FLYER Forums

I've been given a heads up about cataracts by my ophthalmic guy. Not a problem yet but...
Has anybody had the problem and solved it?
What's the best surgical treatment when it comes to flying?
At the moment I'm wearing varifocals plus a spare pair when flying and it's fine.
Any experience or advice appreciated.

I had the operations and then bifocals. A driving factor to getting it done was failing the medical on eyesight.

FD is your best guy, I guess, but there are loads of options of intraoccular lenses that are *NOT* acceptable to the CAA.

It may have changed now (so wait for FD) but I have simple monofocal (intraoccular) lenses (the only ones that the CAA would accept 10 years ago) that give me good distant vision but I have virtually zero accommodation so need glasses for reading. I do have some varifocals that are virtually plain at the top and +2 at the bottom but I rarely use them. I always have reading specs with me.... (and a spare pair in the aircraft.)

My eyesight got significantly better when I changed to an AME who had a well lit state of the art Snellen box, to the extent that from the acuity point of vue I no longer needed specs.

However to avoid the faff of taking the 'must wear specs' stamp off only to have to put it back on in a year or so I suggested he left it on my licence as I wear specs anyway when flying as it 'sharpens up the numbers' a treat.

Peter

I had the same problem and underwent surgery almost exactly one year ago.

As mentioned above FD was a great help with guidance ahead of me agreeing to the procedure.

The outcome was as good as expected and my Class 2 medical was reinstated by my AME after the CAA 6 week unfit period.

https://www.caa.co.uk/Aeromedical-Exami ... lots-(EASA)/Conditions/Visual/Guidance-following-eye-surgery/


PM your contact number and I’ll happily call you to talk it through if you wish.

The link in the above post is mangled.... this should be better


https://www.caa.co.uk/Aeromedical-Examiners/Medical-standards/Pilots-(EASA)/Conditions/Visual/Guidance-following-eye-surgery/

Indeed, the link indicates what the current point of view the CAA is.

All the best with the procedure.

You won't look back.

The big difference from when I had it does is that multifocal lenses are now allowed (with caveats)

PeteSpencer wrote:My eyesight got significantly better when I changed to an AME who had a well lit state of the art Snellen box, to the extent that from the acuity point of vue I no longer needed specs.

At my last medical in the artificially lit room I knew I'd probably get no further down than about the middle line so asked the AME if we could do it outside in daylight ... where I got down to the bottom line.
Basic optics, innit.

Did they not use a backlit chart?

Flyin'Dutch' wrote:
You won't look back.

If you can, then the op when horribly wrong

A good mate of mine is a well known expert in the field, and is keen on aviation ( we have done many trips together in my aircraft). You can find him through a Google search for Professor William Ayliffe or PM me.
My father had his first cataract done on the NHS, the second by Will and reports that the difference was startling.

Marchettiman wrote:My father had his first cataract done on the NHS, the second by Will and reports that the difference was startling.

Ah...the power of imagination...
If the two procedures were uneventful and both IOLs were chosen for emmetropia, there is NOT a chance he is able to notice the difference (says the cataract and vitreoretinal surgeon, both private and NHS).

That explains the username.

patowalker wrote:That explains the username.

It taught me a new word. Emmetropia.