aeromedical optometrist (if there is such a thing)

I met w/ an optometrist yesterday who stated that progressive lenses aren't
recommended for pilots cuz they blur peripheral vision. She pointed me to
either readers, classic "lined" bifocals, or bifocal contact lenses (a
couple of varieties) to solve my problem of arms being too short to read
charts.

Bob


"Barry" wrote in message news
Thanks for offering. The instruments seem slightly out of focus but
distance
out to horizon is ok. Reading glasses help but not well. Transition is
a
slight problem when going from horizon sight picture to instruments.
Also, a
1.0 or 1.25 reader solves the problem with focus on instruments but I
need a
1.5 or higher to set the altimeter or to read the compass card (and
probably
the flight computer when I get to use it. Last week I took a lesson that
started just before sundown because the tower held us short for nearly
15
minutes. I wore 1.0 readers. Forty-five minutes later during civil
twilight, reading the instruments was difficult. Forget about reading my
checklist.

You might try progressive lenses. I'm near-sighted, and after a few years
of
having more and more trouble with near vision (though always meeting the
FAA
standard) finally gave in and got progressive bifocals. It felt a little
strange for the first couple of weeks, but now I automatically tilt my
head as
needed to see clearly.

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 18:40:26 GMT, "Bob Clough"
wrote:

I met w/ an optometrist yesterday who stated that progressive lenses aren't
recommended for pilots cuz they blur peripheral vision.

Then "Smart Seg" is the way to go. You get a line, like any
oldfashioned bifocal, but the side vision remains unchanged.

I don't think she meant peripheral vision, though! Peripheral vision
is always blurred! Perhaps she meant shooting a side glance out of the
edge of the lens. It's true that with a conventional bifocal, the
glass to the outside is the distance Rx. This is useful when you're
looking down at something on the floor.

Remember this: any change you make to your vision, whether it's
glasses for the first time, or bifocals or progressive lenses, will
become second nature in a very short time.

(Just don't do what my father did, when he mounted onto a scafolding
his first day at work after getting bifocals. He glanced down, stepped
between two planks, and got a hernia recovering.)

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

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