Eyesight Problem

[PaPatriot]

I'm 60 yrs. old and have just started shooting in the USPSA Production class. My issue is that I wear bifocals all the time because I'm very near sighted(@20-200). What can I do to be able to see both the front sight and the targets. Right now I'm using a stick-on reading lens on my the top of my right eye lens to be able to see the sights when my head is tilted down while shooting. This works but I'm not really happy with it and I'm looking for a better solution short of going to the Open Class $$$$ with a red dot sight. Anybody out there have a better solution?

I'm new here so if there is a better Forum to post this on let me know.

[Reshoot]

I feel your pain, Patroit! I am in the same situtation. Shoot, I can not even tell if I hit cardboard targets. I just take my best shot, and hope for the best. But, I have a whole lot of fun!

Solutions? Nope, I have none.

Dave

[bdpaz]

A. Try a compromise distance correction for your dominant eye where the target is less clear but you can kinda sorta see the sights.

B. Only shoot outdoors in really bright sunlight with clear lenses giving you your maximum depth of field.

I'm mildly near sighted and B is the only thing that works for me.

[lilbeauxdawg]

rudy projects and some other companies (cant think of them off the top of my head) make glasses that have an insert behind the actual tinted lense meant for a prescription lense. my dad had the right lense (dominant eye) set to see the front sight and the left lense set regular or to see the targets. your eye doctor should be able to measure the distance from your eye to the front sight a make a set of lenses for you. when you aim the target will be a little fuzzy but just aim for center mass and u should be fine.

just an idea.

[chirpy]

I'm 63 and have the same problem! Since I don't figure on giving TGO a run for his money (even on his just replaced knee) I do the best I can. I find that a fiber optic front sight with the green insert works best for me because the dot is round and sharp and draws my attention, whereas the red/orange fiber is fuzzy. Am wanting to try the idea of two different lenses in my glasses but haven't done it yet. Good luck, stay safe and have fun.

FWIW

Richard

[gfmun]

I understand. I am 67 and have been shooting USPSA for 2 years. I have bought and tried every front sight on the market and tried 3 different types of shooting glasses. I now shoot Open with a C-More red dot.

thanks,

George

[Jaxshooter]

Same here. I wear contacts most of the time. I wear a lens in my dominate eye (right) close focus on front sight. I wear a lens in my left eye for distance. When I shoot with glasses I just wear my single vision for distance. I switched to a 6" Limited gun and can really tell the difference. The longer sight plane really helps.

'

[JThompson]

I understand. I am 67 and have been shooting USPSA for 2 years. I have bought and tried every front sight on the market and tried 3 different types of shooting glasses. I now shoot Open with a C-More red dot.

thanks,

George

There ya go.

[briansea2]

I feel your pain, Patroit! I am in the same situtation. Shoot, I can not even tell if I hit cardboard targets. I just take my best shot, and hope for the best. But, I have a whole lot of fun!

Solutions? Nope, I have none.

Dave

You mean some people can see that they hit the target. Must be nice cause I cant. I went to open but it is not a lot of help because I am color blind also and seeing red is my worst color.

B

[CocoBolo]

Looks like you have an optical answer. Now I'll throw you a shooting tip, quit looking for the holes, you spend more time looking for holes than you do shooting. Call your shot and move on.

At 61 I'm blind in one eye can't see out the other, but I manage to shoot Iron Sights, I can't focus on the front sight or my eye turns wrong side out so I shoot it like a dot just focus on the target and bring the sight into the view, I pick up the V and the fiber optic but don't force focus on it.

Dry fire to the point that every time you mount the gun its spot on where you are looking and it makes things much easier.

[Graham Smith]

I'm 60+, right handed, left eye dominant, presbyopia, mild astigmatism, and mild cataracts. Here are a few things that I have found help me:

A green fiber optic on the front sight of my Glock 35.

Rudy Photochromic Red lenses (very clear and the red gives really good contrast)

Focus Progressive contact lenses

The combination of these three things means that I can see the front sight fairly well and settle for the target being a bit fuzzy (which it's going to be regardless).

I have thought about switching to open to use a red dot and may try that next year, but the competition in open means that I don't stand much of a chance getting past a D ranking.

[rgkeller]

The only way to mostly eliminate the advantage that young eyes have over old eyes is to correct for distance and shoot open.

Iron sights demand a clear focus on the front sight. If you must shoot with iron sights, then you must correct you vision to the front sight and live with the unfocused targets. You will have to rely entirely on calling your shoot - which is not a bad thing.

[Jman]

I searched for "nearsighted" and found these. Could be of some help.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=91480&st=0&p=1050340&hl=nearsighted&fromsearch=1entry1050340

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=75503&hl=nearsighted&st=0

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=58473&st=0&p=684970&hl=nearsighted&fromsearch=1entry684970

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=35084&st=0&p=403171&hl=nearsighted&fromsearch=1entry403171

[Dancin Dan]

A few years ago I had lasic surgery on my right eye for distance. Well now when I shoot with iron sights my left and right eyes fight for dominance and was surprised at all the misses. I had a set of glasses made with the left eye plain and the right eye for the distance to the front sight. My left eye focuses on the targets the right on the front sight. It takes a little getting used to when I first put them on, but not long and I'm back shooting A's.

[Nuke8401]

I/we asked Jerry Miculek this question several years ago during a seminar at S&W Indoor Nationals. He said he uses glasses with the dominate eye corrected to see the front sight and the other to see distance. He said he just puts them on several hours before shooting to get used to them. That’s my plan for the future, not there yet. Seems like the same thing with contacts would work also?

[Paul Burtchell]

Charles,

I'm right there with you, brother. I am very near sighted as well 20/200 Left eye and 20/400 Right eye. And as of about 5 years ago the near vision has gone to crap and I, like you am wearing bifocals.

I have tried just about everything. My last visit to an optometrist who is a shooter produced the best results. He let me bring in my pistol to the exam room. We went with contact lenses, you could do the same with glasses. I am right handed and right eye dominant so we focused the right lens on my front sight and my left lens to infinity. in other words, monovision as described above. Works pretty good.

What I've found to work best........

Edited July 8, 2010 by Paul Burtchell

[FLSlim]

Ditto Paul B--it isn't as good as young eyes, but what are you doing to do???

[PaPatriot]

Thanks friends for all the good advice. New glasses or new open gun. Tough choice...I like new guns but glasses are a lot cheaper...hmmm....choices choices?

[G-ManBart]

Thanks friends for all the good advice. New glasses or new open gun. Tough choice...I like new guns but glasses are a lot cheaper...hmmm....choices choices?

Both! Come to the dark side (Open)....we have cookies