Andreas Lubitz had eyesight problem which 'threatened his career as a pilot'

[uppityperson]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/11501771/Andreas-Lubitz-had-eyesight-problem-which-threatened-his-career-as-a-pilot.html

Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot who flew a Germanwings plane, into a mountain killing 150 people, was being treated for problems with his eyesight that might have threatened his career as a pilot, it was disclosed on Saturday.
Lubitz, 27, was suffering from ‘vision problems’ which may have compounded a psychiatric condition from which he had suffered for at least six years.

Investigators will be examining the theory that severe stress - caused by a fear he might lose his job as a consequence of failing eyesight - may have driven him to commit suicide by flying an Airbus into the side of a mountain in the French Alps on Tuesday.

The New York Times reported on Saturday that Lubitz had sought treatment at Dusseldorf University Hospital for his eyesight.

The hospital said on Friday that Lubitz had attended the hospital in February for an evaluation and then returned on March 10 for further treatment.The hospital has refused to say why Lubitz had sought treatment but significantly ruled out claims it was for depression. That would lend weight to the claims that Lubitz had gone to the eye clinic, which is situated inside the hospital....(more)

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/29/world/europe/pilot-andreas-lubitz-sought-treatment-for-vision-problems-before-germanwings-crash-authorities-say.html?_r=0

Andreas Lubitz, who was flying the Germanwings jetliner that slammed into a mountain in the French Alps on Tuesday, sought treatment for vision problems that may have jeopardized his ability to continue working as a pilot, two officials with knowledge of the investigation said Saturday.

The revelation of the possible trouble with his eyes added a new element to the emerging portrait of the 27-year-old German pilot, who the authorities say was also being treated for psychological issues and had hidden aspects of his medical condition from his employer.

It is not clear how severe his eye problems were or how they might have been related to his psychological condition. One person with knowledge of the investigation said the authorities had not ruled out the possibility that the vision problem could have been psychosomatic.

[jwirr]

1. That just adds another problem to his life which effected the psychiatric problems. The main

cause is still that psychiatric problems whatever they were.

[KMOD]

4. He had suffered from severe stress and exhaustion

in the past.

[cwydro]

2. Thanks for posting this.

I had heard something but not seen the news reports.

[Fumesucker]

3. IMO it's a mistake to intertwine too closely your job/profession with your sense of self worth..

Jobs come and go and professions change, if your sense of who you are is wrapped up too tightly with what you do for a living then losing your job gives a huge psychological blow in addition to the obvious financial one that comes with such a loss of position.

[LiberalElite]

11. Very true I'd add volunteering to this

I once considered a particular volunteer job my "real" job even though of course I wasn't paid for it. When the organization folded, I had an emotional/psychological crisis that took me months to resolve.

[KMOD]

5. Eye issues would certainly deem him

unfit to fly.

[malaise]

6. One of my cousins was a pilot

His mother's side of the family had serious diabetes and he developed it in his mid-30s.
All he ever wanted to do was fly but he was smart enough to understand the implications for his eyesight. He decided to learn the non-flying training side and writing manuals for pilots. He loves flying and is in demand in several countries. He turned 50 recently as is quite happy.

I'm not tolerating excuses for morons who kill people because their plans fall apart, and to be truthful I don't give a flying fuck about his mental issues because millions of people with mental issue don't commit mass murder.

He was a fucking narcissistic terrorist. You want to commit suicide - go kill yourself but there is never justification for mass murder.

[KMOD]

7. I'm so sorry that your cousin's

eyesight affected his dream, but that is so cool that he found another use for his skill.

I'm beginning to think that his mental issue was a sleep disorder, and the psychosomatic drugs he had were sleeping aids.

You are so right, he was a narcissistic jerk, and a mass murderer.

[malaise]

8. Most human beings had or have dreams that did not come true

but most of us re-adjust and live happy lives. I firmly believe that life is what happens after you make plans.

[valerief]

10. +1000!

[LiberalElite]

12. Yes narcissim was one of his problems -

normally I feel some empathy for people who feel things are bad enough to kill themselves but - to take innocents with you? There is no excuse.

P.S. I was suicidal years ago but got treatment.

[malaise]

14. So you are qualified to speak on the subject

I'm glad you got treatment.

[LiberalElite]

16. Just wanted to say I've been there -

but if anyone was going down back then it was only me.

[valerief]

9. Couldn't he get a gun and cabin in the woods instead? nt

[jmowreader]

13. The whole world won't know your name if you do that

And as his ex-girlfriend pointed out, he wanted the whole world to know his name.

[malaise]

15. Precisely

It was all about him

[HipChick]

17. Suicide is something one normally does alone

When you take a whole bunch of innocent folks with you, you should be called a Mass Murderer...