Vision doesn't correct to 20/20

[bs98]

I searched but didn't find anything in the last decade about this topic:

I had PRK eye surgery 4 months ago. My eyes were initially each about 20/400 and they are now 20/25 individually, 20/20 when working together. The doc that did my surgery told me there is nothing I can ever do or wear that would get me to 20/20 in each eye due to the “muscles not developing”. That leaves me with two questions:

 

-Has anyone ever heard of a waiver for 20/25 vision that does not correct to the much-desired 20/20?

-Flight docs, does that sound correct that there is nothing I could ever do or glasses I could wear that could get my eyes to 20/20 individualy?

 

[stuckindayton]

1 hour ago, bs98 said:

I searched but didn't find anything in the last decade about this topic:

I had PRK eye surgery 4 months ago. My eyes were initially each about 20/400 and they are now 20/25 individually, 20/20 when working together. The doc that did my surgery told me there is nothing I can ever do or wear that would get me to 20/20 in each eye due to the “muscles not developing”. That leaves me with two questions:

 

-Has anyone ever heard of a waiver for 20/25 vision that does not correct to the much-desired 20/20?

-Flight docs, does that sound correct that there is nothing I could ever do or glasses I could wear that could get my eyes to 20/20 individualy?

 

Has anyone gotten a waiver for less than 20/20 best corrected vision (for a pilot slot I presume)?  Highly unlikely.  I've seen many requested for best corrected vision 20/20- in one eye and none got approved.

As far as the second question goes...if your eyes did not develop 20/20 vision during childhood, glasses or contacts today aren't going to get you there, nor is PRK as you know.  It's kind of odd to have neither eye be 20/20.  Usually people have  one strong eye and one weaker eye due to misalignment or unequal refractive errors (i.e. glasses prescriptions) that were not balanced by lenses at an early age.  But, it is possible to have reduced vision in each eye for other reasons (e.g. congenital cataracts, uncorrected astigmatism, etc.)  You referred to "muscles not developing."  Not sure exactly what is meant by that.  It sounds like a generic term for a lazy eye, but again, that's almost always unilateral, not bilateral.  Maybe I can clarify with more background info if you're interested.

[bs98]

On 12/14/2021 at 3:50 PM, stuckindayton said:

Has anyone gotten a waiver for less than 20/20 best corrected vision (for a pilot slot I presume)?  Highly unlikely.  I've seen many requested for best corrected vision 20/20- in one eye and none got approved.

As far as the second question goes...if your eyes did not develop 20/20 vision during childhood, glasses or contacts today aren't going to get you there, nor is PRK as you know.  It's kind of odd to have neither eye be 20/20.  Usually people have  one strong eye and one weaker eye due to misalignment or unequal refractive errors (i.e. glasses prescriptions) that were not balanced by lenses at an early age.  But, it is possible to have reduced vision in each eye for other reasons (e.g. congenital cataracts, uncorrected astigmatism, etc.)  You referred to "muscles not developing."  Not sure exactly what is meant by that.  It sounds like a generic term for a lazy eye, but again, that's almost always unilateral, not bilateral.  Maybe I can clarify with more background info if you're interested.

Thank you for the detailed, albet\it very unfortunate answer. Are flight surgeons held to the same vision standards as pilots? 

[stuckindayton]

4 hours ago, bs98 said:

Thank you for the detailed, albet\it very unfortunate answer. Are flight surgeons held to the same vision standards as pilots? 

Not even close.  It's extremely rare when a flight doc is turned down for medical reasons. 

[bs98]

@stuckindayton Figure I owe you an update to say that you were right-- the diagnosis my surgeon gave me of never being 20/20 proved to be completely false. I've met with the 3 optometrists and 1 ophthalmologist in the last year, all of whom have confirmed my 20/20 in each eye post surgery.