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OP
idocsteve
Guest
If you are wearing prism in your distance eyeglasses to compensate for strabismus and resultant symptoms of diplopia (double vision) then you will almost certainly need to wear a distance eyeglass prescription with prism over your contact lenses.
If you need "readers" as well, then all of this pretty much negates the purpose of contact lenses.
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Seeing food in your advancing years also adds to life expectancy. 
Getting old is for the tough guys I guess.
Getting old is for the tough guys I guess.
Herk_Man
Contributor
Sorry folks, I just have to ask. Where do you that this information Don?
Hey, ya. Cuz Adam, Noah, Methusalah and those dudes were freaking OLD!
But if we go down this road this thread is going to suffer the mother of all hijackings!
Herk_Man
Contributor
I'm a commercial pilot and an Air Force pilot so I get plenty of eye checks. PLENTY!
:cool2:
Herk_Man
Contributor
The prism is most important in reading. One of the biggest things that led to getting it diagnosed was eyestrain while reading, resulting in a headache. For distance, it's apparently minor enough that the brain manages to correct it. One eye focuses slightly higher than the other. My prescription is:
OD Sphere +1.25 Cyl -0.50 Axis 066 Add +2.25
OS Sphere +2.75 Cyl -1.00 Axis 083 Add +2.25 HZ. Prism 1.5 Base down
(That probably tells you a lot more than my descriptions)
For diving so far, I've used just one of the hydrostatic lenses affixed inside my mask so that I can focus on my gauges. While my vision is by no means perfect, I can see plenty well enough without my glasses that diving without corrective lenses does not present a hazard. The numbers on the SPG are a bit blurry with no correction, but I know the divisions and can see the needle. I don't need to resolve the numbers into clear focus to know the first is 500, the second 1000, the third 1500, etc., so even if the hydrostatic lens comes loose or is lost, I can still determine my remaining air.
That said, I do prefer being able to focus because of the chance of sometime needing to read someone else's gauge, and theirs may not correspond to the same divisions mine does (or they may have a digital, in which case I can't rely on needle position).
OD Sphere +1.25 Cyl -0.50 Axis 066 Add +2.25
OS Sphere +2.75 Cyl -1.00 Axis 083 Add +2.25 HZ. Prism 1.5 Base down
(That probably tells you a lot more than my descriptions)
For diving so far, I've used just one of the hydrostatic lenses affixed inside my mask so that I can focus on my gauges. While my vision is by no means perfect, I can see plenty well enough without my glasses that diving without corrective lenses does not present a hazard. The numbers on the SPG are a bit blurry with no correction, but I know the divisions and can see the needle. I don't need to resolve the numbers into clear focus to know the first is 500, the second 1000, the third 1500, etc., so even if the hydrostatic lens comes loose or is lost, I can still determine my remaining air.
That said, I do prefer being able to focus because of the chance of sometime needing to read someone else's gauge, and theirs may not correspond to the same divisions mine does (or they may have a digital, in which case I can't rely on needle position).
OP
idocsteve
Guest
I used to do FAA screenings for pilots.
They consisted of a visual acuity test and a visual field test. Isochromatic color plates too if I recall. But that was it.
My guess is that your "eye checks" fall way short of a retinal exam, you probably don't even have a glaucoma test..is that correct?
OP
idocsteve
Guest
You've got a 1.5 diopter left hypertropia (aka vertical strabismus).
While the numerical value is low, the vertical component is much more difficult to compensate for than if it was horizontal. Most can probably relate to this...if the eyes tend to turn out ("wall eye"), then the eyes natural convergence ability can overcome that to an extent. If the eye turns in, there is also some natural ability of the extraocular muscles to correct that, and when reading the eyes do need to turn in to some degree so more often than not, small degrees of esotropia (crossed eye) are not bothersome especially at nearpoint.
But you have a vertical imbalance, your left eye "wants" to go up, and possibly your right eye "wants" to go down.
That's a lot more complicated, but the instinctive 'fusion reflex' can sometimes compensate and you won't get double vision...however if you were to wear glasses with no prism, or contact lenses...there's a good chance you're going to get eyestrain, headaches, and possibly double vision when tired, when feeling "under the weather", or after performing an intense visual task. I'd imagine your eye doctor has already discussed this with you.
Herk_Man
Contributor
The commercial medical is very uncomplicated. They are mainly concerned with your ability to see and function in a cockpit. But my Air Force vision check screens for glaucoma and checks the retina. Once I retire from the Air Force I will start doing a regular civvy exam. If we ever meet, remind me to tell you about the commercial hearing exam. Pretty funny story.
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