To be a pilot do you have to have perfect vision ?

Question

i heard that if you have glasses you cannot be a pilot that only people with perfect vision can

Answer 1

I applied to join the RAF in the late 1980's and was told that I couldn't fly fast jets as I didn't have 20/20 vision but I could fly transports.  Nowadays of course you can have corrective surgery to fix your eyes, but 20 years ago that wasn't a viable choice for me.

So yes, you can fly planes wearing glasses but not fast combat jets!  You can't wear contact lenses to fly those either as the G Forces in combat could either cause the lenses to fall out of your eyes or damage your eyes.

But if you just want to be a commercial pilot, it should be OK but different airlines may have different rules.  

However, if you are colour (color) blind then that might prevent you flying, not sure about the rules on that one.

Answer 2

lots of pilots wear glasses--pretty sure pilots have to retire at age 60 and most people start needing glasses by the time they reach 45

Answer 3

No, that is not true.  

Answer 4

military:yes

Commercial Aviton: No.  Corrected to 20/20 thorugh a NON LASER way.

use contacts or glasses

Answer 5

oh, really? i didnt know that. i have a friend in air cadets that already has his license. and he wears glasses, so i'm not too sure.

Answer 6

i bet if you get contacts and not tell your boss about them then i'm sure you can give them the slip. though, if your a guy that's a different story. i've read that it's not the girls that are colored blind but the boys. due to something found in the males' DNA, it's common for men to be colorblind.

Answer 7

i think so but if u have glases u can always eat healthy stuff and get of  wearing glasses

                             but in movies i always see pilots wearing glasses?????????

Answer 8

yeah, most go through surgery if they really want to

Answer 9

No, but there are still limits to how bad your eyesight can be. Also, you're not clear about what kind of pilot. The military has higher standards for obvious reasons, but I fly and have 20/30  & 20/40 vision, corrected to 20/20 of course.

Answer 10

No, not at all.  For most situations correctable vision is fine.  Even military flying, in the US at least, one only needs 20/70 or 20/40 correctable.

Bad depth perception, and/or colorblindness however will disqualify one from most types of aviation.

If that was discouraging you from flying-go do it.

Answer 11

Next time you are at an airport count how many pilots you see wearing glasses. Many more wear contacts. that alone should answer your question.

As long as your vision can be corrected and you can pass the FAA or if you are not in the U.S. your countries official aviation authorities eye exam during your medical glasses are not a problem.

Answer 12

Only the military is that picky about pilot vision. Commercial pilots don't need 20/20 vision. There are limits I'm sure, but you are allowed to wear corrective lenses as a pilot.

Answer 13

If you are just flying small planes for leisure I think it's fine but you probably need perfect vision to be a pilot for the military or an airline.  I'm just guessing though.

Answer 14

Dispelling Aviation Myths

Okay, let’s unravel two common myths that keep many potential pilots grounded—

Myth #1 - Pilots must have perfect vision

Wrong! Civilian pilots can correct many vision imperfections by wearing glasses or contact lenses.

Myth #2 - Learning to fly takes years

Not so. The time required to learn to fly is dependent on how frequently you train. Most people earn their wings in less than one year. With hard work, it’s quite possible to become a certificated pilot in a few months.