Class 1:

6.3.3.1  The function of the eyes and their adnexa shall be normal. There shall be no active pathological condition, acute or chronic, nor any sequelae of surgery or trauma of the eyes or their adnexa likely to reduce proper visual function to an extent that would interfere with the safe exercise of the applicant’s licence and rating privileges.

6.3.3.2 Distant visual acuity with or without correction shall be 6/9 or better in each eye separately, and binocular visual acuity shall be 6/6 or better. No limits apply to uncorrected visual acuity. Where this standard of visual acuity can be obtained only with correcting lenses, the applicant may be assessed as fit provided that:

a) such correcting lenses are worn during the exercise of the privileges of the licence or rating applied for or held; and

b) in addition, a pair of suitable correcting spectacles is kept readily available during the exercise of the privileges of the applicant’s licence.

Note 1.— 6.3.3.2 b) is the subject of Standards in Annex 6, Part I.

Note 2.— An applicant accepted as meeting these provisions is deemed to continue to do so unless there is reason to suspect otherwise, in which case an ophthalmic report is required at the discretion of the Licensing Authority. Both uncorrected and corrected visual acuity are normally measured and recorded at each re-examination. Conditions which indicate a need to obtain an ophthalmic report include: a substantial decrease in the uncorrected visual acuity, any decrease in best corrected visual acuity, and the occurrence of eye disease, eye injury or eye surgery.

Applicants may use contact lenses to meet this requirement provided that:

 a)  the lenses are monofocal and non-tinted;

 b)  the lenses are well tolerated; and

 c)  a pair of suitable correcting spectacles is kept readily available during the exercise of the licence privileges.

6.3.3.2.2 Applicants with a large refractive error shall use contact lenses or high-index spectacle lenses.

 6.3.3.2.3 Applicants whose uncorrected distant visual acuity in either eye is worse than 6/60 shall be required to provide a full ophthalmic report prior to initial Medical Assessment and every five years thereafter.

 Note 2.— Guidance on the assessment of monocular applicants under the provisions of 1.2.4.8 is contained in the

6.3.3.4 The applicant shall have the ability to read, while wearing the correcting lenses, if any, required by 6.3.3.2, the N5 chart or its equivalent at a distance selected by that applicant in the range of 30 to 50 cm and the ability to read the N14 chart or its equivalent at a distance of 100 cm. If this requirement is met only by the use of near correction, the applicant may be assessed as fit provided that this near correction is added to the spectacle correction already pre- scribed in accordance with 6.3.3.2; if no such correction is prescribed, a pair of spectacles for near use shall be kept readily available during the exercise of the privileges of the licence. When near correction is required, the applicant shall demonstrate that one pair of spectacles is sufficient to meet both distant and near visual requirements.

 Note 1.— N5 and N14 refer to the size of typeface used. For further details, see the Manual of Civil Aviation Medicine (Doc 8984).

 Note 2.— An applicant who needs near correction to meet this requirement will require “look-over”, bifocal or perhaps multifocal lenses in order to read the instruments and a chart or manual held in the hand, and also to make use of distant vision, through the windscreen, without removing the lenses. Single-vision near correction (full lenses of one power only, appropriate for reading) significantly reduces distant visual acuity and is therefore not acceptable.

 Note 3.— Whenever there is a requirement to obtain or renew correcting lenses, an applicant is expected to advise the refractionist of reading distances for the visual flight deck tasks relevant to the types of aircraft in which the applicant is likely to function.

6.3.3.4.1 When near correction is required in accordance with this paragraph, a second pair of near-correction spectacles shall be kept available for immediate use.

 6.3.3.5  The applicant shall be required to have normal fields of vision.

 6.3.3.6  The applicant shall be required to have normal binocular function.

Note.— Defective stereopsis, abnormal convergence not interfering with near vision, and ocular misalignment where the fusional reserves are sufficient to prevent asthenopia and diplopia may not be disqualifying.

Class 2:

6.4.3.2 Distant visual acuity with or without correction shall be 6/12 or better in each eye separately, and binocular visual acuity shall be 6/9 or better. No limits apply to uncorrected visual acuity. Where this standard of visual acuity can be obtained only with correcting lenses, the applicant may be assessed as fit provided that:

a) such correcting lenses are worn during the exercise of the privileges of the licence or rating applied for or held; and

b) in addition, a pair of suitable correcting spectacles is kept readily available during the exercise of the privileges of the applicant’s licence.

Note.— An applicant accepted as meeting these provisions is deemed to continue to do so unless there is reason to suspect otherwise, in which case an ophthalmic report is required at the discretion of the Licensing Authority. Both uncorrected and corrected visual acuity are normally measured and recorded at each re-examination. Conditions which indicate a need to obtain an ophthalmic report include: a substantial decrease in the uncorrected visual acuity, any decrease in best corrected visual acuity, and the occurrence of eye disease, eye injury or eye surgery.