For the "Older Shooters"

[mese341]

not a popular choice but i like the thought

[RichH]

At 70+ I've been fighting the eye issue for some time. Progressive lenses seem better than bifocals for shooting but still far from perfect. Recently I acquired my first AR-15 and equipped it with and EOTech EXPS3-2 with a 2-Dot 1 MOA reticle. Selected it mainly because of the easy target acquisition with both eyes open and the reduction of parallax but the greatest benefit for old eyes has turned out to be the fact that the reticle is in effect projected on the target and is in perfect focus with my distance glasses so no more fuzzy front sights. Next step is a Trijicon on my Glock 34. I guess I'll be starting out on the dark side.

[redial]

I found I could get a pair of "online" glasses for less than money than it cost for just the lens on my dedicated rifle glasses. I'm 53, presbyopic and only about a diopter or -1.25 nearsighted with some astigmatism. Readers won't help - they make me MORE nearsighted. I reduced my distance script to see the front sight better.

Anyway, it was a gamble of $40 or so and it worked out so well that I have several pairs now, for different applications.

Try these guys - www.glassesusa.com

Mark

Edited June 9, 2014 by redial

[rgkeller]

I discovered and was simi confirmed that shooting/sighting through the bifocal portion of specs helps.

It was suggested that I get a pair of readers with the same add (full frames) and shoot with those.

It makes sense, having a heck of a time finding that front sight.

Anyone doing this and having success?

The way to go.

If you get a prescription for front sight to eye distance. (A little longer than reading distance) and some good single lens glasses made, it will be even better.

Some folks can put a lens for distance for the non dominant eye. Didn't work for me.

Target will be blurred. Doesn't affect accuracy as much as you might think.

[texasref]

Shot a match this weekend with no vision correction at all. Front sight was clearly visible and the targets were blurry but had no problem shooting, and we had some fairly long shots. Tried the readers and no glasses at all at the target range and no glasses seemed to work the best.

Thanks for all the input and hope the thread helps some others with this problem.

[Flatland Shooter]

Link for ordering your own shooting glasses without arguing with the eye-doctor staff (they tend to insist on the written prescription):

http://www.zennioptical.com/

You may have cause these folks to get flagged. Ordered a set of glasses from them and they required I fax or e-mail the written prescription before they would process the order.

Bill

[Tom C]

I wear Bi-Focals and, try as I might, can not get a satisfactory front sight picture. I keep two pairs of readers (main and backup) in my shooting bag and, when competing, I switch between readers for shooting and bi-focals for normal wear. Doing this I personally have had no issues with my eyes making the transition and find picking up the front sight quite easy. Bottom line...This works for me. You find what works for you and stick with it.

[Endurokids]

I wear prescription contacts with bifocal correction and it works well for me.

[Just4FunLP]

Been near sighted since I was a kid, but now wear progressives. Early in my shooting I was doing some dry fire without my glasses and noticed I could see my front sight pretty clear, so I started shooting without correction. I just aim for the center of the fuzz.

[IHMSA15151]

well when this happened to me i just went over to the dark side of open div and love it

+1

I did the same thing, but every once in a while I shoot iron sight 22 in Steel Challenge. I had the eye doctor make up a full lens in my bifocal prescription at the distance where my front sight would be with my arms extended. The sights look great but the targets are a bit blurry. Just hold in the middle of the fuzzy white plate and squeeze the trigger.

[ardo]

Link for ordering your own shooting glasses without arguing with the eye-doctor staff (they tend to insist on the written prescription):

http://www.zennioptical.com/

You may have cause these folks to get flagged. Ordered a set of glasses from them and they required I fax or e-mail the written prescription before they would process the order.

Bill

This is odd. Over the past 2 years, all 3 pairs of my shooting glasses came from zenni optical, and I just ordered another pair today. They never asked for my written prescription.

I got myself a pair of $6.95 glasses, with photochromic polycarb lenses and anti-reflection coating. Came to just over $100 shipped.

[zhunter]

I'm 52 and need 1.75's for reading/seeing front sights. No way I could shoot with them as my distance vision is fantastic as in I can see a golf ball on a green from well over 200 yards.

I'm going to the Dot, going to "Production Optics", in other words shoot a production gun in minor with a slide mounted red dot following all other production rules. I might just shoot more Steel matches.

I just don't see a combination of lenses that would be comfortable to see/shoot irons any longer.

I refuse to "buy into" the full Open game, just too far from my definition of Practical

[garp]

I wear glasses when I drive, but I am near sighted and do not need them for shooting. However, I am getting up in them years and the front sight is not clear as it once was. A shooting buddy wears corrective glasses also, so he went to a local optical doc and got a pair of glasses with magnification of 1.25 (like cheaters that you get for reading) as I recall, with safety lens. I tried them and I could see all the small dirt particles in my serrations on the front sight. It was awesome clear!! (memo: clean all of the gun) Although, when I looked down range the world was all blurry. I tried to walk at the same time, I tipped over, then threw up. (ok, the puking part was added for embellishment) No way I could use them to shoot and move at same time.

I have noticed he does not wear them as well. Maybe if I start saving my money I could have an open gun before I die. (what a wonderful dream)

**g****

[zhunter]

I wear glasses when I drive, but I am near sighted and do not need them for shooting. However, I am getting up in them years and the front sight is not clear as it once was. A shooting buddy wears corrective glasses also, so he went to a local optical doc and got a pair of glasses with magnification of 1.25 (like cheaters that you get for reading) as I recall, with safety lens. I tried them and I could see all the small dirt particles in my serrations on the front sight. It was awesome clear!! (memo: clean all of the gun) Although, when I looked down range the world was all blurry. I tried to walk at the same time, I tipped over, then threw up. (ok, the puking part was added for embellishment) No way I could use them to shoot and move at same time.

I have noticed he does not wear them as well. Maybe if I start saving my money I could have an open gun before I die. (what a wonderful dream)

**g****

Production Optics is the answer

[UFO]

I wear contacts and use perscription shooting glasses over them. My Dr let's me bring in my gun. I was at +.75 in both eyes for the first year, at my upcoming appt, I'm going for a little stronger in my right (dominate) and a little weaker in my left for distance.

[eric nielsen]

I just made another order with Zenni. The website popped up a box that said + on one eye and - on the other eye was "highly unusual, are you sure" or similar. Also the last page before completing the order said "we *request* you send a photocopy of your prescription" but then the purchase went thru without any problems. The building and shipping takes a while so I'm expecting them to arrive in September. Once I'm sure I've nailed the best self-prescribed +/- numbers I will probably get a pair of Decots. They cost more.

[Stuck in C]

I had the prescription inserts in my Rudy's made with the right (dominant) lens set to focus at the sight distance and the left with my normal distance correction. Worked great for a few years, but now I get a headache and nausea if I wear them for more than an hour or two. The shooting part is still good-front sight sharp and targets clear with both eyes open. I went to the eye doc and no change in prescription. Apparently my aging brain can no longer synchronize the two. I might have them back off on the prescriptions so the lenses are more similar. Or I'll have to go with a different plan entirely.

[Nimitz]

I wear contacts and use perscription shooting glasses over them. My Dr let's me bring in my gun. I was at +.75 in both eyes for the first year, at my upcoming appt, I'm going for a little stronger in my right (dominate) and a little weaker in my left for distance.

Why do you need prescription glasses to wear over contacts? Isn't that like trying to wear 2 pair of glasses?

[just4fun63]

I've worn glasses all my life and now have trifocal progressive lenses. They suck for shooting to put it bluntly. I tried many things; readers, stick ons, with poor results. I finally broke down and after some research on line called Wayne at Morgan Optical. We talked for about 30 minutes and he suggested a plan. About 3.5 weeks later my glasses arrived, what a difference! I got Randolph frames. My kit came with three lenses, on my dominant side one lens set for handgun and one for trap and skeet. They work great. It's an expensive route that I wish I had done years ago. (It's amazing how much I will spend on guns and how cheap I can be on the other stuff )

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Jaxshooter]

I am 64 and shoot with contacts. For Open Division I wear lenses for distance in both eyes. For a Limited and any iron sight shooting I do I wear a distance lens in my left eye ( non dominate ) and a close focus lens in my right eye ( dominate eye ). I take my guns with me when I have my eyes checked to confirm that everything is correct. I shoot with both eyes open.

[rowdyb]

I'm 43 years old and just had my eyes checked for the first time. My right eye, dominant one, is just barely far sighted. My correction is 0.5. He said I didn;t have to wear glasses if I didn't want and that it would only make a small difference. I pick them up today and will shoot with them for the first time this weekend.

We'll see.... ha!

[Jim Watson]

I have been shooting with monovision glasses for some years now and it is a big help to me.

[lstone]

I too have the issue of needing readers for the front sight. My distance is not the best either 58yrs young. Visiting a optometrist in a couple of days. Hoefully he can help. I have used readers for several years but hoe maybe a option (surgery) can be utilized

[UFO]

I wear contacts and use perscription shooting glasses over them. My Dr let's me bring in my gun. I was at +.75 in both eyes for the first year, at my upcoming appt, I'm going for a little stronger in my right (dominate) and a little weaker in my left for distance.

Why do you need prescription glasses to wear over contacts? Isn't that like trying to wear 2 pair of glasses?

Yes, Contacts are for distance, the shooting glasses give me a clear sight picture. Kinda like wearing reading glasses........

[BeerBaron]

I'm 52 and need 1.75's for reading/seeing front sights. No way I could shoot with them as my distance vision is fantastic as in I can see a golf ball on a green from well over 200 yards.

I'm going to the Dot, going to "Production Optics", in other words shoot a production gun in minor with a slide mounted red dot following all other production rules. I might just shoot more Steel matches.

I just don't see a combination of lenses that would be comfortable to see/shoot irons any longer.

I refuse to "buy into" the full Open game, just too far from my definition of Practical

hey open is not really in line with the practical thing, but to be honest lots of stuff we do is now a long way from any 'practical' roots of the sport.

I thought the same. I loved shooting production because of the challenge of shooting standard power loads, with iron sights, in a production hand gun. it really gives good gun handling skills and helps develop a range of shooting skills.

now my problem is I have keratoconus. I struggle even to get the correct prescription and looking through different parts of my eye gives me different levels of focus. it was really hurting my accuracy. I partly cured it by lots of dry fire which gave me better muscle memory which meant my head and gun were always aligned the same. but of course as soon as I got a low port, or a sitting position etc that went out the window.

One day for fun I shot a mates open gun. we were standing at about 30 meters shooting a small round plate (steel challenge plate). I fired a shot, hit the plate. then started some fairly quick fire and just kept ringing that plate shot after shot. something I could probably not do repeatably with my production gun.

So I bought an open gun and for the most part it takes your vision problems out of the equation. it may be not as close to 'practical' as a production gun but it's a shitload of fun!! make no mistake, loading for, and shooting a major PF open gun is still a challenge.

and as far as practical goes I certainly wouldn't EDC a open gun, but if the zombie apocalypse hit it may well be the tool of choice....

I also think shooting open is helping make me a better production shooter.