Subject: single eye reading correction
From: Paul
Date: 9/19/2000, 6:48 AM

Ed Anderson wrote:

 > > Yes, I think the issue is one eye dominant and focused for distance,
and the
other dominant and focused for closer vision.  This can lead to
difficulty
in depth perception; particularly for objects moving directly toward or
away.  Not a good thing for flying.

Al

Interesting discussion on depth perception, I'd like to add my 0.02 of
personal experience.
 Having gone through the experience of losing vision in my right (dominant)
eye and at the time figured my flying days (as a licensed pilot) were over.
However I found that (according to the eye Docs and based on my own
experience) true binocular depth perception in a human does not extend for
more than approx 12 ft.  Depth perception beyond that is based on
subconscious clues based on scale, perspective, and angular relationships.
Proper focusing and eye scan techniques would probably have more effect on
safety relative to a closing aircraft rather than true binocular depth
perception.

  I was required to fly with an FAA examiner (tough ride) to demonstrate I
could safely pilot an aircraft which resulted in a life-time medical waiver
(unless the vision of the remaining eye should change).   After flying over
150 hours with one eye, in my opinion, the only activity that I believe
would be inadvisable to conduct would be close formation flying.  There
knowing whether your wing tip is one foot or three feet way from your mates
wing tip is important.  Otherwise take-offs, landings, navigation, etc, just
don't seem to be affected.

FWIW

Ed Anderson
Matthews NC


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