Pre Physical Eyeglass Checkout

kontiki

kontiki

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Kontiki
I really didn't like flying at night with progressive bifocals. All the lights outside the hourglass zone were blurry, I didn't feel comfortable.

So I took a tape and measured the distance to the instrument panel and had a pair of bifocals made with the topside focused for infinity and the bottom side for Cessna 172 panel distance.

I like them for night flying, but really don't know how they do on a test for 20/20 vision.

So I'm wondering if I shouldn't maybe do a dry run with the pair I take to the next physical, just to make sure I've got the best ones for the exam.

Anybody know of a valid eye test chart I can setup to use at home?

I'm thinking standard size letters on paper taped to a wall and stepping back some. Maybe adjusting the print scale until some registration marks on the paper are spaced properly.

Thanks,
 
Wait....how did you have the bifocals made??? I presume at an eyeglass place? If so, they should be able to check your vision.
 
At least at my AME, you can bring and use as many eyeglasses as you want to pass the test. I typically use 2 pair. One for infinity and my bifocal computer glasses for the close stuff.
 
The glasses I have to back up my contacts are trifocals -- infinity, panel distance, and reading distance. The panel and reading areas are +1 and +2 diopters off the distant correction, respectively. If you are of an age where presbyopia is a significant issue, you might consider such for your flying, and they should do very well on the FAA exam.
 
Bruce, can you not bring a letter from your eye doc saying your corrected to 20/20 and not be tested by the AME?
 
EppyGA, You can. And if the practitioner is known to me, and the data is less than 90 days old, I can honor it. But the vast majority of practitioneers do 20/20 distant and don't specify 20 feet, 20/20 near and don't specify 16 inches. So with a few rare exceptions, we just do the best we can.

But the OP wants, I think a zero cost option, and going to the eyeball doc is not zero cost. Sigh. He can do what he wants for $12 from Amazon.

Geoff's Thorpe's solution may just do it for him....I just don't want to indtroduce yet another internet program onto my office machine.

Then there is the matter of the 4% size reduction in a laser printer (margins!).....
 
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I've always wondered - ok, not always, but since getting bi/tri/progressive lenses ... what focal area of the glasses do you use for the machine eye exam? Since the images are small, to simulate distance, yet are really just inches (or less?) physically from your eyes and lenses .... use the reading section, mid-range or distance?
Obviously, the answer is "whichever is clearest" but just curious.
 
Thanks all. Dr. Chien is correct, I'm looking for a low cost home check. I have numerous pairs. Flying pair, computer pair at home and work, driving bifocals, a pair of progressive that work for pistol shooting etc.

I get a pair every year, my eyes don't change that fast. Some become backups for car. Had a surprise one time when I couldn't focus on front pistol sight with newest pair one year.

It's mostly an eyeglass management issue now.
 
I'm betting that the place I got my glasses would let me do an informal check anytime I wanted to stop by, if the place wasn't too busy.
 
taters said:
I do this for color vision.
Click to expand...
The trouble with this is that the FAA will eventually ask for "what test does the opthalmologist use to determine this" and then the house falls in. If he actually uses an approved test, the likelihood is that I have it also.

The CRAZY thing is how minimally important the color standard really is. I mean, the Master Caution light, sure it's yellow but it doens't get your attention because it's yellow. It gets your attention because it FLASHES.
 
bbchien said:
The CRAZY thing is how minimally important the color standard really is. I mean, the Master Caution light, sure it's yellow but it doens't get your attention because it's yellow. It gets your attention because it FLASHES.
Click to expand...

Nice to know my opinion is shared by an Expert.;)

Cheers
 
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