mono vision, affirmation

[denisd]

I just had my FAA physical and would like to double check what the AME told me. I am trying contacts for the first time. I've been naturally mono vision for 50+ years but recently want to use contacts to sharpen each eye, one near and one distant. I wear bifocal glasses now when I fly and will continue to with the contacts. He said I could wear the (mono vision) contacts as long as I wore glasses while flying. Is this correct?
Regarding the question on Form 85008, "Do You Ever Use Near Vision Contact Lens(es) While Flying?", I'd be answering YES. Of course, in that one eye distant vision would be corrected with glasses. Do you see a problem arising?
Thank you.
Denis

 

[poadeleted20]

The AME is correct -- the FAA prohibits the use of monovision contacts for flying. You can wear the monovision contacts all you want except when you're flying. For flying, given your apparent presbyopic condition, you must take out the monovision contacts and either:

• Replace them with distance vision contacts and keep a pair of reading glasses handy, or
• Wear your bifocal glasses.

Another option would be to skip the monovision lenses and get multifocal contacts which you can wear to fly.

 

[bbchien]

Denis, Cap'N_Ron got it completely right.
If you check that box "yes" it's automatic denial.

 

[denisd]

Thanks Bruce and Ron. My understanding from the AME was that I could wear the contacts with glasses. I'm glad I asked. I won't wear them while flying.
Ron, my Opthalmalogist isn't too keen on the multiFocal contacts. I think he said you lose some sharpness. I'm still being fitted so will ask again. I know you wear them and assume they work for you. Anything else you can add?
Denis

 

[bbchien]

Not Ron, but 20/25 is common for distance with multifocals. Good enough for third class, but not much more.

Skypilot, the webpage you pointed to is biased biased biased. With monovision you at no point have binocular vision. Sure a normal pilot could have difficulty with the illusions, but heap that on with monovision and the proper question to ask, is "could the monvision pilot be expected to overcome the illusion(s)?

That's a VERY selective blog.
And it doesn't matter. It's federal policy now....and you CAN be certified with monovision if it's burned in, e.g, ther'e plenty of psychological evidence not addressed in the blog that after 3 months of continuous dawn to dusk "all waking hours" burn in, the brain compensates with other cues. It's not about retinal image flow, it's about psychological adapation to different cues.

The trouble with AAR 97/2's captain was he was wearing them sometimes, and then not others, very confusing to brain adapation. In fact, if you have it burned in, after 3 months you can fly again. You just need to be on medical for SIX months, 3 to convince the opthalmologist you can adapt, and 3 after to insure brain-break-in.

 

[poadeleted20]

Thanks Bruce and Ron. My understanding from the AME was that I could wear the contacts with glasses.

I believe you can if they are bifocal glasses that "uncorrect" the near vision contact side to distant vision in the upper pane on that side with a zero correction in the lower pane, and on the other side have zero correction in the upper pane and and a near vision correction in the lower pane. In effect, they produce in conjunction with the monovision contacts the effect of regular bifocal glasses. Bruce will correct me if I'm wrong about this. However, I don't consider this a particularly practical solution.

Ron, my Opthalmalogist isn't too keen on the multiFocal contacts. I think he said you lose some sharpness. I'm still being fitted so will ask again. I know you wear them and assume they work for you. Anything else you can add?

Not really. I test 20/20 DVA with my multifocals, although I get sharper vision with DVA contacts or my trifocal glasses even if I don't test any better with them. It's pretty much a matter of what works for you, and you won't know until you try.

Another option is to use the multifocals for routine wear and have some daily wear DVA only contacts to wear when flying, with cheapo reading glasses for reading charts.

 

[poadeleted20]

The trouble with AAR 97/2's captain was he was wearing them sometimes, and then not others, very confusing to brain adapation. In fact, if you have it burned in, after 3 months you can fly again. You just need to be on medical for SIX months, 3 to convince the opthalmologist you can adapt, and 3 after to insure brain-break-in.

By "burned in," you mean laser eye surgery giving you near vision in one eye and distant vision in the other, right?

 

[denisd]

I believe you can if they are bifocal glasses that "uncorrect" the near vision contact side to distant vision in the upper pane on that side with a zero correction in the lower pane, and on the other side have zero correction in the upper pane and and a near vision correction in the lower pane. In effect, they produce in conjunction with the monovision contacts the effect of regular bifocal glasses. Bruce will correct me if I'm wrong about this. However, I don't consider this a particularly practical solution.

Yes, that is what I meant, but you said it better. So, does this mean back to plan A? Wear the contacts and wear glasses at the same time to give normal stereo vision?
By the way, I need bifocals to see the panel and outside, so separate reading glasses wouldn't work for me.
Denis

 

[poadeleted20]

Yes, that is what I meant, but you said it better. So, does this mean back to plan A? Wear the contacts and wear glasses at the same time to give normal stereo vision?

Bruce can confirm whethere that is a viable option.

By the way, I need bifocals to see the panel and outside, so separate reading glasses wouldn't work for me.

I don't think you understand what I was trying to say. You wear distance correcting contacts, and get little half-height reading "granny" glasses for near vision in the cockpit. You look straight over them for distance, and down through them at the charts.

 

[denisd]

Bruce can confirm whethere that is a viable option.
I don't think you understand what I was trying to say. You wear distance correcting contacts, and get little half-height reading "granny" glasses for near vision in the cockpit. You look straight over them for distance, and down through them at the charts.

I understand now, thanks. More choices to consider.
Denis

 

[poadeleted20]

BTW, if you go the distance correcting contact lens route, and are anywhere near a beach resort, you should be able to find "reading sunglasses," which are plain sunglasses with reading inserts in the bottom like the reading portion of bifocal glasses. Those are invaluable for presbyopic pilots flying in sunshine with distance correcting contact lenses.

 

[bbchien]

Denis, you can fly with any combination that gives didentical correction to each eye individually to standards for the class cert. for which you are applying....

They want binocular vision near and far, is what the requirement really says.

 

[denisd]

Bruce, thanks.
Denis

 

[DaytonaLynn]

I just had my FAA physical and would like to double check what the AME told me. I am trying contacts for the first time. I've been naturally mono vision for 50+ years but recently want to use contacts to sharpen each eye, one near and one distant. I wear bifocal glasses now when I fly and will continue to with the contacts. He said I could wear the (mono vision) contacts as long as I wore glasses while flying. Is this correct?
Regarding the question on Form 85008, "Do You Ever Use Near Vision Contact Lens(es) While Flying?", I'd be answering YES. Of course, in that one eye distant vision would be corrected with glasses. Do you see a problem arising?
Thank you.
Denis

Hi Denis

Check out the "multi focal" contact lenses. They are not mono. They work just like online bifocals. I wear them and have not been told I cannot by my AME.
Very long distances in front of me are harder to see, but with in 3-5 miles of airport I can see them fine.
They are made by Optix.

 

[kyleb]

Hi Denis

Check out the "multi focal" contact lenses. They are not mono. They work just like online bifocals. I wear them and have not been told I cannot by my AME.
Very long distances in front of me are harder to see, but with in 3-5 miles of airport I can see them fine.
They are made by Optix.

Another vote for multifocals. There is no problem with them as far as the FAA is concerned. They are a very good all around solution.