FAA Pilot License and
Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, etc.

About three months post-op or when your vision has stabilized, whichever is greater, you need to visit your eye doctor and have him/her complete the FAA Eye Exam Form 8500-7. This form is available from your friendly Airman Medical Examiner (AME). Keep a copy and forward the form to the FAA. They will then contact you.

As long as one eye corrects to Snellen 20/40 or better, you can get a Third Class Airman Medical Certificate approval. You are allowed up to 5.00 diopters of correction for First and Second Class Airman Medical Certificate. By the way, pilots can fly with one eye, as long as they have gone through the approval process.

If you fly commercially or plan to fly in the military, you should get a clearance from your employer or commanding officer, in writing, before surgery. Many military pilots are restricted from certain types of refractive surgery. Each major air carrier reserves the right to set its own medical standards. You will need to seek a response (I recommend written) from each carrier where you would like to be employed.

A website with current information is Virtual Flight Surgeons.

Following is the actual requirement FAR Part 61 including Amendment 61-105 published in the Federal Register on 10/5/98.:

Sec. 61.23 Medical certificates: Requirement and duration. (a) Operations requiring a medical certificate. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a person: (1) Must hold a first-class medical certificate when exercising the privileges of an airline transport pilot certificate; (2) Must hold at least a second-class medical certificate when exercising the privileges of a commercial pilot certificate; or (3) Must hold at least a third-class medical certificate-- (i) When exercising the privileges of a private pilot certificate; (ii) When exercising the privileges of a recreational pilot certificate; (iii) Except as specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, when exercising the privileges of a student pilot certificate; (iv) When exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate, except for a flight instructor certificate with a glider category rating, if the person is acting as the pilot in command or is serving as a required pilot flight crewmember; or (v) Except for a glider category rating or a balloon class rating, prior to taking a practical test that is performed in an aircraft for a certificate or rating at the recreational, private, commercial, or airline transport pilot certificate level. (b) Operations not requiring a medical certificate. A person is not required to hold a medical certificate: (1) When exercising the privileges of a pilot certificate with a glider category rating; (2) When exercising the privileges of a pilot certificate with a balloon class rating; (3) When exercising the privileges of a student pilot certificate while seeking a pilot certificate with a glider category rating or balloon class rating; (4) When exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate with a glider category rating; (5) When exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate if the person is not acting as pilot in command or serving as a required pilot flight crewmember; (6) When exercising the privileges of a ground instructor certificate; (7) When serving as an examiner or check airman during the administration of a test or check for a certificate, rating, or authorization conducted in a flight simulator or flight training device; or (8) When taking a test or check for a certificate, rating, or authorization conducted in a flight simulator or flight training device. (c) Duration of a medical certificate. (1) A first-class medical certificate expires at the end of the last day of-- (i) The sixth month after the month of the date of examination shown on the certificate for operations requiring an airline transport pilot certificate; (ii) The 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the certificate for operations requiring a commercial pilot certificate or an air traffic control tower operator certificate; and (iii) The period specified in paragraph (c)(3) of this section for operations requiring a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), or a student pilot certificate. (2) A second-class medical certificate expires at the end of the last day of-- (i) The 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the certificate for operations requiring a commercial pilot certificate or an air traffic control tower operator certificate; and (ii) The period specified in paragraph (c)(3) of this section for operations requiring a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), or a student pilot certificate. (3) A third-class medical certificate for operations requiring a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), or a student pilot certificate issued-- (i) Before September 16, 1996, expires at the end of the 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the certificate; or (ii) On or after September 16, 1996, expires at the end of: (A) The 36th month after the month of the date of the examination shown on the certificate if the person has not reached his or her 40th birthday on or before the date of examination; or (B) The 24th month after the month of the date of the examination shown on the certificate if the person has reached his or her 40th birthday on or before the date of the examination.

[Amdt. 61-102, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997; Amdt. 61-103, 62 FR 40895, July 30, 1997]