Airline Pilots With Glasses?

Neil11

Neil11

Well-Known Member
I know commercial pilots no longer need perfect, uncorrected vision, but I also don't recall having ever seen an airline pilot wearing glasses on the job. Do those who need corrective lenses generally use contacts?

I began thinking about this after trying a quick-donning mask in a CRJ sim. I know most are designed to fit around glasses, but it seemed from my short encounter the extra adjustments could easily exceed the 5 second donning requirement.

Also- are there additional rules for flying with corrective lenses? Flying with a spare set of glasses or contacts would obviously be prudent, but does anyone require it?
 
My medical just says must wear corrective lenses, my company says that I have to carry a spare set of lenses. I carry contacts as my ''spare"; though I usually have my regular glasses and prescription sunglasses anyways.
 
Roger Roger said:
Typically your medical will say that you must carry spare corrective lenses.
Click to expand...

I'm obviously not an airline pilot, but I do have a first class medical and the only mention of lenses is "Must wear corrective lenses" under limitations. Nothing is stated about spares.
 
Neil11 said:
Any neither of you have any problems using a quick-donning mask with glasses?
Click to expand...

i never did my ray bans are a little bit more tricky then my regular glasses. i get the mask on then straighten the glasses.
 
I wear contacts in the day so I can wear regular sunglasses. I often wear prescription glasses at night so I don't have to wear contacts. My company requires us to have a spare set of "corrective lenses". They may be contacts or glasses.

I would highly recommend not wearing glasses to the sim - they make putting on the smoke goggles or quick donning masks a clumsy situation.
 
Neil11 said:
Any neither of you have any problems using a quick-donning mask with glasses?
Click to expand...

I use to wear the military ABC mask with glasses, we had 7 seconds, and it worked ok...the masks I saw on newer airplanes 738..seem to work just fine over any type of glasses, I did some jump seating on old 727s and 737s, those didn`t even had goggles..
 
I got spares and strated carrying them in my bag after I was involved in an airplane crash, they got lost in the the plane after we hit the ground, I`m not blind but it was a pain to go couple days with no glasses..
 
Neil11 said:
Any neither of you have any problems using a quick-donning mask with glasses?
Click to expand...

No problems with the mask with my glasses.

I usually wear contacts because I can see the center console better without turning my head. I do keep a spare pair of contact lenses in my overnight bag, but I keep a pair of glasses in my flight case where I can get to them quickly. That has been very beneficial more than once after I lost a contact in flight. Once was while being vectored for the approach.

JaceTheAce said:
I would highly recommend not wearing glasses to the sim - they make putting on the smoke goggles or quick donning masks a clumsy situation.
Click to expand...

I would highly recommend wearing your glasses to the sim at least once. Better to learn how the mask will affect your glasses in the sim rather than during an actual emergency.

I took wore my glasses a couple of PCs ago and it was a real eye opener with the mask. I even did some work after the sim ride was over to try and develop better muscle memory for donning the mask with my glasses on.
 
Neil11 said:
I'm obviously not an airline pilot, but I do have a first class medical and the only mention of lenses is "Must wear corrective lenses" under limitations. Nothing is stated about spares.
Click to expand...
Sure enough, you're right. I had one once that said I had to wear corrective lenses for distant vision and carry corrective lenses for near vision. May have been an error on the part of the doctor issuing it though.
 
walleye.jpg
 
As has previously been answered, it's not a big deal these days. I have 20/400 vision without my contacts or glasses on!

man_wearing_thick_glasses_and_a_bow_tie_17972991.jpg


My medical states that I must wear corrective lenses. They work just fine with the full face or partial masks.
 
+1 to PeanuckleCRJ

I'm 20/400 without my glasses, and hold a medical just fine. Actually, in my line of work, most pilots who need corrective lenses wear glasses. Not uncommon for everyone in the front end to have glasses on at work. And yes, a spare set is required under ICAO rules.
 
+2

Same horrible vision here. I wore contacts ten years ago, but I hated the things and stopped. I'm getting closer and closer to getting LASIK surgery, but not quite ready to pull the trigger yet.

I've never had any trouble with the mask. Of course, even after 11 years of airline flying, I think I've only put the mask on twice in the sim, both times for newhire training. We never have to put them on for recurrent rides.
 
Adler said:
My medical just says must wear corrective lenses, my company says that I have to carry a spare set of lenses. I carry contacts as my ''spare"; though I usually have my regular glasses and prescription sunglasses anyways.
Click to expand...
Your company and the ICAO. I have heard tale of pilots landing in a foreign land and not being allowed to fly out because they don't have a spare set of peepers.
 
ATN_Pilot said:
+2

Same horrible vision here. I wore contacts ten years ago, but I hated the things and stopped. I'm getting closer and closer to getting LASIK surgery, but not quite ready to pull the trigger yet.

I've never had any trouble with the mask. Of course, even after 11 years of airline flying, I think I've only put the mask on twice in the sim, both times for newhire training. We never have to put them on for recurrent rides.
Click to expand...
I know you were only entertaining the idea of overseas work recently, but I did have a buddy denied a job working overseas for having LASIK done in the past. Be careful if you want to work over here, as not all medicals are the same...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top