR AND INTERMEDIATE VISION
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There doesn't seem to be any provision for bifocals or progressive lenses. This seems to imply that one must wear contacts for distance correction plus have glasses to correct for near vision. Which means your AME's instructions make even less sense.

The whole thing seems dumb. If someone doesn't, or can't, wear contacts, do they then have to have two pairs of glasses in the plane and switch back and forth?

Are you supposed to put on glasses every time you change from looking outside to reading the altimeter, then take them off again?

Hope someone can shed a little sanity.
 
I have progressive regular glasses and non-progressive sunglasses. I can't fly with the sunglasses because I can't read the gauges... they're set only for distance vision. And it's never even been brought up during my medicals.
 
Hank S said:
Me, too, except my near vision doesn't require bifocals yet. I've had docs offer to make bifocals with no correction in the bottom, but it's too easy to push the glasses up on my forehead, look under them or take them off. So I hood fly without my prescription, single vision glasses/sunglasses. It works for me . . .
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I did this (look under my glasses for near vision) through my PP training. A couple of years after I could see the chart under my glasses and see the outside fine through my glasses, but I couldn't see to set the frequencies on the 430. So I got bifocals. Sucks to get old but so far beats the alternative.

John
 
John,

I'm all for staying on the topside of the grass! My next goal is to join the UFOs.
 
jsstevens said:
My eye DR. told me he didn't recommend progressives for pilots because of how they distort the peripheral vision. So I got lined. But he never claimed the FAA cared.

John
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I tried progressives but for me there was too much opposite movement of objects in my peripheral vision when I moved my head, plus the progressive part was too large. I had to use the very bottom of the lens to read and the very top for distance. I would not take them flying so I got lined bifocals. I specifically requested a custom set so the line divides right at the glare shield. That is I do not have to move my head to look outside or at the instruments. A plus side is my optometrist is a pilot and loves to hear my stories of flying the bush.
 
Zeldman said:
I tried progressives but for me there was too much opposite movement of objects in my peripheral vision when I moved my head, plus the progressive part was too large. I had to use the very bottom of the lens to read and the very top for distance. I would not take them flying so I got lined bifocals. I specifically requested a custom set so the line divides right at the glare shield. That is I do not have to move my head to look outside or at the instruments. A plus side is my optometrist is a pilot and loves to hear my stories of flying the bush.
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Your progressives may have been fit / ground wrong. Distant vision should be centered at a normal head position for driving a car and reading that road sign way down there far away. Panel focus (auto speedometer) should be set just by dropping your gaze, not tipping your head.

I flew with contacts for years, not needing bifocal correction, oh to be young.
Then went to bifocal contacts, did not like them. Optometrist said I could experience about a 10% loss at both far and near. I went to regular progressive glasses, no problems. Never was told that progressives are not allowed.

Yes, to read the fine print on packages, I take my glasses off and hold it close.
 
I made it a point of telling my optometrist I'm a pilot, and took in a picture of my panel so I could show her the field of view I wanted for distant vision. Then I measured the distance to the panel, and gave her that, then showed her how far away I hold a checklist or an iPad.

Did all of that really get taken into account in the prescription? Dunno, but no problems. I still wear contacts with reading glasses for short daytime flights. Long flights or nighttime, I wear the glasses.
 
Some group of flying optometrists or something used to have a booth at Oshkosh and gave out tape measures and little survey forms so you could measure the distances to things in your cockpit and get custom bifocals for it. I've never really had a problem. The panel is in the sweetspot of my vision (probably 20/20) there. Closer or further away I need correction.
 
I like my progressives for every day stuff but don't like flying with them, though I have. What I usually do is fly with my Serengetti sunglasses to which I added Hydrotac Stick-on Bifocal Lenses (purchased from Amazon). I just went to the drug stores to try on some readers, and held some print at the distance that my GPS & panel is roughly at and found which diopter worked for me, then ordered those on Amazon. It works great. I hardly ever fly at night, but when I do I'll have to bring my everyday glasses for my presbyopia. I plan to get clear bifocals for that purpose at some point but I just don't fly at night that much so it's been a low priority. By the way, I have some prescription sunglasses I really like that I ordered a few years ago from opticsplanet.com who was great to work with. Lots of options and customization. I'd wear them now but my near vision needs a stronger correction now. I might see if they can replace the lenses with a new prescription, but the stick-on lens solution certainly is cheaper in the meantime.
 
Okay guys. I had my Class III renewed yesterday and asked why the confirmation e-mail said not to wear contacts. I was told that the FAA requires the AME to test vision both with and without corrective lenses, and it is difficult for most people to be putting their contacts in and out. Nothing was mentioned about progressive lenses, even when I told her I had to tilt my head around to be sure I was looking through the right place in my glasses.
 
somorris said:
Okay guys. I had my Class III renewed yesterday and asked why the confirmation e-mail said not to wear contacts. I was told that the FAA requires the AME to test vision both with and without corrective lenses, and it is difficult for most people to be putting their contacts in and out. Nothing was mentioned about progressive lenses, even when I told her I had to tilt my head around to be sure I was looking through the right place in my glasses.
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If you wear hard contacts your eye also stays slightly confirmed to the shape after you remove them, skewing the test. Not very common anymore but it was a thing.
 
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