Distant Vision Corrected to 20/20

PICPaul

Well-Known Member
Big thanks to you for offering your time to this forum! It is such an altruistic service!

I currently hold a 1st class medical. I also wear eyeglasses which allow my distant vision to be corrected to 20/20. I can't see a thing w/o them.

Each time I go in to my AME for a renewal, I precede my visit with a trip to my Optometrist to get my prescription updated. My prescription usually doesn't change too much. Usually every two years it gets a touch worse. But, I visit the eye doctor before each AME visit because I always figure I don't even want to consider failing the eye test portion of the AME exam.

Onto my question, which comes about in the interest of saving myself a few bucks and some time.

If I were to extend my interval between visits to my optometrist in order to save some money and were to then consequently only get 20/30 or 20/40 during my AME visit I would then only qualify for a 3rd class. Assumedly, the 3rd class would be issued in lieu of the 1st class. Could I then head to the eye doctor, get an updated prescription and head back for only the eye portion of the test, like the FAA allows during checkrides, or would I have to do the entire exam again?
 
If the AME is reasonable, he will hold the medical (up to 2 weeks) and allow you to get your vision corrected. If not, you need a new AME.:)
 
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