I’ve had many people share with me that they had to give up on their childhood dream to become a pilot due to the fact they wear glasses or contacts to attain normal vision. This is one of the biggest myths in Flight Medicine.
There are a few differences between the FAA civilian and DoD military visual acuity medical standards, but both allow a wannabe pilot to use corrective lenses to achieve that standard.
The biggest differences between the two are that the FAA only requires 20/40 vision for near vision and 20/40 for both near and distant vision to hold a Class 3 Medical Certificate.
The USAF, on the other hand, requires 20/20 for both near and far vision for all flying classes.
The FAA also requires intermediate visual acuity (32 inches) for anyone older than 50 years.
Reference FAA's AME Guide: Synopsis of Medical Standards
