Related Experiment Videos
Cataracts, intra-ocular lens implants, and a flying career
B S Liddy1, K Boyd, G Y Takahashi
1Health and Welfare Canada, Ottawa, Ont.
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|July 1, 1990
Summary
Cataract surgery with intra-ocular lens implants (pseudophakia) is safe for pilots. A study found no flight incidents related to pseudophakic vision in over 16,000 hours of post-surgery flight time.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Aviation Medicine
- Pilot Health
Background:
- Cataracts impair vision, affecting pilots' ability to fly.
- Intra-ocular lens implantation (pseudophakia) corrects vision after cataract surgery.
- Canadian aviation regulations were updated to allow relicensing of pseudophakic pilots.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the safety of pseudophakic vision in Canadian pilots.
- To determine if post-cataract surgery vision poses a hazard in aviation.
- To evaluate the flight performance of pilots with intra-ocular lenses.
Main Methods:
- A follow-up study on 75 relicensed pilots who underwent cataract surgery.
- Analysis of flight incidents over 16,338 hours of post-surgery flight time.
- Inclusion of pilots across various ratings (Air Transport, Senior Commercial, Private) and flight conditions.
Main Results:
- No aircraft incidents were attributed to pseudophakic vision.
- The study encompassed diverse flight activities and climatic conditions.
- Extensive flight hours provided a robust safety dataset.
Conclusions:
- Pseudophakic correction of post-surgical cataract vision is safe for pilots.
- Intra-ocular lens implantation does not present a significant hazard in the flight environment.
- Pilots with corrected pseudophakia can maintain flight status without compromising safety.