Requirements for Pilots FAQ
Please select your question from the following list of FAQs:

• From the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• What does the FAA expect from pilots who undergo LASIK?
• Is a pilot required to report to the FAA that he or she has undergone LASIK or other laser eye surgery to correct vision?
• Updated
• My question is not found here

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From the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
The FAA Office of Aviation Administration has a notice for pilots who have had laser vision correction. In particular, the FAA notes that LASIK and other forms of vision corrective surgery have potential adverse effects that could be incompatible with flying duties. These include:

corneal scarring or opacities
worsening or variability of vision
night-glare
haziness of vision

What does the FAA expect from pilots who undergo LASIK?
The FAA expects that a pilot will not resume piloting aircraft until his or her own treating health care professional determines:

The post operative condition has stabilized
There have been no significant adverse effects or complications
The person meets the appropriate FAA vision standards

Is a pilot required to report to the FAA that he or she has undergone LASIK or other laser eye surgery to correct vision?
If these determinations are favorable and he or she is otherwise qualified, the pilot may immediately resume piloting but must ensure that:

The treating health care professional documents his or her determinations in the pilot's health care treatment record
A copy of that record is immediately forwarded to the Aeromedical Certification Division in Oklahoma City
And - a personal copy is retained

Updated
Updated 9/8/2000 by William Trattler, MD
http://www.cami.jccbi.gov/AAM-300/amcdfaq.html