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Thread: Glasses for an airline pilot

  1. #1
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    Glasses for an airline pilot

    Have a chap who just started flying his bifocals OK but intermediate non existant obviously.

    He wants a Varifocal?

    Any suggestions on best type of Varifocal for flying or perhaps a recommended trifocal?

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    Depends on whether he has overhead instruments locate a short or intermediate distance from eye. Den you got's real trouble.

    Chip

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    I think you should look for something with as much peripheral clarity as possible. At least you have a few choices in freeform nowadays. Check into the Zeiss Individual, or the Autograph 2. Don't forget about plain old Trifocals as well, no distortion. Just my simple opinion.

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    Great point Chip!! I guess lifestyle questions are sort of important huh?

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    Master OptiBoarder rbaker's Avatar
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    Been flying since 1956. A carefully fitted occupational FT-28 is my lens of choice.

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    Quote Originally Posted by rbaker View Post
    Been flying since 1956. A carefully fitted occupational FT-28 is my lens of choice.
    Do you mean a double-D?

  7. #7
    Master OptiBoarder rbaker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by finefocus View Post
    Do you mean a double-D?
    Yes . . . bifocal or trifocal as needed.

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    Quote Originally Posted by rbaker View Post

    Been flying since 1956. A carefully fitted occupational FT-28 is my lens of choice.


    That also should be the choice as their is no distortive parts to these lenses, even if I read of airline pilots using PALS in the cockpit.

    http://www.airtalk.org/progressive-l...s-vt75329.html

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    Bad address email on file RetroRat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by finefocus View Post
    Do you mean a double-D?
    I would have thought a pair of double-D's would be a distraction to most pilots

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    Having worked for a pilot/optician and fit many a fly-boy I can tell you that they prefer a flat top bi or tri over a progressive. No polorized lenses either.

  11. #11
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter DragonLensmanWV's Avatar
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    Hmmm, the pilots here want polarized lenses.
    DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
    "There is nothing patriotic about hating your government or pretending you can hate your government but love your country."

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    Quote Originally Posted by DragonLensmanWV View Post
    Hmmm, the pilots here want polarized lenses.
    Not sure why they don't here but they don't. Instruments? They all want the old B&L metal goggle with glass g-15 lenses, now mind you these guys are mostly senior citizens flying vintage planes so it may be the authenticity thing they are after.

  13. #13
    Master OptiBoarder rbaker's Avatar
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    The reason they want G-15 or Truecolor in crown glass is because this material offers the greatest visual acuity and maximum elimination of those pesky ultravioley rays. Polarized lenses may conflict with some flight instruments that have polarized face plates.

    All that being said, the best route is to give the pilot what he wants. He wants a progressive lens in a monocle - give him a progressive in a monocle.

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    Doh! braheem24's Avatar
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    If he's training very unlikely he has an overhead anything, IF he's training with a G1000 instrument panel made by Garmin, you may want to explain the polar option on LCD screens at 45 degrees off axis.

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    Master OptiBoarder AngeHamm's Avatar
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    Having flashbacks to my early lab days. Made a lot of double-D segs for Northern Virgfinia pilots around 1990. Lots of trifocal lower, bifocal uppers.
    I'm Andrew Hamm and I approve this message.

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    Quote Originally Posted by AngeHamm View Post
    Having flashbacks to my early lab days. Made a lot of double-D segs for Northern Virgfinia pilots around 1990. Lots of trifocal lower, bifocal uppers.
    My favorite pilot patient (777 Captain) likes low-fitted trifocals, non-polar brown C, and then polaroid grey C for his glider.
    Asidem: Has anyone ever done an upside down PAL for some special purpose?

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    Snoozy isn't an optician.

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    How about TRIVEX NXT G15, Individually optimized PAL. Or, if intermediate distance required for overhead instruments PAL on the bottom and FT or Round Seg 35 on the top, or Bifocal or Trifocal on the bottom and PAL on the top? Just find out exactly what the needs are, what intermediate viewing distance is and Quest Optical Specialty Lab will accommodate you. If you need vocational lens availability catalog I will be happy to send it to you.

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    Thank you all for your help.

    Even Chip however I fail to see relevance in your statement that I am not an Optician.

    Should I scan my GOC registration and put it online sorry I missed that in the T and Cs?

    I simply have been out of Optics for last 10 years whilst running refractive laser clinics in UK.

    Now back looking after my own Optical shops that I have owned for 20 years and starting to get
    some enthusiasm back.


    Thanks Chip for your kind comments.

  20. #20
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    One solution that I have used well is using different types (one polar, one not) of magnetic clip-on's over a clear pair, so I would give the pilot the option of trading clips depending on his/her conditions. Many instruments now can be seen under Polarized light, so its less of a concern than it was. Sometimes a non-Polarized lens will allow the the glint of a distant plane through the lens, so some of my pilot patients would wear polarized clips except when landing and would scan the sky with a non-polar pair to make sure no small planes were flying below the radar. Also, in water landings non-polar lenses will show the surface better, and here in Washington we have a lot of float planes. I have done these sets for Boeing test pilots who were very pleased with their ability to choose the best lens for their conditions. Also, almost all of the pilots I have fit in Progressives, usually an Auto II, Seiko Succeed but I would also fit a GT2-3D without hesitation. All have very good distance vision. Brown or Green is prefered for pilots than standard Gray, the loss of depth perception with Gray is enormous.

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    Quote Originally Posted by snoozy View Post
    Even Chip however I fail to see relevance in your statement that I am not an Optician.
    Should I scan my GOC registration and put it online sorry I missed that in the T and Cs?
    I simply have been out of Optics for last 10 years whilst running refractive laser clinics in UK.
    Now back looking after my own Optical shops that I have owned for 20 years and starting to get
    some enthusiasm back. Thanks Chip for your kind comments.
    Snoozy, you are responding very gracefully, and I am sorry that you were treated so unkindly here on Optiboard. I hear from many people who don't visit or post here anymore because some people are not as kind as they could be.

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    Snoozy: If an appology is due, I give you one. But I cannot even begin to believe that an "Ophthalmic Dispenser" would need to know the applications and needs for bifocals, progressives and trifocals. Only a very green apprentice or consumer would hint that he didn't know these basics. Some might argue the various merrits of these as there are those on Optiboards that think the latest technology is the only thing to concider for any application and others that feel some of the older technologies might provide a better solution. But none would ask "what's a bifocal, a trifocal and progressive used for?

    Chip

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    Chip you just do not get it.
    You still seem determined to question my integrity.
    I am neither green or a consumer .
    .
    You no doubt are very knowledgeable withregards the Optical business
    however some basic manners would greatly be appreciated.

  24. #24
    raghuram
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    Re: Need Of Bifocals

    Hi...

    Can any one suggest what is the need of using glasses or any kind of bifocals for pilots...is it useful for them for proper maintenance as the flight is covered properly...generally air crafts pilots only use glasses...

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    The answer to this question is there is no real answer. Just like with any patient you have to ask the "lifestyle" or in this case "flightstyle" questions. Each cockpit is different as is each pilot's preferences. For example, my family only flys WACO airplanes from the 20s-40s. All the instruments are set at an excellent intermediate height with no LCD.

    You have to determine from him what his flight experience consists of and what his needs as a pilot are.

    I often hear inexperienced or poorly educated opticians say pilots can never wear polarized. There is little farther from the truth. There certainly are a segment of the piloting community who would have their flight performance hampered by polarized, but to make a blanket statement that no pilot should ever wear polarized is incorrecr. Talk to him, find his needs and the right lens will present itself to you. however, after asking the right questions if you still are stumped as to how to best suit your patients needs, post the specifics and maybe someone can help focus you to the right areas and give you pros and cons to what he will run into with various lenses.

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