Glasses with prescription reading insert - school me

[Desk-Jockey]

One of my shooting buddies noticed something while I was shooting iron sights the other day and gave me his shooting glasses with a +1.0 reading glass insert in the right eye only.   I don’t wear reading glasses (yet) but I am hitting my late 40s and expect it to happen soon.   Anyway, the enhanced clarity on the front sight sold me.  
 

- He has a set of Rudy Project Rydons with a +1.0 RX insert in the right eye   A pricey but solid choice.  
- another guy suggested stick one for $15 to add to existing specs. 
 

I am going to the eye doc to get checked out and leaning toward buying a solid pair of shooting glasses and getting an insert made.  
 

interested in feedback:

 

- I am thinking Rudy Project Rydons or maybe Oakley M frames.  Open to other options. 
- do people like the lens in one eye or both?

thanks - DJ

 

 

 

 

[GBertolet]

I have prescription shooting glasses, with a reading lens for the right eye. My optometrist was willing to work with me to get a 30 inch focal distance. Just right for the front sight on handguns and rifles both. When you first put the glasses on, your brain is confused for a minute, but after that, you don't even realize the lenses are different. The front sight is sharp, and you can still see the targets cleanly. Some people that get laser, or cataract surgery, get the eyes set up differently. One eye for close, and the other for distance. It does work.

[12glocks]

I have Rudy Project Rydons with the optical inserts and love them.  I have 5 different lenses like dark, photochromic light grey, red, clear, yellow.  Really having great sunglasses for shooting, biking, driving, and so on is awesome.  I thought I lost my ability to wear sunglasses until i got those.  They make lenses with reader inserts also.  I paid $400 for my first pair but am on the email list and they have sales for $150 all the time.  When Rudy Project was a sponsor of this site, the prices were even better.

[RePete]

I'm running ESS ICE glasses with the Rx insert and a focal length of 21' for handgun competition.  Made a big difference.

 

I started wearing reading glasses at 42 and now at 71 it's still reading glasses only - only a bit stronger.

[Don_B]

I use this set up also, correction in right eye and clear glass in left. The only thing I would suggest is to not get such a strong prescription to see the front sight clear and sharp as that will make the targets less clear. I used a compromise so both sights and targets are clear. I've used .50 correction for about 12-13 years. 

[Desk-Jockey]

I ordered a set of stick ons as a trial.   $15 so what the heck.   Going to test those in my shooting glasses.   
 

setting up an eye doctor appointment to get a prescription.    Plan is to get a +.5 and +1.0 lens for my right eye and shoot that.  Still thinking about glasses.   Leaning toward M frames due to cost and relative ease of swapping the eye inserts.    M frames are $115 to $170 depending on the lens.   The inserts are $30 a set plus the cost of lens.   I figure $300 all in to try it out.  

[ezra650]

See what your optometrist can offer with your insurance. My optometrist carries Wiley X and I was able to get frames, prescription insert, 3 lenses and the case for just $100 out of my pocket. I will say that the arms are a bit long for me on my pair and they rest on the pressure point behind my ears and extended wear does give me a headache. I really need to call them about getting a shorter frame. Otherwise I love them. The orange tint lens is perfect for picking up the red dot on my optic guns in steel challenge. 

[stemikel]

I use Oakleys with prescription inserts for both pistol and rifle. My optometrist was really helpful by adjusting my prescription to the different focal lengths. I used a company in Colorado called TacticalRx to make the inserts. They are great to work with and seem to understand shooters.

[Kilrb]

I have the Rudy's optical inserts and interchangeable lenses. I tried several I like these better than any I have had 

[TANFARM]

I had my older Rudy’s converted to reverse reading lenses.......front iron sight was crystal clear, targets blurred. Dicked around with this process for awhile....they were useless on rifle optics.

Then someone shooting Open said “ here try this”....and it was all over....at 66 I’m hoping red doors have extended my ability to shoot a couple more years anyway........love Open and certainly get the Carry Optics phenomena!!!

[limitedgun]

HD Gold is the only way to go. Brian understands more about shooters needs than anyone in the industry. You can get single side, bothe sides (my preference), in your frames, in his frames. Look him up and give him a call. He will personally take you from start to finish. He also has a great staff to help now. The clarity and color definition with his lenses are like I have never experienced. I am red/green color blind an HD Gold eliminates most of my problems.

Edited July 23, 2020 by limitedgun

[Cliveb]

Last year my front sight went all fuzzy (am now 44). Set up my inserts for distance with my left eye and front sight with my right - took gun along to ophthalmologist and we fannied about until it was nice and crisp. 

The difference between the eyes isn't that huge, so I never felt dizzy. It's only noticeable when I shut my left eye - then longer distances are a bit out of whack, but my brain seems to cope.

I also recently tried it out with contact lenses - works even better without the extra layer of sighted lenses.

I use Pilla shooting glasses - very pricey, but very clear lenses.

In due course, I'll have to shift to a red dot...time waits for no man...

[Prange]

On 7/23/2020 at 1:45 PM, Cliveb said:

Last year my front sight went all fuzzy (am now 44). Set up my inserts for distance with my left eye and front sight with my right - took gun along to ophthalmologist and we fannied about until it was nice and crisp. 

The difference between the eyes isn't that huge, so I never felt dizzy. It's only noticeable when I shut my left eye - then longer distances are a bit out of whack, but my brain seems to cope.

I also recently tried it out with contact lenses - works even better without the extra layer of sighted lenses.

I use Pilla shooting glasses - very pricey, but very clear lenses.

In due course, I'll have to shift to a red dot...time waits for no man...

+1 on the Pilla. Superb quality and will last forever.

[RickT]

Not yet a zombie thread so I'll take a stab at adding an observation.  I have the usual setup for iron sights: 2/3 meter focal distance in the right eye and distance in the left eye.  This works just fine in my Rudy Project glasses, but I did notice something today.  When practicing the box transition for Outer Limits my brain would switch to my left eye since the visual field is much clearer.  I had to consciously squint a bit to get my right eye into the game.  I might be better off with the same focal distance in each eye (in my case of course) to prevent this from happening.  Anyone else observed this?

 

I do have some safety glasses with 2.0 diopter full field, close to my astigmatism-free right eye prescription so I might try this next practice session to see if that changes things.  In any event i've not found blurry targets to be much of an issue in steel challenge.

[RGinIdaho]

Try these;

Elvex Full Lens Magnifier

 

Inexpensive but effective.

[RickT]

 

10 hours ago, RGinIdaho said:

Try these;

Elvex Full Lens Magnifier

 

Inexpensive but effective.

Good for testing; I have 2.0 and 2.5 diopter and I'll use the 2.0 to see if that resolves the binocular rivalry.  For sustained use I currently use the Rudy Project purple photochromic lenses.

[zzt]

Some observations.  In the past I've had about a dozen custom polarized shooting glasses with Rx lenses.  First, it is very expensive every time your prescription changes.  Second, they damage easily, especially if you shoot steel challenge.

 

Setting one eye up for close and the other for distance does not work for me.  First is the headache I get from the close eye trying to focus at distance.  Second is the loss of depth perception.  So I went to Plano lenses and used a stick on +1.25 diopter mounted upside down at the top of the lens.  No headaches or loss of depth perception.  No blur while running, etc.  Just tipped my head down a tad to see the sights and shoot.

 

Fancy shooting glasses:  no more.  Replacement lenses are too expensive.  I've gone with Smith Optics Elite Aegis eye shields.  Perfectly clear and distortion free.  Replacement lenses cost $20.  If I hadn't had cataract surgery I'd be using their RX insert that replaces the nose bridge.  That way you have Rx and can still change lenses when you want a different color.  The insert, ground to your prescription, is $140. 

 

Wish I had known about this sooner.  I have about $2000 worth of useless Rx shooting glasses lenses laying around in various colors.  That could have been avoided.  I'd have spent $140 every time my Rx changed instead of $400-$500.

[RickT]

37 minutes ago, zzt said:

Some observations.  In the past I've had about a dozen custom polarized shooting glasses with Rx lenses.  First, it is very expensive every time your prescription changes.  Second, they damage easily, especially if you shoot steel challenge.

 

Setting one eye up for close and the other for distance does not work for me.  First is the headache I get from the close eye trying to focus at distance.  Second is the loss of depth perception.  So I went to Plano lenses and used a stick on +1.25 diopter mounted upside down at the top of the lens.  No headaches or loss of depth perception.  No blur while running, etc.  Just tipped my head down a tad to see the sights and shoot.

 

Fancy shooting glasses:  no more.  Replacement lenses are too expensive.  I've gone with Smith Optics Elite Aegis eye shields.  Perfectly clear and distortion free.  Replacement lenses cost $20.  If I hadn't had cataract surgery I'd be using their RX insert that replaces the nose bridge.  That way you have Rx and can still change lenses when you want a different color.  The insert, ground to your prescription, is $140. 

 

Wish I had known about this sooner.  I have about $2000 worth of useless Rx shooting glasses lenses laying around in various colors.  That could have been avoided.  I'd have spent $140 every time my Rx changed instead of $400-$500.

Cataract surgery here also in my right eye only.  I used Sight for Sport Eyes to have new lenses put in the snap-in RX adapters for my Rudy Project glasses.  I think the cost was $120, very reasonable.  I also had a set done with distance in both eyes for PCC.   As noted I may have the left lens of my iron sight inserts redone, but since it's only an issue with Outer Limits it's probably not worth the effort.