Medical Decisions

GENERAL INFORMATION

KEYWORDS

Marine medical certificate, geographical limitations, vision

FILE NO.

MH-0228-21

SECTOR (Marine or Aviation)

Marine

SPECIFIC JOB

Bridge watchkeeper

DIAGNOSIS (Primary, Secondary, etc.)

Strabismus

REVIEW

DATE OF DETERMINATION

August 21, 2014

MEMBER

Dr. Christopher Brooks

DETERMINATION

The member agrees with the Minister’s decision.

REASONS FOR THE DETERMINATION

Issuance of a Near Coastal Class 1 (NCC1) marine medical certificate (MMC) with a geographical restriction of “limited, contiguous waters voyage” —
The applicant has had a long-standing problem with strabismus, a misalignment of the eyes, in his left eye since childhood. In 1999, Transport Canada began keeping a record of the applicant’s visual acuity and has issued him with an unlimited MMC periodically until 2010, when a “limited, contiguous waters voyage” restriction was applied to his MMC. This allowed him to serve at sea along the coastlines of Canada and the United States (excluding Hawaii), but no further offshore than 200 nautical miles. The applicant is monocular, his distance visual acuity has slipped to 6/30 in the left eye, and this is not correctable. The Minister’s evidence is compelling in regard to why, in accordance with long-standing international guidelines, the applicant is considered unfit to work in international waters. The member agrees with the Minister’s decision to restrict the applicant’s MMC to an NCC1.

APPEAL

DATE OF DECISION

MEMBERS

DECISION

REASONS FOR THE DECISION

OTHER/COMMENTS