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Failed madical maintenance

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jimicrowbar

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Hi guys im distraught. I was told i had a station maintenance job with scotrail and went for a medical yesterday and was told my left eye even with glasses is not good enough. I was told by Bupa that i wont get the job now. Has anyone got experience with this my whole future is in doubt.
 
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Ferret

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Hi guys im distraught. I was told i had a station maintenance job with scotrail and went for a medical yesterday and was told my left eye even with glasses is not good enough. I was told by Bupa that i wont get the job now. Has anyone got experience with this my whole future is in doubt.

Well, if your sight is that bad then that's pretty much that I'm afraid. Your safety is paramount so if they feel your eyesight would be a risk than that is that.

I presume you didn't notice a problem with the equipment? Strangely, when I went for a Guard's medical recently, the contraption she was using to test my eyes wasn't in the best of health, although with some perseverance she got it to work long enough for me to pass!
 

jimicrowbar

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iv booked myself in for a laser eye consultation for Tuesday. I just hope if it can be fixed they will hold my job for me I wont find out until Monday. I cant sleep. The person who did the medical referred me to the optician with a letter and said I would have to go back down for a re test but she suggested glasses not laser but my glasses are new so I need laser.
 

Ferret

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iv booked myself in for a laser eye consultation for Tuesday. I just hope if it can be fixed they will hold my job for me I wont find out until Monday. I cant sleep. The person who did the medical referred me to the optician with a letter and said I would have to go back down for a re test but she suggested glasses not laser but my glasses are new so I need laser.

Have you checked with your prospective employers that they allow somebody who has had their eyes lasered to take up that position of employment? Reason I ask is that Virgin would not consider you for a safety critical role (TM/Driver/Dispatch staff) if you had been lasered. I don't know if that policy is even still in place, but please check just in case!

 

jimicrowbar

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Thanks ill check that on Monday. I did not think my role was safety critical as its cutting grass in summer and clearing snow in winter. I hope first choice will see sense as i had to do allot to get where i am and am dammed if am going down without exploring every avenue. Thanks for you time it means allot.
 

Ferret

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Thanks ill check that on Monday. I did not think my role was safety critical as its cutting grass in summer and clearing snow in winter. I hope first choice will see sense as i had to do allot to get where i am and am dammed if am going down without exploring every avenue. Thanks for you time it means allot.

Does this job require you to go on or near the line and hold a PTS card?

 

jimicrowbar

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No its just in the stations around the north of scotland. Ill be painting benches doing a bit of cleaning and shoveling snow in winter. I do have to drive to all these stations though. DVLA say am good to drive with my glasses but if it costs £3000 then ill do it.
 

GadgetMan

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This may sound like a daft question, but when was the last time you had your eyes tested at the opticians, and are you sure your prescription hasn't changed?
 

jimicrowbar

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I had it done in Aug last year and i knew my eye was bad but got the shock of my life when they started testing them for my job. Its naive on my part I suppose but it also broke my heart at the same time. I suppose it all depends on weather they will hold the job for me an extra month. I would like to think they would meet me half way when I am offering to pay and go under surgery to achieve their standards. If that’s no commitment then you will never see it.
 

Ferret

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I had it done in Aug last year and i knew my eye was bad but got the shock of my life when they started testing them for my job. Its naive on my part I suppose but it also broke my heart at the same time. I suppose it all depends on weather they will hold the job for me an extra month. I would like to think they would meet me half way when I am offering to pay and go under surgery to achieve their standards. If that’s no commitment then you will never see it.

I agree. Well, best advice I can offer is to discuss all this with your prosepctive employer. If they'll accept lasered eyes then I think your situation is not without hope! I have my fingers crossed, especially as there's no PTS issue.
 

Oracle

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I know that if you apply for a Private Pilot's Licence the CAA may refuse to accept you if you have laser treatment and still need glasses. They also may require you to have waited fror a period of time to see how the treatment has worked. Check, as has been suggested, whether the employer will accept a treated eye, and if so after how long.

I personally am still concerned at the long-term effects of treatments.
 
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iv booked myself in for a laser eye consultation for Tuesday. I just hope if it can be fixed they will hold my job for me I wont find out until Monday. I cant sleep. The person who did the medical referred me to the optician with a letter and said I would have to go back down for a re test but she suggested glasses not laser but my glasses are new so I need laser.

I feel for you on this.
I would as a layman follow that advice. There are different types of optician, eg ophthalmic optician who may be able to give more specialist help. Opticians often have waiting lists, but hopefully you can find a recommended one or two that will squeeze you in. Your last eye test prescription etc may have not been up to the mark?
Good Luck!
 

GadgetMan

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Had a new guard at our place fail on eyesight the same as you. He'd only recently got his new glasses which he thought he could see fine through.

After failing medical, he was gutted just as you now are. He paid the optician another visit and it turned out they had got his prescription very slightly wrong. After having his 'new' glasses corrected, he paid a second visit to the medical place and was passed for the role.

Before getting involved in any expensive and unnecessary surgery, go to a well experienced optician and have your eyes tested again.

Good luck mate.
 

jimicrowbar

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Just Out of courtesy for all those that were helping me I took the advice from Clive Blackpool and went to a specialist and low & behold my prescription was so far off it was frightening. They had actually put in more or less blank lenses the specialist talked me through it and claims he has me above the pass level. I just need to get a retest now iv e-mailed 4 times and still waiting for it. New glasses due first week April. Thanks guys for the advice it just shows you to never rule anything out. Thanks to gadgetman too great simple advice.
 

Ferret

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22 Jan 2009
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4,124
Just Out of courtesy for all those that were helping me I took the advice from Clive Blackpool and went to a specialist and low & behold my prescription was so far off it was frightening. They had actually put in more or less blank lenses the specialist talked me through it and claims he has me above the pass level. I just need to get a retest now iv e-mailed 4 times and still waiting for it. New glasses due first week April. Thanks guys for the advice it just shows you to never rule anything out. Thanks to gadgetman too great simple advice.

What a fine result. Let's hope your prospective employer agrees!


 
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