Shooting glasses for "seniors"

[njl]

I've been wearing Rudy's for a while now (initially Magster, then Rydon).  About 3 years ago, I graduated from single vision to progressive lenses.  At that point, I got some "reader" lenses from Rudy for my Rydons, and have gotten by with just distance correction inserts and the bifocal reader part of the outer lens for up close (like my phone, stage descriptions, or the score pad).  I just got an updated Rx for one of my inserts and found with the additional correction I needed for distance, I can no longer focus close enough to get a sharp front sight on a pistol.  I don't have this problem with my current progressive lenses, but they're not the updated Rx yet.  I also pretty much never shoot in my daily wear progressive lenses.  I wear the Rydons (with the bifocal outer lenses) for better protection and because they're far less likely to fall off.

AFAIK, progressive lens tech keeps getting better (i.e. first there were bifocals, then progressive, now digital progressive, and I was just told that the "custom digital progressives" I got 3 years ago were the best available at the time, but now there's even better).

I wonder how many are doing action pistol type shooting with progressive lenses vs the older solutions like having a set of glasses with front sight focus in the dominant eye, distance in the other, or bifocals with the ADD lens higher in the frame than usual?
Another option I'm considering is just going without correction.  I don't really need correction for up close...the targets will be quite blurry, but maybe not so bad that I can't differentiate threats from non-threats.  I also wonder if a set of "computer" glasses would work?

I guess the final option is give up on iron sights and go carry-optics, but I'd rather not.

Edited July 25, 2019 by njl

[RangerTrace]

Great question and I feel your pain.  About a year ago, my local eye doc got my contact prescription dialed in to 20/15.  It was amazing for distance.  But, it completely wiped out my near vision.  I couldn't even see the odometer in my truck.  Thankfully, Enos Moderator Youngeyes in a really good eye doc and shooter.  He hooked me up with a multivision contact for my dominant eye.  For me, the +1.0 works best.  It lets me see the serrations on my front sight without giving me a  weird sensation while driving.  Anything higher that +1.0 feels weird. 

[Hi-Power Jack]

6 hours ago, njl said:

 I wonder if a set of "computer" glasses would work?

I guess the final option is give up on iron sights and go carry-optics, but I'd rather not.

 

A decade ago, I got a pair of "computer" glasses - primary focus was about three feet out,

which left my sights very clear, and the targets acceptably focused, but a little blurry.

That worked very well for me - but I never tried the one eye on sights, other eye on target

focus - that might be better, but I've never tried it.

 

Yes, one day you will be co or, omg, OPEN.   That's what I've done - my C-More keeps

me on target all day long, and it's really fun to dump a box of cartridges into a magazine.     

[Confederado]

What I had to do was find a reader glass strength that I could just make out the front sight, so I wouldn't screw up my distance vision to bad, then I bought some safety glasses with built in readers.  It took a while to find safety glasses that were not bifocals.  I went with Elvex safety glasses 

[LuvDog]

The struggle is real... I've moved from iron sights to dots because of this too.  I do have shooting glasses with a separate insert that I can alter the rx.  I use those for range plinking with my guns with irons.

[lstange]

I'm in the same boat. After trying many things, I settled on two solutions.

 

In the short term I'm using Revision Stingerhawk with Rx insert that allows me to see the front sight clearly, but leaves the targets somewhat blurry. I can figure out from the blurry target image where the center is. It's much harder to see equal height, equal light when front sight is blurry.

 

It is important to choose the prescription specifically to work in the insert. The insert positions the lens closer to the eye, so it ends up about 1 dioptre stronger than in a regular frame. Revision says they calculate and apply an adjustment when you send them the Rx and the frame, but in my case it was still off by a mile so I had to have local lab re-do it.

 

The long term plan is to move to Carry Optics and use Rx optimized for distance.

[Cowboy1629]

It doesn’t get any easier!  I still practice with iron sights but play the games with a dot. Open, CO, or PCC will be your future. 

[Mcfoto]

I'm fortunate, my version of "old guy eyes" and natural blindness means that my dominant eye (left) focuses at arms length and it can see distance enough make out shapes. So even though I wear some pretty heftily-corrected progressives in real life, while shooting no correction is the best. There are two disadvantages: 1. During "memory" stages, I can't see the holes in targets to verify I've already shot them. 2. I shoot both ICORE and USPSA and the A zones are in different places so I have to make sure to aim higher in the later. Tombstones, I just go for dead center.

[IHAVEGAS]

Just now, Mcfoto said:

I'm fortunate, my version of "old guy eyes" and natural blindness means that my dominant eye (left) focuses at arms length and it can see distance enough make out shapes. So even though I wear some pretty heftily-corrected progressives in real life, while shooting no correction is the best. There are two disadvantages: 1. During "memory" stages, I can't see the holes in targets to verify I've already shot them. 2. I shoot both ICORE and USPSA and the A zones are in different places so I have to make sure to aim higher in the later. Tombstones, I just go for dead center.

 

I have exactly the same situation. 

I do not know how speed is effected but my accuracy is excellent when I do my job right.

Someone made the point that nobody can focus on two distances at the same time, so perhaps the targets being fuzzy is not such a disadvantage.

Else, if you are looking for holes in targets you are losing a lot of time.

[CenTX]

I've been fighting this issue for years, I'm 71, and tried most things discussed except the two different lenses strengths. Everything sort of works, but is still lacking compared to my eyes when younger. Red dot sights seem to be the best option for old eyes, it works with or without my corrective lenses. Everything else seems to be a compromise that doesn't work without corrective lenses/contacts. YRMV.

 

 

[RaylanGivens]

https://huntershdgold.com/

 

I have had cataract surgery in both eyes, so no near vision...  Tried many different variations in glasses and finally changed to Open with distance lenses...  While this combination was great for shooting, it was not great for close up work...  I am Stats for a lot of matches and was constantly switching between my normal progressive lenses and my shooting glasses.

 

I recently got a pair of Hunters HD Gold glasses and they are super...  Hunters HD Gold makes shooting glasses with a full range of eyeglass prescriptions...  My Hunter HD Gold glasses have my everyday progressive lens prescription...  My glasses have the progressive area in the normal place for my eyes, although they can move them lower if you want them to.

 

Very happy with these glasses.

 

[njl]

56 minutes ago, RaylanGivens said:

https://huntershdgold.com/

 

I have had cataract surgery in both eyes, so no near vision...  Tried many different variations in glasses and finally changed to Open with distance lenses...  While this combination was great for shooting, it was not great for close up work...  I am Stats for a lot of matches and was constantly switching between my normal progressive lenses and my shooting glasses.

 

 I recently got a pair of Hunters HD Gold glasses and they are super...  Hunters HD Gold makes shooting glasses with a full range of eyeglass prescriptions...  My Hunter HD Gold glasses have my everyday progressive lens prescription...  My glasses have the progressive area in the normal place for my eyes, although they can move them lower if you want them to.

 

Very happy with these glasses.

 

 

So your Hunters Gold glasses are "dedicated shooting glasses" but in your everyday progressive Rx?  I suppose the difference between them and your daily wear glasses is better protection and they're probably more secure?  After I get a new Rx set of progressives, I'm contemplating whether I should just get another set of progressives for one of my Rudy inserts.

[limitedgun]

I second the Hunters HD Gold. Brian is one of the most accommodating customer service people I know. If you have questions or doubts, please call him. He definitely extended my limited gun years.

[RaylanGivens]

23 hours ago, njl said:

So your Hunters Gold glasses are "dedicated shooting glasses" but in your everyday progressive Rx?  I suppose the difference between them and your daily wear glasses is better protection and they're probably more secure?  After I get a new Rx set of progressives, I'm contemplating whether I should just get another set of progressives for one of my Rudy inserts.

 

Yes, exactly...  they are also photochromic (darken in bright sunlight)...  the golden color also increases contrast...  You can get any type or color lenses you want...  The sun is very bright down here in Florida, so most people have the golden photochromic lenses that I have.

 

Agree with @limitedgun Brian offers great customer service...  Very easy to deal with.

 

[limitedgun]

6 minutes ago, RaylanGivens said:

 

Yes, exactly...  they are also photochromic (darken in bright sunlight)...  the golden color also increases contrast...  You can get any type or color lenses you want...  The sun is very bright down here in Florida, so most people have the golden photochromic lenses that I have.

 

Agree with @limitedgun Brian offers great customer service...  Very easy to deal with.

 

I have some pretty serious color deficiencies with red and green in my eyesight. Using Hunter's HD Gold it is no longer a problem for me to see a 8 MOA C More dot in any lighting. And a .040 green or yellow (I have no clue which, I think yellow) has got me back to seeing a front sight again. For me they were a great way to extend my way below mediocre performance in shooting USPSA for years to come.

[verla]

I have no line HD progressive lenses- makes it hard to focus on a limited gun and sometimes on my rifle scope depending upon the position. Best alternative I have found is to go to a dot with the pistol. Target acquisition is fast with no blurring. With the rifle scope it helps if you use a stretch band attached to your glasses so they are pulled against your face. The cross hairs do not move around as much and you can get on target using this type of lens-i.e. HD no line progressive. Alternative would be to shoot using clear lenses and adjust the focus using the scope. Or some competitors shoot with no glasses!

[TANFARM]

I’m 65 and was shooting Limited. Tried several sets of reverse prescription lenses with correction on top. Worked pretty well....front fiber optic was crystal clear...distance another matter.

As my near vision was getting worse with Father Times cruel effect, I made the horrible mistake of shooting a friends Atlas Open Pistol.Well....that was that!!!

 I switched to open and the optics have changed everything. No longer use any prescription glasses at all. 

Yea, getting accustomed to the red dot has been a task.....but a damn fun one.

I considered Carry Optics....but Open is a whole new world....very interesting....to say the least.

last advantage is I can use the same glasses for rifle optics as well. No more having to look below the prescription.

Optics are the future of our sport!!!!......because the majority of shooters are aging rapidly.

Just my opinions!!!!

Thnaks.

[GregJ]

53 minutes ago, TANFARM said:

Optics are the future of our sport!!!!.

 

This!!  My normal glasses/RX is for progressive lens. Years ago I was shooting irons/SS with a set of glasses that had single near RX (distance to ft sight) in my right/dominate eye, and distance RX in my left.  This work quite well for a while, then my right was getting more difficult to focus on the front sight.  Tried tape over left eye, etc.  Got the Raydons with the same kind of RX in the inserts, still had issues.  For 3 years now been shooting CO and loving it!  I can use my normal everyday glasses (progressives) with no issues.  Also no issues when shooting PCC.  Not sure if I will ever be able, or interested, to go back to irons.  

[Mcfoto]

I did an interesting experiment at this last Saturday's match: I shot the majority of the match with my no-correction drug store eye protection. On the last stage there were a couple up close heat shots, so I kept my prescription progressives on in case I needed make ups. Worked great. What happened was even though the sights weren't sharp, I could see them enough to verify the sight picture. Might try this for a couple matches and see how it goes. Oh yeah, I'm kind of heading toward the CO side of the tracks too...

Edited July 29, 2019 by Mcfoto

[jc3257]

I am down to only being able to see the fiber optic dot in the notch but no clear view of the whole post. It works OK but I'm sure it causes me to leave some points on the table. I tried having my bifocal at the top of the insert but when I could see the front sight clearly, the targets were too blurred. I use Rudy Rydons with the RX insert with my normal prescription. Think I am going to have to give Hunters God a try. A few of my buddies have switched and say it made a huge difference. Contacts have never worked for me so I am stuck with glasses. Fighting off the move to a dot gun but I know it is coming. Getting old sucks! However, it does beat the alternative!

[p7fl]

 

Why hasn't anyone brought up exploring eye surgery? Cost is the about the same as a Ltd or Open gun and you have a hassle free life.

Had Lasik 25 years ago, then as my eyes aged did PRK on dominant eye only. Net is 20/20.

Perfect iron sight vision and a very slight bloom on my Aimpoints.

 

[njl]

 
Why hasn't anyone brought up exploring eye surgery? Cost is the about the same as a Ltd or Open gun and you have a hassle free life.
Had Lasik 25 years ago, then as my eyes aged did PRK on dominant eye only. Net is 20/20.
Perfect iron sight vision and a very slight bloom on my Aimpoints.
 

I guess I’d have to say a combination of fear and doubt that all my issues can be solved surgically. My current Rx has correction for distance, astigmatism, prism (for convergence insufficiency), and as of a couple years ago, reading.

[OPENB]

6 hours ago, njl said:

 

I guess I’d have to say a combination of fear and doubt that all my issues can be solved surgically. My current Rx has correction for distance, astigmatism, prism (for convergence insufficiency), and as of a couple years ago, reading.

 

I had RK surgery 30 years ago, got down to 20/20, and was glasses free until a couple years ago when I noticed trouble reading the paper. Last week I saw the top LASIK surgeon in the area, and found I’m not a candidate due to the scarring from the RK. LASIK didn’t exist when I had my surgery. 

I found Spits Magshot glasses on eBay. Safety glasses with magnified insert. Gonna try these. 

[shred]

I run "monovision" lenses in Rudy glasses for iron sights--- strong side eye set for front sight plus a couple clicks of the opto-thing more downrange (I don't really need to see dust specks on the front sight and it gains a useful amount of depth-of-field further out), weak side eye set for distance. 

 

Works well for me but I needed a bit of adjustment time to get used to wearing them without getting a headache.

 

 

[Kilrb]

I tried all kinds of lens set up different ways last year. I finally got Rudy Rydons with inserts with my progressive prescription and quit experimenting and learned to use the. I just switch to them about 45 min before starting to get my eyes adjusted