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Red/Green Color Deficiency

kb2012

New Member
Apparently there are contact lenses created to help fix color deficiencies and has a 100% pass rate for the Ishahara plate tests. Are you allowed to wear contacts to a flight physical? Will they accept these contacts or even glasses used to correct color deficiency in order to pass the color vision test?
 

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
I'm pretty sure the aeromedical guide explicitly states the conditions for all tests (including what light you need to shine on the PIP), so I doubt they'll let you wear (unapproved) contacts or glasses to correct color vision. That being said, I HATE the ishihara test, and have failed it before, but usually pass. I am slightly deficient, but can usually make it out if given a few courtesy seconds to see it. Worst case, they can do the FALANT as a backup (although I hear this may not be approved anymore?) and if you can't pass the FALANT, you are seriously deficient/colorblind.

If you want to game it... you can always buy the various PIPs on amazon.com... just saying. But if you can't see the plates EVER, it won't help. It may only help you "see" the weirdly cursive numbers and/or know which plates are trick plates that show you nothing.

Not condoning gaming the test, just saying it's out there.
 

jmcquate

Well-Known Member
Contributor
Not condoning gaming the test, just saying it's out there.
Red and green are important colors in aviation, The OP should tread lightly. Try to never let ambition trump integrity. It will always bite you in the ass.
 

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Red and green are important colors in aviation, The OP should tread lightly. Try to never let ambition trump integrity. It will always bite you in the ass.

Agreed. Like I said, you can't memorize and attempts at "gaming" are not going to help if you truly are deficient.
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Pretty sure all eye tests have to be done without any aids or augmentation like glasses or contacts. To this day I still have to take my glasses off for every eye test even though I can't see the top of the eye chart. Don't try and game the system either or cheat, they can tell and it will likely end very badly.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
Apparently there are contact lenses created to help fix color deficiencies and has a 100% pass rate for the Ishahara plate tests. Are you allowed to wear contacts to a flight physical? Will they accept these contacts or even glasses used to correct color deficiency in order to pass the color vision test?

you either have normal color vision or don't
 

DCUSN

New Member
you either have normal color vision or don't
There are waivers for mild color vision deficiency. If you fail the ishihara but pass the FALANT at NAMI, you should have no problem getting a waiver.

No, you cannot wear contact lenses or glasses when being tested.
 

armada1651

Hey intern, get me a Campari!
pilot
Red and green are important colors in aviation, The OP should tread lightly. Try to never let ambition trump integrity. It will always bite you in the ass.

I can't pass the Ishihara test to save my life, but the FALANT is no problem, and I've never had any trouble with my color vision in flying.
 

nittany03

Recovering NFO. Herder of Programmers.
pilot
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Pretty sure all eye tests have to be done without any aids or augmentation like glasses or contacts. To this day I still have to take my glasses off for every eye test even though I can't see the top of the eye chart. Don't try and game the system either or cheat, they can tell and it will likely end very badly.
I was part of the waiver cohort for PRK, back in the Bronze Age before LASIK was cool. One of the tests they did at NAMI (not for my initial long form offsite, but for the actual NAMI Whammy) was a contour scan of my whole cornea. The corpsman showed me a big blue divot in the scan and said "you got PRK, didn't you, sir?"

"Yep, and I'm in the study."

"I can tell because of this scan."
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
There are waivers for mild color vision deficiency. If you fail the ishihara but pass the FALANT at NAMI, you should have no problem getting a waiver.

No, you cannot wear contact lenses or glasses when being tested.

one of my candidates was labeled as "color deficient" and was not allowed to proceed with SNA, I am guessing he couldn't pass the FALANT, I found the FALANT much easier than the ishihara
 

kb2012

New Member
I appreciate the advice gentlemen. I don't want any of you to think I'm trying to game the game because I'm not that person. The reason I ask is because I read that glasses are acceptable for wear while flying, so I didn't know if they would accept glasses to correct color vision instead of correcting visual acuity. Seems to be the same to me as far as wearing glasses to correct something. I wasn't sure if the medical standards reflected that or not, or whether it was a gray area.

I failed the Ishahara test my first flight physical. Got sent to the FALANT test and the tester told me it would be red or green, then halfway through told me it could be red green or white, and that they could also be the same color. I asked to start over but he told me I could not do that and had to take what I got. Due to this testing error, I decided to compete for a competitive air contract at TBS and retake it, but saw that the FALANT is no longer used to determine color vision. So now I'm testing myself on Ishahara plates online (I know, not quite the same) and stumbled upon color vision correcting glasses/contacts that are legit.
 

kb2012

New Member
I'm also seeing in the medical standards for color vision that you are allowed to wear "best corrected spectacles" as long as they are not shaded. Can best corrected technically mean color corrected lenses (given that they are clear lenses)?
 

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
I'm also seeing in the medical standards for color vision that you are allowed to wear "best corrected spectacles" as long as they are not shaded. Can best corrected technically mean color corrected lenses (given that they are clear lenses)?
If it's not prescribed, I'd be willing to bet it's a hearty "no". Plus I don't think military flight surgeons would endorse color correcting glasses which is not a clinically approved treatment that's been tested and vetted. Not to mention, I think those glasses have a slight tiny to them anyway.
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I'm also seeing in the medical standards for color vision that you are allowed to wear "best corrected spectacles" as long as they are not shaded. Can best corrected technically mean color corrected lenses (given that they are clear lenses)?

No. A quick Google search found this form (PDF link) and the following instruction on it under 'Preparation for Testing' on the second page:

4. If examinee ordinarily wears contact lenses or glasses for distance, they should be worn. Color correcting lenses, if worn, must be removed prior to testing.
 
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