If you are monocular, if one of your eyes is truly or legally blind or has a substandard vision, due to a condition, like an amblyopia, but you still want to be a commercial pilot and obtain Class 1 Medical certificate in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland (EASA), please proceed further.
If you haven’t already done so, please first read the introduction and learn about my eye-sight condition first, to understand the situation and assess if it’s relevant to you.
| Class 1 | Monocularity or Substandard Vision in One Eye |
|---|---|
| Visual acuity of the “bad” eye | Below corrected 0.7 (excl.) |
| Initial issue | 🔴impossible |
| Revalidation / Renewal issue | possible, with multi-crew restriction (OML) |
Although EASA distinguishes between substandard vision and monocularity, they treat both the same way. Sadly, no Class 1 can be issued to initial applicants with any of the two. There is no flexibility or waiver process in place: unfit means unfit.
The only exception known is for pilots who already hold / held a Class 1 certificate and are renewing or revalidating it. This arrangement is helpful for those with an acquired condition (those who became monocular / substandard after the initial issue of their Class 1).
EASA is notorious for their, often unnecessary, over-strictness on many matters and medical standards are no exception. What’s worse is that a solid number of countries fall victims of it.
The only possibility which remains for a new pilot is Class 2. The process is then similar to the American one: deferring the case to the medical department of the national CAA; additional ophthalmologic examination; medical flight test with an authorized flight examiner; decision. I have gone through this route, but won’t cover it here, as it is irrelevant to commercial pilots.
If you are aware of any possibility for an applicant with monocularity or substandard vision in one eye to acquire Class 1 under EASA, please let me know. I will be happy to publish the details here to help other pilots out.
Other Experiences and Discussions
- EASA AMC Medical class 1 (Reddit, December, 2022)
- Can I get an EASA Class 1 medical if I have monocular vision? (Aviation StackExchange, December 2018)
- Can you be a monocular airline pilot in Europe? (Aviation StackExchange, March 2018)
- Can I get an EASA Class 1 medical with high astigmatism? (Aviation StackExchange, May 2021)
Regulation
You can find EASA Easy Access Rules for Medical Requirements published here: https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/easy-access-rules-medical-requirements. Further, you can find the relevant provisions from this regulation.
EASA Part-MED Visual System Provisions for Class 1:
MED.B.070
<..>
(b) Visual acuity
(1) For a class 1 medical certificate:
(i) Distant visual acuity, with or without correction, shall be 6/9 (0,7) or better in each eye separately and visual acuity with both eyes shall be 6/6 (1,0) or better.
(ii) At the initial examination, applicants with substandard vision in one eye shall be assessed as unfit.
(iii) At revalidation and renewal examinations, notwithstanding point (b)(1)(i), applicants with acquired substandard vision in one eye or acquired monocularity shall be referred to the medical assessor of the licensing authority and may be assessed as fit subject to a satisfactory ophthalmological evaluation.
<..>
(d) Binocular function
(1) Applicants for a class 1 medical certificate shall be assessed as unfit, where they do not have normal binocular function and that medical condition is likely to jeopardise the safe exercise of the privileges of the license, taking account of any appropriate corrective measures where relevant.
(e) Visual fields
Applicants for a class 1 medical certificate shall be assessed as unfit, where they do not have normal fields of vision and that medical condition is likely to jeopardise the safe exercise of the privileges of the license, taking account of any appropriate corrective measures where relevant.
<..>
AMC1 MED.B.070
<...>
(f) Visual acuity
(1) Reduced vision in one eye or monocularity: Applicants for revalidation or renewal with reduced central vision or acquired loss of vision in one eye may be assessed as fit with an OML if:
(i) the binocular visual field or, in the case of monocularity, the monocular visual field is acceptable;
(ii) in the case of monocularity, a period of adaptation time has passed from the known point of visual loss, during which the applicant should be assessed as unfit;
(iii) the unaffected eye achieves distant visual acuity of 6/6 (1,0) corrected or uncorrected;
(iv) the unaffected eye achieves intermediate visual acuity of N14 and N5 for near;
(v) the underlying pathology is acceptable according to ophthalmological assessment and there is no significant ocular pathology in the unaffected eye; and
(vi) a medical flight test is satisfactory.
(2) Visual fields
Applicants with a visual field defect, who do not have reduced central vision or acquired loss of vision in one eye, may be assessed as fit if the binocular visual field is normal.EASA Part-MED Visual System Provisions for Class 2 (private pilots, for reference purposes only):
MED.B.070
<..>
(f) Visual acuity
<..>
(2) For a class 2 medical certificate:
(i) Distant visual acuity, with or without correction, shall be 6/12 (0,5) or better in each eye separately and visual acuity with both eyes shall be 6/9 (0,7) or better.
(ii) Notwithstanding point (b)(2)(i), applicants with substandard vision in one eye or monocularity may be assessed as fit, in consultation with the medical assessor of the licensing authority and subject to a satisfactory ophthalmological evaluation.
(3) Applicants shall be able to read an N5 chart or equivalent at 30-50 cm and an N14 chart or equivalent at 100 cm, if necessary with correction.
AMC2 MED.B.070
<..>
(c) Visual acuity
Reduced vision in one eye or monocularity: Applicants with reduced vision or loss of vision in one eye may be assessed as fit if:
(1) the binocular visual field or, in the case of monocularity, the monocular visual field is acceptable;
(2) in the case of monocularity, a period of adaptation time has passed from the known point of visual loss, during which the applicant should be assessed as unfit;
(3) the unaffected eye achieves distant visual acuity of 6/6 (1,0), corrected or uncorrected;
(4) the unaffected eye achieves intermediate visual acuity of N14 or equivalent and N5 or equivalent for near (Refer to GM1 MED.B.070);
(5) there is no significant ocular pathology in the unaffected eye; and
(6) a medical flight test is satisfactory.
Leave a Reply