No vision test?

[dukeblue219]

I had my third class medical today and received my student certificate. I was expecting to fail the color vision test and be issued a "NOT VALID AT NIGHT OR BY COLOR SIGNAL CONTROL" note on my certificate. However... they simply never checked my vision at all! The doctor is a pilot himself and I know he's experienced with giving aviation medicals.

Obviously I'm not going to go out and put myself in a situation where color blindness might put me or anyone else in danger, but I'm not inclined to make a big deal out of this. Was I lucky? Was the AME mistaken, or was he just giving me a break since I'm an otherwise-healthy 23 year old in good shape?

Thanks!

 

[My Flight Surgeon]

He did not do his job. I hope he does not handle heart attacks the same way

This will catch up to you some day when this AME retires and another does a color vision test. We had a 10,000 hour pilot in PHX this happened to and he now no longer can do the same flying he did before.

 

[moxiepilot]

There are however, alternate tests which can be taken in order to prove a valid ability to distinguish colors other than the commonly used Ishara plates.

For example, being red/green colorblind, you can take the Farnsworth Lantern test to show the ability to distinguish between red and green lights.

I don't have access to the AME page, but there is a list of about 15 tests that are acceptable to the FAA as substitute.

This will eliminate the restriction.

 

[My Flight Surgeon]

The point is the AME did not fulfill his responsibilites to either the pilot or the FAA.

 

[dukeblue219]

For the record, I am not planning on flying commercially so it's not going to bite me down the road. Given that failing a color-vision test would stop me from flying at night I will most likely avoid soloing at night anyway... and if I really feel ethical next time I'm at the Dr I'll bring it up. Thanks for the answer, Flight Surgeon.

 

[Bandit_Driver]

Hey doc is there more than set of Ishara plates? I have always gone through about 5-7 plates on the test. During my last the nurse pulled out a big book and I would say there was about 20 in the set and some of them were very hard to read and no they weren't the blanks lol. But 3 of them I really had to study to see the numbers.

Should I be worried?

 

[My Flight Surgeon]

There are 14, 24 and 38 plate editions. Most of us have the 14 plate book. Here are the standards: Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plates: Concise 14-plate edition: six or more errors on plates 1-11; the 24-plate edition: seven or more errors on plates 1-15; the 38-plate edition: nine or more errors on plates 1-21.

 

[Bandit_Driver]

Thanks for the info...

 

[Dorf]

I will most likely avoid soloing at night anyway

Then if you change your mind by all means warn the poor soul next to you to be ready to take the aircraft should you confuse the blue and green taxiway lights. :banghead:

 

[flytilidie]

thats messed up thanks for being responsible and not flying at night

 

[kellwolf]

Hey doc is there more than set of Ishara plates? I have always gone through about 5-7 plates on the test. During my last the nurse pulled out a big book and I would say there was about 20 in the set and some of them were very hard to read and no they weren't the blanks lol. But 3 of them I really had to study to see the numbers.

Should I be worried?

I had the same issue when I went to a different AME than I normally do. He had a different set of books. I passed, but I was having to stare an awfully long time to get the numbers to "jump out" at me.

 

[E_Dawg]

Is color vision something you can lose over time??

Because they keep whipping out the same old books every time I go in.

 

[My Flight Surgeon]

No, you do not lose it over time but you can lose it with some medications and diseases.

 

[RS1]

No, you do not lose it over time but you can lose it with some medications and diseases.

Do these medications cause permanent color vision loss? Or is it only when you are actually on them.

 

[My Flight Surgeon]

It is usually when you are on them. The most famous one is quinine.