This file is informative and does not replace the advice of your aeromedical examiner (AME). If in doubt about your visual correction or your certificate, consult your AME.
In short
If you wear glasses in flight, two points take priority. On the headset side: an over-ear (Bose A20/A30) remains the most insulating, but the arms must be thin, otherwise the seal and ANR drop and the ear marks; an in-ear (Bose ProFlight) eliminates this problem, at the cost of slightly less insulation. On the regulatory side: as soon as a visual limitation appears on your medical certificate, you must carry a spare pair of glasses a point that can be checked during a ramp inspection.
Part 1, Glasses and headset comfort: the issue of the seal
If you wear glasses, your headset choice is not just about ANR (Active Noise Reduction) or Bluetooth. The real issue is the seal around the ear.
The over-ear headset: the enemy of thick frames
Most pilot headsets (Bose A30, Lightspeed Zulu/Delta Zulu, David Clark) are circum-aural (over-ear): the ear cup surrounds the ear and presses against the skull to create a passive sound barrier. It's on this seal that the ANR relies to do its active work.
If you wear glasses with thick frames, two things happen:
- • Pain: The clamping force of the headset presses the frame into your temples. On a one-hour flight, it's fine. After four hours, it becomes unbearable.
- • Noise leak: The frame lifts the ear seal, breaking the seal. Low frequencies from the propeller enter directly, and the ANR loses a large part of its effectiveness. A high-end headset will then sound like a mid-range model.
Pilot's point, never polarized lenses. Advice that comes from a real mistake of mine: I once bought polarized Ray-Ban Aviators (the little "P" next to the logo, on the lens). In the cockpit, they are simply unusable. On a glass cockpit modern aircraft screens, polarization makes the displays unreadable: they turn black, like a screen baked by the sun for years. For flying, you need normal, non-polarized sunglasses. Never polarized in the cockpit, never.
Two practical tips: frame cushions (like "Stop Gap") slip over the arm to restore the ear pad seal when the frame creates a leak; and above all, try the headset with YOUR glasses before buying: the thickness of the arm is the decisive factor. A final warning: photochromic lenses don't darken well in flight, because the windshield filters out the UV rays that trigger their darkening; for the cockpit, prefer a fixed tint.
The in-ear headset (Bose ProFlight Series 2): wearing glasses becomes a non-issue
The other approach is the in-ear headset. The tips are pushed into the ear canal like AirPods Pro: nothing surrounds the outer ear. Consequence for a glasses wearer: the frames can be as thick as you want, no pressure, no leak, no marks. Wearing glasses ceases to be a factor. The compromise: the ANR of an in-ear is good, but a notch below a good over-ear headset.
| Headset type | Isolation | Sensitivity to glasses |
|---|---|---|
| Over-ear (A20/A30, Zulu) | Excellent | High, thin frames mandatory, marks possible |
| In-ear (ProFlight S2) | Good, < over-ear | None, nothing around the ear |
→ For choosing a headset by profile, see the ANR headsets comparison.
Part 2, Glasses and medical certificate: the spare pair is not optional
This is the point that many discover late, sometimes during a ramp check. If you need visual correction to fly, it's not just "a good idea" to have spare glasses: it is written into your certificate as a limitation code, and it is checked.
What the EASA texts say
As soon as correction is necessary, the examiner (AME/AeMC) enters a visual limitation code. These codes are defined in the EASA Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC2 MED.B.001) to be distinguished from the OML and OSL codes, which are written directly into the regulation. The main "glasses" codes:
- • VDL correction for defective distant vision (glasses or lenses) and spare pair of glasses available.
- • VML correction for defective distant, intermediate and near vision and spare pair.
- • VNL correction for defective near vision to be available and spare pair.
The common point to these three codes: they require having a spare pair of glasses, also validated by the AME/AeMC/GMP, immediately available, while exercising the privileges of the license. In other words: two pairs on board, the one you wear and the spare. These limitations can be imposed by an AME or an AeMC for class 1, class 2 and LAPL certificates.
Do not confuse: the VCL code is not a glasses code, it means "Valid by day only" and concerns color vision (class 2/LAPL). The topic is covered in the color vision and color blindness guide.
Pilot's point. In the field, it counts. When authority agents (DGTA in Belgium, or equivalent elsewhere) board for a check, they review everything (documents, insurance, weight and balance, licenses) and it easily lasts one to two hours. If they see glasses on your nose and a limitation appears on your medical, they can ask you for the second pair. Not having it is a remark at best, a real problem at worst. The spare pair lives permanently in my flight bag, period.
The reflex to know (MED.A.020)
As soon as you are prescribed corrective lenses for the first time, it is one of the situations where you must, without delay and before continuing to exercise the privileges of your license, seek the advice of your AME/AeMC (MED.A.020(b)): the time for the limitation to be recorded on the certificate.
Sunglasses, and when they count
Sunglasses as your spare pair: it depends on your class
Start with what the text says: the spare pair must correct in the same way as the one you wear (MED.B.070 g)5)), and the text says nothing about its tint. The "non-tinted" part of the regulation applies to contact lenses worn in flight (g)6)), not to spare glasses. So a non-corrective pair of sunglasses can never fulfil that role: it corrects nothing.
The rest is examiner practice, and it is not the same from one class to the other. In class 1, what is described to us is two clear corrective pairs, carried by the pilot at all times: a tint is not accepted. In class 2, Dr Marc-André Polet, an aeromedical examiner approved in Belgium, tells us that a corrective pair of sunglasses can serve as the second pair, as long as it corrects like the first one. That is his practice, described in August 2026, not a published rule.
In practice: if you fly class 1 with prescription glasses and you also want sunglasses, count three pairs. In class 2, two may be enough if the second one corrects. The only answer that counts is your examiner's: they are the one who puts the limitation on your certificate, so ask them at the time of your medical.
That being said, the sun in cruise is a real constraint, and a good pair counts. What I look for: non-polarized lenses (polarization makes dashboard screens and some windshields disappear or shimmer), a thin frame on the arms that does not break the seal of the headset ear pads, and a neutral tint that does not betray the colors of lights and instruments.
The classic Ray-Ban Aviator ticks these boxes in its non-polarized version it is, incidentally, the model originally designed for pilots. Check for the "non-polarized" mention before ordering: the same model exists in both versions, and the product sheet doesn't always highlight it.
Affiliate links, see the notice at the bottom of the page.
Flight comfort only. This pair does not meet any regulatory requirement, see the box above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fly with contact lenses instead of glasses?
Which headset for a glasses-wearer flying a piston engine aircraft?
Is an in-ear necessary because the jet would be quieter?
Do sunglasses count too?
In the same section
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