Pilot Eye Exercises

Before regulations for uncorrected vision were relaxed, many pilots attempted to improve their vision through eye exercises. Whether these exercises actually improved vision is debatable. In 1997, the FAA dropped the requirement for 20/100 uncorrected vision for a first class physical with no wavers. The airlines soon followed suit, relaxing their own vision requirements. The myth that pilots must have perfect vision has long since passed. There are, however, some vision exercises that can be of benefit specifically to pilots, but they have nothing to do with actually improving vision.

Tunnel Vision

• Tunnel vision, or cognitive narrowing, is not a vision problem but a condition that many people experience when under stress. For pilots, this could prove to be detrimental because the pilot may lose the big picture and not catch critical information. If you feel yourself experiencing tunnel vision, one way to combat it is to focus on something immediately in front of you, preferable at eye level. A switch or warning light on the glare shield for example. Stare at the object for a few seconds then slowly expand your peripheral vision to encompass as much of the cockpit as possible without moving your head.

Night vision

• Transitioning from a brightly lighted cockpit to a night landing can cause problems if certain precautions aren't taken. Anyone driving a car at night with the dome light on knows the difficulty in seeing outside. Pilots landing at night, especially at airports away from city lights, experience the same problem. To make the transition go smoother, dim the cockpit lights at least 30 minutes prior to landing. This gives your eyes a chance to adapt to the lower light condition.

Eye strain

• Eye strain in the cockpit can occur if you tend to focus on the instruments for an extended period of time. To combat this problem, find something to focus on that is at a different distance from your eye. This could be an object on the ground. It could be something in the cockpit.