PILOTDISCOVERY TOPIC
Browse PilotDiscovery guidance, explainers, and training resources in this topic.
VISION
Yes, you can absolutely become a pilot if you suffer from heterophoria. Being diagnosed with heterophoria does not equate to an automatic disqualification from being able to earn your pilot license. Having said that, the path to earning the requisite medical clearance to fly requires a concerted effort, to demonstrate that your heterophoria does not […]
Read the guide →VISION
Did you know that individuals with monocular vision can become pilots? Despite the challenges that this visual impairment presents, it is absolutely within the realm of possibility for aspiring aviators with monocular vision to achieve their goals. The path to achieving this goal may be full of obstacles and hurdles. But the good news is […]
Read the guide →VISION
Let’s set the record straight: Hyperopia, also known as farsightedness, does not disqualify you from becoming a pilot. As long as you can demonstrate that your vision falls within the parameters set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with or without approved corrective measures, you should be able to pass your FAA medical exam […]
Read the guide →VISION
Yes, pilots can fly with cataracts, but only if you seek the necessary treatment and can subsequently pass a vision test that falls within the parameters set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Believe it or not, over a million individuals in the United States find their world dimming each year due to cataracts. […]
Read the guide →VISION
Being diagnosed with glaucoma does not automatically sound the death knell on your aviation career, in and of itself. While a glaucoma diagnosis does constitute grounds for your Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) to deny you a medical certificate, the good news is that approval versus denial is not entirely black and white. Depending on the […]
Read the guide →VISION
Let’s make one thing clear: Amblyopia (commonly known as a “lazy eye”) does not, in and of itself, automatically disqualify you from becoming a pilot. Ok good. Now that we got that out of the way, let me further elaborate: If you suffer from amblyopia, you can obtain your pilot license… … but only if […]
Read the guide →VISION
Farsightedness in and of itself does not automatically disqualify you from becoming a pilot. As long as you can demonstrate that your vision falls within Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines, with or without any type of corrective vision, you should have no problem obtaining your medical clearance to fly. Hyperopia (also commonly referred to as […]
Read the guide →VISION
Myopia does not automatically disqualify you from becoming a pilot. Having said that, if you suffer from myopia, you will need to take corrective action in order to address the issue before you can be cleared to fly. Suffering from myopia myself, I know from first hand experience how nervous your visit to the Aviation […]
Read the guide →VISION
Colorblindness does not automatically disqualify you from becoming a pilot. There are a number of factors at play that determine the boundaries and limitations of what you can and cannot do as a colorblind pilot. But seldom will you find a pilot being outright disbarred from earning their pilot license simply for being colorblind. Based […]
Read the guide →VISION
As a general aviation pilot suffering with both astigmatism and nearsightedness, I have been on the fence about getting LASIK for a long time now. I’ve been weary of the risks, and have been content with wearing glasses. However, after doing some research, I may consider getting it done sometime in the near future. And […]
Read the guide →VISION
As someone who has always dreamed of flying, I was disheartened when my optometrist diagnosed me with astigmatism during a routine eye exam. At that moment, I thought my dreams of becoming a pilot may have been shattered. After doing some research however, and speaking with professionals in the industry, I quickly learned that having astigmatism does not […]
Read the guide →VISION
One of the most common misconceptions about aviation is whether or not you can wear glasses, contact lenses, or even get LASIK done, and still be an airplane pilot. At first glance (pun intended), the answer may not seem so “clear-cut” (pun intended again). Yet the answer is actually hiding in plain sight (pun intended […]
Read the guide →