md11retiree

FAJ,

From the FAA's website:
"Devices acceptable for aviation-related duties must be FDA approved and include:

Intraocular Lenses (multifocal or accommodating intraocular lens implants)
Bifocal/Multifocal contact lenses

Examiners may issue as outlined below:

Adaptation period before certification:
Surgical lens implantation - minimum of 3 months post-operative
Contact lenses (bifocal or multifocal) – minimum of one month of use
Must provide a report to include the FAA Form 8500-7, Report of Eye Evaluation, from the operating surgeon or the treating eye specialist. This report must attest to stable visual acuity and refractive error, absence of significant side effects/complications, need of medications, and freedom from any glare, flares or other visual phenomena that could affect visual performance and impact aviation safety."

The words "stable visual acuity" etc. carry alot of weight in renewing your medical certificate after IOL surgery. I had a slightly different surgery- Conductive Keratoplasty- only AFTER I retired from the airlines, as I wasn't about to mess with my livelihood with such an operation. CK, as it's sometimes called, uses a lazer to reshape usually one eye only, the idea being that the reshape will give you 20/20 near vision in that eye, the other eye will take care of distant vision and the brain will "blend" the two and you'll go on your merry way with 20 -year- old -eyes again. Nice in theory and for about 90% of those that get this procedure. I fall under the 10% that failed and now use glasses with two difference prescriptions, which is no big deal at all, as I don't notice any difference. Once again, my brain, even with many dead cells, has blended the eyes into one focal point. Again, I did this AFTER I retired. If it ain't broke...you know the rest. Be careful about elective eye surgery and the FAA. You could be sitting at home for years following IOL if the procedure didn't work and you're now waiting on an FAA waiver for sight.