Sun May 18, 2014 11:34 am
#1282102
I've been a contact lens wearer now for 35 years. Been through various types and technologies, and my optometrist is always keen on trying new products out on me as he always gets a lot of useful feedback because I've been round the block so many times on various makes/types.
Currently running single vision for distance but due to my age, the curse of presbyopia (age related near-focus problem) I have to wear reading specs for any closeup work.
So my optometrist suggested I try one of the newer multi-focus contact lenses (they have been out for a while but the technology is improving all the time) - boy what a revelation. It's like time has been shifted backwards and I can now happily read even the smallest text at normal reading distance, and my overall vision right up to infinity is improved, so they work like varifocal specs, without the issues associated (which I'll mention in a bit).
So thinking this was the way forward, I was about to pull the trigger on changing over, but coincidentally my Class 2 renewal is due, so booked that with my AME. Something else came up regarding this as I had it in mind that ECG was every 2 years so checked with the CAA docs on Part-MED and whilst looking through the docs on line, came across the stuff about vision and specifically Contact Lenses. This is where the surprise and annoyance came in.
Part-MED/CAA specifically state that Contact Lenses are for DISTANCE VISION ONLY. They explicitly prohibit the use of multi-focus contact lenses, citing some obscure reasons about lack of visual acuity and contrast.
They are quite happy to accept the wearing of spectacles of all types, including the use of Varifocals. Now, I know just how problematic varifocals can be after trying them as my 'resting' spectacles (for the odd day off when I don't have my lenses in) and the weeks of issues my Mrs had with hers, having to go back to get them adjusted and almost giving up on them. The CAA also acknowledge that spectacles have issues due to the frames blocking vision, and the aberrations caused (like lines appearing warped etc) - something that they also acknowledge that contact lenses don't cause.
My optometrist confirms that I can see as well if not better with the multi-focus lenses than with the fixed distance-only lenses. It is much less hassle in the cockpit to not have to wear readers (I have a set of bi-focal glasses with readers in the bottom and plano on top or the same as sunglasses). You can even get multi-focus contacts now in Toric to correct astigmatism too.
So my issue/question here is, why do the CAA wish to prohibit the use of a 'better' contact lens for wearers who are over 40 and who are suffering from presbyopia? Surely in the same way that they allow your AME to make the best call over your general health based on their examination of you, they should allow your optometrist to make the best call on whether a particular lens technology works for you? After all, those of us who wear contact lenses would see their optometrist at least every 12 months (by law relating to the prescription of contact lenses) whereas someone who wears spectacles may only go to see their optometrist once in a blue moon when perhaps they notice vision issues or when their specs break.
The CAA are happy (ish?) to allow someone to have a laser carve bits out of their cornea which can cause all sorts of issues not necessarily immediately apparent, they are happy to allow spectacles which have the potential to block and distort vision, but prohibit something that actually can improve the overall visual acuity of the wearer.
CAA ... please get into the 21st century.
Oh, and my AME was not aware of the restriction as I had a brief discussion with her about this ... her comment was "use them and just change to single focus to go flying " which is what I'll probably do, as the improvement in my daily life not having to wear (and keep losing) reading specs will far outweigh the annoyance that the CAA over-regulation will impose.
Currently running single vision for distance but due to my age, the curse of presbyopia (age related near-focus problem) I have to wear reading specs for any closeup work.
So my optometrist suggested I try one of the newer multi-focus contact lenses (they have been out for a while but the technology is improving all the time) - boy what a revelation. It's like time has been shifted backwards and I can now happily read even the smallest text at normal reading distance, and my overall vision right up to infinity is improved, so they work like varifocal specs, without the issues associated (which I'll mention in a bit).
So thinking this was the way forward, I was about to pull the trigger on changing over, but coincidentally my Class 2 renewal is due, so booked that with my AME. Something else came up regarding this as I had it in mind that ECG was every 2 years so checked with the CAA docs on Part-MED and whilst looking through the docs on line, came across the stuff about vision and specifically Contact Lenses. This is where the surprise and annoyance came in.
Part-MED/CAA specifically state that Contact Lenses are for DISTANCE VISION ONLY. They explicitly prohibit the use of multi-focus contact lenses, citing some obscure reasons about lack of visual acuity and contrast.
They are quite happy to accept the wearing of spectacles of all types, including the use of Varifocals. Now, I know just how problematic varifocals can be after trying them as my 'resting' spectacles (for the odd day off when I don't have my lenses in) and the weeks of issues my Mrs had with hers, having to go back to get them adjusted and almost giving up on them. The CAA also acknowledge that spectacles have issues due to the frames blocking vision, and the aberrations caused (like lines appearing warped etc) - something that they also acknowledge that contact lenses don't cause.
My optometrist confirms that I can see as well if not better with the multi-focus lenses than with the fixed distance-only lenses. It is much less hassle in the cockpit to not have to wear readers (I have a set of bi-focal glasses with readers in the bottom and plano on top or the same as sunglasses). You can even get multi-focus contacts now in Toric to correct astigmatism too.
So my issue/question here is, why do the CAA wish to prohibit the use of a 'better' contact lens for wearers who are over 40 and who are suffering from presbyopia? Surely in the same way that they allow your AME to make the best call over your general health based on their examination of you, they should allow your optometrist to make the best call on whether a particular lens technology works for you? After all, those of us who wear contact lenses would see their optometrist at least every 12 months (by law relating to the prescription of contact lenses) whereas someone who wears spectacles may only go to see their optometrist once in a blue moon when perhaps they notice vision issues or when their specs break.
The CAA are happy (ish?) to allow someone to have a laser carve bits out of their cornea which can cause all sorts of issues not necessarily immediately apparent, they are happy to allow spectacles which have the potential to block and distort vision, but prohibit something that actually can improve the overall visual acuity of the wearer.
CAA ... please get into the 21st century.
Oh, and my AME was not aware of the restriction as I had a brief discussion with her about this ... her comment was "use them and just change to single focus to go flying " which is what I'll probably do, as the improvement in my daily life not having to wear (and keep losing) reading specs will far outweigh the annoyance that the CAA over-regulation will impose.