No longer able to see 20/20?

[Dronepiper]

Hello!

What happens if a 30 yr old commercial pilot with high myopia is no longer able to see 20/20, even with current eyeglasses or contacts? This particular pilot has held a Cat 1 for over 10 years.

Has anyone run into this? This pilot has no eye issues or diseases or anything else that would lead to further problems. An ophthalmologist has confirmed this. Essentially, the prescription is just so high that the “Minimization effect” stops him from seeing 20/20.

They can still meet the 20/30 requirement for a Cat 3, but it seems absolutely bonkers to destroy someone’s career due to a small change in vision that still allows thousands of private pilots fly all over Canada anywhere they want.

To be fair, I would much rather have a VFR pilot with a Cat 3 have better vision than a Commercial Pilot who flies under IFR rules their entire life.

That VFR PPL is hell of a lot more likely to be placed in a situation where their vision will stop them from hitting the low level crop duster that is about to cut them off.

[photofly]

Would laser surgery help you? I know it's frowned upon by TC, and you need to take some months off after the surgery, but it doesn't sound like you have a lot to lose.

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Is it in both eyes, or just one eye?

[Dronepiper]

Is it in both eyes, or just one eye?

Both together

[fish4life]

I hate to say it but if you are at mins or night in rain 20/20 corrected needs to be the minimum someone should see.

[North Shore]

When I first got my Cat 1, I was outside the vision limits, and I had a clause on my medical - something along the lines of: "flexibility applied for vision requirements." I think that you could apply for that, perhaps? The other route might be a 2 crew endorsement - that is, you can only exercise the CPL/ATPL privileges of your license while accompanied by another pilot with an unrestricted Cat1 medical.

As always with these things, talk to your CAME, and let them stickhandle Ottawa...

Also, get the ball rolling before your medical is due, as there's a huge backlog in medicals..

[rudder]

Cat 1 Vision standards are no worse than 20/30 (each eye measured separately) and 20/20 corrected (each eye measured separately).

Beyond that, you would require special dispensation. I doubt that it would qualify as monocular unless it was a single eye that could not be corrected to 20/20. That waiver will also have a “multi crew required” restriction as well as embargo on flying with another crew member who also has a restricted medical.

[trey kule]

I may have some-good news for you. Hopefully it is still current.

TC allows you , in certain things, like vision and hearing to fall below the limits as long as you can still fly safely ( the testis no accidents)
We see this much more commonly with the practical hearing tests, but it does ( or used to ) apply to most vision issues as well.

Talk to your Med. Doc.
In Canada the vast majority do their very best keep your flying safely.

[lownslow]

Find the oldest medical examiner you can get and remember this word: Defpotec. D-E-F-P-O-T-E-C. I was told that’s how you keep flying well into your nineties by a guy who was well into his nineties. If you’re flying for money you may want to learn to spell it backwards too. It’s the 20/20 line on all the old eye charts.