| GENERAL INFORMATION
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| KEYWORDS
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Marine medical certificate, vision, diabetes
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| FILE NO.
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MH-0431-28
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| SECTOR (Marine or Aviation)
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Marine
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| SPECIFIC JOB
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Assistant steward in the catering trade
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| DIAGNOSIS (Primary, Secondary, etc.)
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Primary: High myopia
Secondary: Diabetes
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| REVIEW
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| DATE OF DETERMINATION
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January 24, 2018
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| MEMBER
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Dr. Christopher Brooks
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| DETERMINATION
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Minister’s decision is confirmed.
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| REASONS FOR THE DETERMINATION
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Refusal to issue a marine medical certificate (MMC) — The applicant has held an MMC since at least 2012. He wears corrective eyeglasses for a condition called “high myopia”. His uncorrected distance acuity had never been measured by an optician or ophthalmologist for the purpose of obtaining an MMC until March 10, 2016. The measurement showed that the applicant had an uncorrected distance vision below the standard of 20/200 for a seafarer; consequently, Transport Canada (TC) withdrew his MMC. The applicant stated in his request for review that with his corrective lenses, he has been doing his job with no problem for six years and that he wishes to have his MMC restored. The national and international guidelines state that all seafarers should have a minimal distance acuity of not less than 20/200 in both eyes. However, for several years the applicant received an MMC from TC that certified him as fit. During that time, the department should have requested that the applicant’s ophthalmologist/optometrist provide his uncorrected vision numbers, which was not done and TC incorrectly certified him as fit. This mistake was not noticed until March 2016 when the applicant tried to renew his MMC. Because of the applicant’s high myopia, it is not safe for him to continue working at sea and it is certainly not in the interest of public safety.
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| APPEAL
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| DATE OF DECISION
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| MEMBERS
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| DECISION
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| REASONS FOR THE DECISION
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| OTHER/COMMENTS
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