"Emily" wrote in message
ups.com...
Not a directly piloting question, but it certainly affects it.

My second class medical expires in December, so panic is starting to
set in.

I have bad eyes. Theoretically correctable to 20/20, but in reality,
toric contact lenses aren't much better than a piece of plastic in my
eye. My correction is so strong that it's difficult for me to drive
with glasses, and don't ask me to land a plane with them. So far I've
managed to hang onto my second class by sticking my finger in my eye
and manually rotating the lens before the test. I'm worried my AME is
going to start having issues with this.

I've seen two doctors in an attempt to get this taken care of, but
they both recommended LASIK (I'm not even a candidate).

Two doctors recommend it even though you're not a candidate? Could you
elaborate on that?



The
prevailing opinion seems to be that since I'm not flying for a living
(part time CFI and fly for CAP) that I don't need 20/20 vision and can
take the risks associated with the surgery. I actually had one guy
explain to me that "needing 20/20 vision to be a pilot is a myth -
don't let it stop you if you really want to learn to fly!"

Has anyone experiences this kind of treatment?

Treatment, as in LASIK?

Am I being unrealistic
to expect help in getting 20/20 vision?

No, not if LASIK is an option. I know quite a few four-eyes that looked like
they were viewing the world through Coke bottles, and they're all 20/20 now,
and one person very dear to my heart, is now 20/15, coming from
20/200something.

I have a third opinion
scheduled for next month - how do I make the doctor understand how
important this is?

Just tell him IT IS YOUR LIVLIHOOD.


(and yes, I'm aware I don't even need a medical to instruct, but CAP
requires it and frankly I'm tired of living in an astigmatism-blurred
world)

It certainly sucks!

Good luck however you go about it.


--
Matt Barrow
Performance Homes, LLC.
Cheyenne, WY