Prescription Glasses

[Storm]

It's time for new prescription shooting glasses. I need some opinions. I'd like to know what kinds of frames folks like and what all around lens tint works best.

Here are the conditions I need to work around.

1. Surgery is not an option I want to consider right now.

2. Contacts don't appear to be a good solution for me either.

3. I can't go with prescription sports glasses like Oakley frogskins & etc. My prescription is too strong, too high of a cylinder value.

4. I'm probably going with a special prescription optimized for distance in the weak eye, up close in the strong eye. (Right handed, Right eye dominant.)

For frames, I only see 2 options, unless somebody knows of other options.

1. Regular frames. These are OK, but I'll be limited to one tint color. I only want to buy 1 pair of frames right now. I might buy a second later if the weird prescription work out.

2. Sports frames with the Rx insert. (Bolle Vigilante, Wiley-X 2002, etc.) The nice thing about these is I can swap lens colors. But, I used to run a pair of Oakleys with a Bolle insert several years ago when I used to cycle (bicycle) a lot.  Never really liked them. Having the lens that close to my eye was a little annoying and they just "felt" funny. But, I might go an insert system if there's a good one out there.

I also need to know what lens tints people have tried and liked. I want something that will be a good all-around tint that increases the contrast between the ground & the targets in most lighting conditions.

What tints and/or frames have you tried? What did you like or dislike about them? Would you go with a regular tint with UV protection or a specific sunglass lens?

[Flexmoney]

I suggest some of those X-ray glasses.  They are pretty cool.  

The Burner talks about his glasses on his videos.  He says to have them made so that you can see through the upper part of the lense.  You will be looking through the upper if your head is tilted down and forward.  (I don't wear glasses...are they ground so that they are more clearr in the center, not the upper portion?)

Many talk of taking their favorite iron sighted blaster to the eye doctor with them.

[grassy knoll]

one of my team mates is always doing something different with his glasses when he is shooting, different colours, different prescription , different parts of the lense with different prescription,

and the only time he wears glasses is when he is shooting, i think he is using his vision as an excuse for why he doesn't beat us as much as he used to

[Bill]

First, POLYCARBONATE LENSES!!!! Yes I was shouting. I took a ricochet to the eye at Second Chance several years ago. It broke the glass lens in my glasses. Emergency cataract surgury etc. Not a fun time. Polycarbonate lenses are very strong compared to glass. I ran tests where I shot different lenses with bb guns, downloaded ammo etc. Because of my injury my right (strong) eye no longer could focus at different distances. My Optomitrist fitted me with a pair of glasses for shooting that focused the right eye on the front sight and the left eye at normal distance. I used the same aviator style frame I have on my everyday glasses. They are all Z-87 safety rated. I went with the lightest shade of grey tint. This works in most situations. For low light I had another pair made with clear lenses, but I don't shoot much low light. I think I could see almost as good with the grey lenses. I also have clip on side shields. This has worked for me for the last 15 years. I also had bifocals put in the normal position in the lenses to see close to adjust sights etc.

Good Luck,

Bill Nesbitt

[Storm]

Bill-Yeah, I agree. I already planned on going with polycarbonate. Does the gray tint help improve contrast at all? Everything I've been reading is telling me to go with amber, orange, brown or even dark rose to help with the contrast. I'd like to better distinguish between the targets, ground & etc. But, I still need to be able to see the dot or front sight.

Kyle-Thanks. I've seen Jerry's tape & was already planning on moving the optical center up a little. Come to think of it, he also made some tint suggestions. Hmmh, maybe I better watch that part again.

[Bill]

Storm,

I don't know if the grey improves contrast or not. I really never paid attention. The only time I can remember having trouble was one year at the USPSA Nationals they had a 50 yard standards & some of the targets had green grass behind them & some had target colored dirt. I like the grey because my eye is still a little sensitive to light.

Bill Nesbitt

[Storm]

Yeah, I've experienced target colored dirt at 40-50 yards on a couple occasions. Stop bringing back bad memories...

(Edited by Storm at 5:19 pm on Jan. 24, 2002)

[Shooter Grrl]

Storm,

You may want to also check out http://www.sportshooter.com  Millard's got an article there about prescription glasses for shooting.  I have NOT read it, but noticed it there today and thought of you.

[Storm]

Shooter Grrl - Interesting article. Thanks!

[Scooter]

I use the Bolle Vigilante with the perscription insert.  The only thing I don't like is how easy the notch on the lens wear, causing the lens to not completely sit in the frame.

I've been playing around with different color lens right now.  Lately we've been getting a lot of bad weather which makes it good to test lens colors.  On bright sunny days, I usually use the gray lens or the mirror blue lens.  On cloudy days, yellow lens tend to be too bright overall.  I do like the vermillon lens.  It makes everyone look rosy and it turns my blue dillon bag into a vivid blue.  I've been using this lens a lot lately.  The downside is when I take it off, everything looks gloomy.  I do have cinnamon and citrus lens but I haven't try using those yet.

I wish Bolle would come out with a IPSC specific lens.  They have a lens for tennis which highlights yellow, but mutes the other colors.  The Cinnamon lens is designed for golfers to highlight contrast in green colors.  They need to make one that makes the brown cardboard stand out.