I'm slightly red-green colorbind (to a degree that makes the Ishihara tests a pain, but I can pass them), so I was looking to see if there were any FAA approved methods of correcting color vision to make the Ishihara test easier.
After quickly finding out that color-correcting lenses are specifically disallowed by the FAA, I ran across a site for a doctor claiming to have created a process that uses filters on contact lenses to make it easier to pass the ishihara test, specifically encouraging pilots to use them. Since I was somewhat curious, I filled out their "contact us" page, and got a call from them today.
The eye exam takes something like 4-7 hours, and is only done in Maryland. For the exam and one pair of soft contacts, this guy charges $8900, on top of whatever it would cost in hotel, airfare, and car rental. When asked whether these lenses were allowed by the FAA, the person I talked to hemmed and hawed for a couple of minutes before basically dodging the question and letting me know they can arrange financing for the $9000 lenses.
For comparison, LASIK in my local area runs from $2-3000 (and involves a heck of a lot more work), so I'm amazed that anyone would pay $9k for a pair of tinted soft contacts.
After quickly finding out that color-correcting lenses are specifically disallowed by the FAA, I ran across a site for a doctor claiming to have created a process that uses filters on contact lenses to make it easier to pass the ishihara test, specifically encouraging pilots to use them. Since I was somewhat curious, I filled out their "contact us" page, and got a call from them today.
The eye exam takes something like 4-7 hours, and is only done in Maryland. For the exam and one pair of soft contacts, this guy charges $8900, on top of whatever it would cost in hotel, airfare, and car rental. When asked whether these lenses were allowed by the FAA, the person I talked to hemmed and hawed for a couple of minutes before basically dodging the question and letting me know they can arrange financing for the $9000 lenses.
For comparison, LASIK in my local area runs from $2-3000 (and involves a heck of a lot more work), so I'm amazed that anyone would pay $9k for a pair of tinted soft contacts.