You guys who think that anyone who can fog a mirror gets a medical just by showing up at the AME's office must be under 50.
Not really fog a mirror.
I am a below knee amputee, corrective lenses, mid-40's, fly on a SODA and have held all the way to 1st class medical.
Brian is an arm amputee, SODA.
Half of the active pilots in my EAA Chapter are also UFO's (Unified Flying Octogenarians), many special issuances and SODAs, a couple LSA only
A good friend has suffered from kidney stones, special issuance.
Another friend with 2 Citabria's, a 310 and a Stearman is legally blind in one eye, SODA.
Dr. Bruce's threads are chock full of stories running the gamut on health challenges - basically you pays your money, you takes their tests, you follows the rules, you gets your ticket.
Point is that there are mechanisms in place to address a substantial number of health issues for people to get 3rd to 1st class medicals and fly as licensed pilots, then there is Sport Pilot, then there is glider pilot, then there is hot air balloon pilot.
But getting qualified under those mechanisms takes money.
When it comes down to it, no bucks, no Buck Rogers, if you have the coin you almost always have options.
'Gimp