Traffic medical assessment of vision

Proceed

Standard for all patients

UCVA
BCVA
Motility and interrogating double vision
Apparatus examination of the external borders of the visual field (kinetic )
Ophthalmic examination of anterior and posterior eye sections

If restrictions are suspected

Apparatus examination of the central visual field (glaucoma programme) only for
- Existing glaucoma
- Retinal atrophies (AMD with GA)
Apparatus examination of twilight and contrast vision, with
- anamnestic abnormality

Driving license categories

1st group

Category A and B
Subcategories A1 and B1
Special categories F, G and M
Subcategories D1, if limited to 3.5 t

2nd group

Category C and D
Subcategories C1 and D1
Professional passenger transport permit BPT
Traffic experts

Deviation from minimum medical requirements -> doctor level 4

Driving license with restrictions (e.g. rayon) -> doctor level 4

Medical reporting law in case of suspicion of lack of fitness to drive (without violation of medical professional secrecy)

Medical education obligation

minimum requirements

UCVA/BCVA

Lighting and distance from the visual board must be standardized
Reading speed should be 1 visual sign per second
Visual acuity level is considered met when 60% of a line is correctly recognized (3/5)

1st group:
- better eye 0.5, worse eye 0.2
- better eye 0.6, worse eye < 0.2
2nd group:
- better eye 0.9
- Bad eye 0.5

visual field

Monocular visual field test using a confrontation method

without suspicion of restriction

Monocular visual field test

Noticeable when using the confrontational method
Previously known diseases (eye diseases, visual field defects)
Suspicion of possible visual field defects due to traffic history (e.g. accident)
Method (TOP strategy unsuitable)
- kinetic perimetry (Goldmann III/4e at 5° per second or automatic) to check external borders
- static perimetry (glaucoma G2) for central 20° (1st group) 30° (2nd group)
Invalid if
- Fixation rate > 15%
- False-negative > 30%
1st group
- MD (medium defect) </= 10 dB (better eye is essential)
- Central 10° anywhere >/= 10 dB
- Central 10-20° maximum 3 defects < 10 dB of which a maximum of 2 adjacent

2nd group (same as 1st group) only:
- Central 10-30° maximum 3 defects < 10 dB of which a maximum of 2 adjacent

Peripheral field of vision

1st group: horizontal 120°, extension to the right and left 50°, up and down 20°
2nd group: horizontal 140°, extension to the right and left 80°, up and down 30°

Central field of vision

1st group: up to 20° normal (binocular)
2nd group: up to 20° normal (monocular, with both eyes) -> no binocular compensation

eye movement/double vision

Must be actively enquired, in case of suspicion -> ophthalmological examination

1st group: no restrictive double vision
2nd group: normal eye mobility, no double vision

Dual image-free viewing area with straight head position (maximum 10° deviation)

1st group: binocular central dual image-free use field of view of 20°
2nd group: Double images are only allowed in extreme positions. Exceptions for content (not new entrants) double image-free field of view of 25° view, 40° view, 30° sideways view

Twilight vision and sensitivity to glare (group 1 = 2)

no significant restriction of twilight vision
no significantly increased glare sensitivity

In case of suspicion -> equipment test

group 1:1:23
Group 2 (excluding D, D1): 1:5
Categories D, D1:1:2.7

Special aspects

Emerging one-eye (bad eye < 0.2) -> 4 months driving leave -> then inspection trip with traffic experts
new double vision -> waiting period of 3 months
stereo vision/color vision -> no criterion

Requirements for pilots and air traffic controllers (ATCO, Air Traffic Controller)

Class 1 (commercial, aircraft and helicopter)

Ophthalmic examination during selection (BAZL-licensed ophthalmologist)
General medical examination including eye test (Swiss flight station or Dübendorf aviation medical institute)
If requirements are not met -> ophthalmological examination (BAZL licensed ophthalmologist)

requisitions

Best corrected remote vision binocular 1.0 (no requirement for uncorrected visual acuity)
- Worse eye 0.7
ametropia
- Sphere: -6.0 to +5.0 diopters
- Astigmatism: 2 diopters (ATCO 3 diopters)
Anisometropy: 2 diopters (ATCO 3 diopters)
heterophoria
- far
  - Vertical 2 diopters
  - Eso 10 diopters
  - Exo 8 diopters
- close
  - Vertical 1 Doptrie
  - Eso 8 Diopter
  - Exo 12 Diopter
binocular vision: normal
Field of view: no defects (e.g. Octopus G2)
Colour: 26 plates

Specials

Keratoconus: Evaluation by BAZL ophthalmologist Dr. Roy in Geneva)
cataract surgery: flight abstinence for 1-3 months -> then evaluation by BAZL ophthalmologist)
retinal surgery: flight abstinence 6 months -> then evaluation by BAZL ophthalmologist)

Vision aids, eye surgery and implants

Permitted
- Phake IOLs (e.g. monofocal ICLs)
- Monofocal IOLs (no multifocal or EDOF IOLs)
- contact lenses (monofocal, uncoloured, no monovision, no orthokeratocontact lenses)

Class 2 (non-commercial private pilots, powered aircraft or helicopters)

Medical examination including eye test by flight doctor
If requirements are not met -> ophthalmological examination (BAZL licensed ophthalmologist)