Well this'll ruin your day

C

callegro

Pre-Flight
Joined
May 30, 2014
Messages
72
Display Name
Display name:
Callegro
So it was about that time to renew my 3rd class medical. I've had problems in the past due to an astygmatism in my left eye. That being said, I failed the medical due to my eyes not being at least 20/40 with corrective lenses and I would just have to get a letter sent to the FAA signed by my optometrist stating that I am allowed to fly with corrective lenses.

Anyways, I thought I would save myself 2 trips, so I scheduled my eye doctor appt before my FAA medical. According to reviews, this guy got rated the best eye doctor in Los Angeles, so I figured I would try someone new and get a 2nd opinion if my eye(s) could be fixed.

What he basically said is that the astygmatism has matured and is permanent. That my brain has basically shut down my left eye and is now focusing all vision through the good right eye. When I was diagnosed at age 7, he said that at that age, it is basically permanantly matured. Glasses/contacts won't help at all. I asked him about surgery and he said that it wouldn't be of much help as well. So with that said, he told me to confirm the FAA 3rd class reg about vision (20/40 with corrective lenses) and that he would sign a letter for me. Due to me not having not anywhere near 20/40 in the left eye, and 20/50 in the right, I don't know what to do. I have felt pretty depressed today and was wondering if you guys have been in a same situation.
 
20/50 even with correction in the right eye? Hmmm.

Don't know what to suggest, other than the obvious suggestion to try for sport pilot (I see by earlier posts you bought a Cherokee to motivate you to finish your training.)
 
Jim Logajan said:
20/50 even with correction in the right eye? Hmmm.

Don't know what to suggest, other than the obvious suggestion to try for sport pilot (I see by earlier posts you bought a Cherokee to motivate you to finish your training.)
Click to expand...

Hey Jim, Yes, bought the Cherokee when I had a valid 3rd Class Medical.....big bummer....
 
callegro said:
Hey Jim, Yes, bought the Cherokee when I had a valid 3rd Class Medical.....big bummer....
Click to expand...

Definitely sounds like a bummer. But you aren't the first to run into medical problems like that. Just keep in mind you still have options.
 
I'm a little confused here. You have high grade astigmatism in your left eye and I assume it's irregular, since otherwise they could correct it with cylinder. But why is your right eye only 20/50 with correction? If you could find a way to correct that you would qualify for a monocular SODA. As it is I'm not sure you're even going to be able to renew your driver's license, which would make sport pilot moot - but it depends on what state you're in. MI requires 20/40 separately in each eye.

That said I'm not sure I would give up on correction via contacts. I have a low grade irregular astigmatism in my left eye left over from RK surgery many years ago. It cannot be corrected with glasses and "should not" be correctable with contacts, but I discovered that it actually was. Contact lenses, especially hard lenses (but in my case soft ones too) can trap a tear film and basically make the effective optical surface of the cornea more spherical, evening out the irregularities responsible for uncorrectable astigmatism. I haven't worn them in a couple of years because my eyes have aged toward, and now past, plano... but I might have to again, as the astigmatism is becoming more bothersome.

And then there's always Ortho-K - the whole idea of which scared the hell out of me when I first read about it and I would NEVER do it myself, but if I were in your position I would at least ask a good eyecare professional about it. It's nevertheless true that hard contacts can temporarily change the shape of the cornea.

And I would get another opinion about your right eye if you've been told that it's hopeless as well, to make sure you have all your options on the table on that end.

Disclaimer - I'm only a patient with an interest in these things, not a physician or even an optometrist and I'll defer to the experts on the board. Just my $0.02 and worth every penny you paid for it...
 
I assume the doc considered lasik eyesurgery?

It can be very good for astigmatism, although not everyone is a candidate. It can be done in one eye, so did he mention that?
 
Last edited:
Thank you very much azure for all that info. Yes I should have been more clear, that my right eye is 20/50 WITHOUT corrective lenses. Nonetheless, glasses don't seem to help at all for me in either eye. I will definitely get a second opinion and check other options.
 
That was the strange thing, when I asked him about LASIK or any kind of surgery, he said that it wouldn't treat my type of astygmatism.
 
Jim Logajan said:
Don't know what to suggest, other than the obvious suggestion to try for sport pilot (I see by earlier posts you bought a Cherokee to motivate you to finish your training.)
Click to expand...

He just got a denial. No SP unless he gets an SI now.

What's left is UL, powered gliders or LTA.

Sorry OP, wish for the best.
 
docmirror said:
He just got a denial. No SP unless he gets an SI now.

What's left is UL, powered gliders or LTA.

Sorry OP, wish for the best.
Click to expand...
The OP is somewhat confusing, but it sounds like he previously failed the eye exam, but got a medical after receiving a letter from his optomologist. He says this time he decided to go to the optomologist first.

OP, why not go back to your original eye doctor who got you the medical last time?
 
Lindberg said:
The OP is somewhat confusing, but it sounds like he previously failed the eye exam, but got a medical after receiving a letter from his optomologist. He says this time he decided to go to the optomologist first.

OP, why not go back to your original eye doctor who got you the medical last time?
Click to expand...

I don't live anywhere near the guy who I have been going to since I was a kid. I recently relocated, but this is a another good reason I might have to go back.
 
callegro said:
That was the strange thing, when I asked him about LASIK or any kind of surgery, he said that it wouldn't treat my type of astygmatism.
Click to expand...


Did he do a special "wavefront" eye exam? This is not the common swapping of lenses in a big rotary device with the usual interview 'which is better?' It is a camera in a box that scans your eye and generates a map of the high spots and low spots in your focal pattern. If you have "higher order astigmatism" this map can have high and low spots that are more than just one or two centered on the middle of the eye, but a more complicated pattern.
 
Last edited:
NoHeat said:
Did he do a special "wavefront" eye exam? This is not the common swapping of lenses in a big rotary device with the usual interview 'which is better?' It is a camera in a box that scans your eye and generates a map of the high spots and low spots in your focal pattern. If you have "higher order astigmatism" this map can have high and low spots that are more than just one or two centered on the middle of the eye, but a more complicated pattern.
Click to expand...

Yes he did perform that on me. I sent him an email tonight to clarify what he thinks all the available options are for me in order to pass the medical.
 
docmirror said:
He just got a denial. No SP unless he gets an SI now.

What's left is UL, powered gliders or LTA.

Sorry OP, wish for the best.
Click to expand...

I 'think' he got defferred. If they want a letter, it is not a denial until the clock runs out.
 
MONO SODA - I got one. I am 20/200 in my bad eye. I have no restrictions whatsoever. I could, if I chose, get my 1st/2nd class medical.
 
The OP can still fly, he just has to drag a CFI with him. Not the worst option Earth, and he can still fly his Cherokee. The cost of a CFI pales in comparison to the cost of an aircraft. Couldn't take any trips, at least not easily.
 
EminiTrader said:
MONO SODA - I got one. I am 20/200 in my bad eye. I have no restrictions whatsoever. I could, if I chose, get my 1st/2nd class medical.
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking.

Wiley Post was a well known aviator with one eye. Binocular vision for depth perception is not all that necessary for flight. Certainly peripheral vision and field of view are effected on the "bad" side, but head on a swivel should largely compensate for that.

I have a SODA for deficient color vision and that was a one time thing almost 40 years ago and not a big deal.

OP - good luck and don't close any doors until you've researched all the options.
 
docmirror said:
He just got a denial. No SP unless he gets an SI now.

What's left is UL, powered gliders or LTA.

Sorry OP, wish for the best.
Click to expand...

I don't think this is correct. I have a SODA for my left eye. My left eye doesn't correct to anything near 20/20, even with lenses.

Take the flight exam, and you can get a SODA. It is an easy ride--all you do is demonstrate your ability to fly.
 
I knew a guy who had a glass eye and a SODA for a second class medical...
 
callegro said:
Thank you very much azure for all that info. Yes I should have been more clear, that my right eye is 20/50 WITHOUT corrective lenses. Nonetheless, glasses don't seem to help at all for me in either eye. I will definitely get a second opinion and check other options.
Click to expand...
You definitely need to be able to correct your right eye to 20/40 or better to be eligible for any kind of certification (and in most states, a DL as well). It needn't be glasses, contacts will do as well if they work for you. But you need at least one eye to 20/40. Then you can get a monocular SODA.

It's great that you're exploring all options! Maybe you can get both eyes within the FAA limits somehow, in which case you wouldn't need the SODA.
 
azure said:
You definitely need to be able to correct your right eye to 20/40 or better to be eligible for any kind of certification (and in most states, a DL as well). It needn't be glasses, contacts will do as well if they work for you. But you need at least one eye to 20/40. Then you can get a monocular SODA.

It's great that you're exploring all options! Maybe you can get both eyes within the FAA limits somehow, in which case you wouldn't need the SODA.
Click to expand...

But, as someone who has taken the flight exam, getting that SODA was not a big deal.

I'm more worried now about dealing with high BP.
 
If you can correct within limits on the other eye, you should be able to do a Monocular Vision SODA ride that will eliminate this problem for life.
 
Well, that was the final nightmare post that made up my mind. I will only fly sport and will never even attempt to get my PPL EVER!!

FAA sonsabiches!!
 
Henning said:
If you can correct within limits on the other eye, you should be able to do a Monocular Vision SODA ride that will eliminate this problem for life.
Click to expand...

Yep, I know someone very close to me that carries a monocular vision SODA. It's no big deal.
 
jimson said:
Well, that was the final nightmare post that made up my mind. I will only fly sport and will never even attempt to get my PPL EVER!!

FAA sonsabiches!!
Click to expand...

Why? If you have one good eye, you can get a SODA, lots of people with one eye have them including one member on this board I know (though I haven't seen her post in a while). The FAA isn't sonsabitches on this, you just take them flying and if you show the ability to be safe, they issue you a SODA, a Statement Of Demonstrated Ability. Seriously, they are pretty friendly to deal with on this stuff.
 
Last edited:
Well ya know I was more harsh and less tongue in cheek than I meant to be.

There just seems to be so many little things to trip you up that I can't imagine that at 51 years age with some issues, that I can make it through this 3rd class medical minefield without a ton of hassle and thousands of extra dollars.

I'm thinking I made the right decision to go for sport pilot.
 
jimson said:
Well ya know I was more harsh and less tongue in cheek than I meant to be.

There just seems to be so many little things to trip you up that I can't imagine that at 51 years age with some issues, that I can make it through this 3rd class medical minefield without a ton of hassle and thousands of extra dollars.

I'm thinking I made the right decision to go for sport pilot.
Click to expand...

You can choose that if you wish, however you are being paranoid, the FAA isn't trying to get you tripped up, they really do try to get you passed.
 
bbchien said:
just so that my post in the http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84875 is validated, has no one here ever heard of the monocular vision waiver ride?
Click to expand...
Several of us mentioned the monocular SODA as an option if he can get one eye to 20/40 or better. As I read his OP, both of his eyes are worse than that, though he didn't make it clear what his best corrected vision is in his right eye.

BTW, good to see you posting here Bruce. :)
 
bbchien said:
just so that my post in the http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84875 is validated, has no one here ever heard of the monocular vision waiver ride?
Click to expand...

Never cared to get involved with the politics of the past, but I'm glad to see you stopped back by, I have seen and heard of a number of people that you have helped. Hopefully I never have to see you, but it's great to know you're there. :)

Anyway, how does a monocular vision waiver ride differ from a SODA ride? As I stated before, someone very close to me had a SODA ride for monocular vision with a great guy from the DuPage FSDO. Very cool experience that I was involved with and we could talk offline about the particulars.
 
Henning said:
You can choose that if you wish, however you are being paranoid, the FAA isn't trying to get you tripped up, they really do try to get you passed.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm probably being paranoid. I chose sport for a lot of reasons including not hassling with the medical.

I think it would take an SI or 2 in my case (past anti depressant use, hypothyroidism, controlled diabetes etc) and I'm leary about how much cost and hassle all that would be.
 
jimson said:
Yeah I'm probably being paranoid. I chose sport for a lot of reasons including not hassling with the medical.

I think it would take an SI or 2 in my case (past anti depressant use, hypothyroidism, controlled diabetes etc) and I'm leary about how much cost and hassle all that would be.
Click to expand...
I have 3 SIs, one for a recent medical event and two for conditions that the FAA has known about for years and just decided to crack down on. It's definitely a PITA.

In your case, the only one that might be a problem is the past SSRI use. If you're not currently using it, they would want a full psych eval because of whatever the underlying diagnosis was, but I'm not sure whether that would be an SI - that's one for Dr. Bruce. Hypothyroidism with replacement is a CACI and based on what a lot of folks have written here, diabetes with good control is an easy SI.
 
It does seem the biggest hurdle to getting an SI is getting it in the first place. Once you have it, there are steps you need to maintain it, but that first time can be a pain.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 365 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.
Back
Top