Can someone without perfect vision become a pilot?

Question

Can they wear contact lenses to make up for the poor eyesight?

Answer 1

my cousin wanted to be a pilot and he tells me that u can't wear contact lenses but if u get laser surgery, i think they'll allow it.

Answer 2

First, there is no such thing as "perfect vision". 20/20 is referred to as normal vision. What it means is that a person with 20/20 vision can see at 20 feet what a person with normal vision sees at 20 feet. If a person has 20/50 vision, they can see at 20 feet what a person with normal vision could see at 50 feet. If you have 20/15 vision, that person sees at 20 feet what a person with normal vision would have to move to 15 feet to see clearly. Some people have vision worse than 20/20, some better.

Secondly, and to answer your question, you do not need 20/20 uncorrected vision to fly. All of the FAA requirements for medical standards can be found in part 67 of the current FAR, but the short answer is that for a third class medical (private certificate) you need 20/40 or better vision, either corrected or uncorrected. For a second or first class medical (commercial and ATP) you will need to have 20/20 vision or better, either uncorrected or corrected with lenses. There are other standards for vision and other physical requirements, but you only asked for the visual accuity aspect, so there's your answer. It is the correct answer, and can be verified with a little research.

Answer 3

§ 67.103   Eye.

Eye standards for a first-class airman medical certificate are:

(a) Distant visual acuity of 20/20 or better in each eye separately, with or without corrective lenses. If corrective lenses (spectacles or contact lenses) are necessary for 20/20 vision, the person may be eligible only on the condition that corrective lenses are worn while exercising the privileges of an airman certificate.

(b) Near vision of 20/40 or better, Snellen equivalent, at 16 inches in each eye separately, with or without corrective lenses. If age 50 or older, near vision of 20/40 or better, Snellen equivalent, at both 16 inches and 32 inches in each eye separately, with or without corrective lenses.

(c) Ability to perceive those colors necessary for the safe performance of airman duties.

(d) Normal fields of vision.

(e) No acute or chronic pathological condition of either eye or adnexa that interferes with the proper function of an eye, that may reasonably be expected to progress to that degree, or that may reasonably be expected to be aggravated by flying.

(f) Bifoveal fixation and vergence-phoria relationship sufficient to prevent a break in fusion under conditions that may reasonably be expected to occur in performing airman duties. Tests for the factors named in this paragraph are not required except for persons found to have more than 1 prism diopter of hyperphoria, 6 prism diopters of esophoria, or 6 prism diopters of exophoria. If any of these values are exceeded, the Federal Air Surgeon may require the person to be examined by a qualified eye specialist to determine if there is bifoveal fixation and an adequate vergence-phoria relationship. However, if otherwise eligible, the person is issued a medical certificate pending the results of the examination.

Answer 4

You'll be interested in this site....

http://www.improvingmyeyesight.com/rebui...

The site offers a program of eye exercises to improve your vision. Actually, the creator of the program, Orlin Sorensen, had a situation where he wanted to be a pilot, but didn't have 20/20 vision. You can read his story on the site.

Answer 5

You can get a PPL (private pilot license)or Students License

Answer 6

For commercial work, you pretty much have to be correctable to 20/20.  Spectacles are okay.

Answer 7

last time i saw a pilot wearing glasses. so i assume it's fine - as long as you can see 20/20 with glasses or contacts...