Can pilots wear glasses/corrective lenses inside the cockpit?

Question

I was wondering If I could wear corrective lenses/glasses inside the cockpit If I have a certified class 2 medical certificate?

Answer 1

Yes. All current classes of FAA-issued medical certificates allow for the use of corrective lenses in the cockpit. See Title 14 §67 Medical Standards and Certification.

Answer 2

According to the FAA, yes. For a Class 2 Medical:

• Distant Vision: 20/20 or better in each eye separately, with or without correction.
• Near Vision: 20/40 or better in each eye separately (Snellen equivalent), with or without correction, as measured at 16 inches.
• Intermediate Vision: 20/40 or better in each eye separately (Snellen equivalent), with or without correction at age 50 and over, as measured at 32 inches.

Notice the "with or without correction".

Answer 3

According to the CAA in the UK,

Class 1
Refractive error

(1) At initial examination an applicant may be assessed as fit with:

  (i) hypermetropia not exceeding +5.0 dioptres;

  (ii) myopia not exceeding -6.0 dioptres;

  (iii) astigmatism not exceeding 2.0 dioptres;

  (iv) anisometropia not exceeding 2.0 dioptres;

provided that optimal correction has been considered and no significant pathology is demonstrated.

BUT there are a long list of exceptions and further conditions that may well disqualify you anyway. And the requirements for a class 2 medical are stricter, add limits on top of this.