Again: bifocal lens - special grinds

[armordude]

I have spent 4 days searching this and other forums before posting.

I have just started shooting steel again after 20+ years away. The eyes have gone south since then and I use bifocals. Standard progressive grinds do OK, but my sites are a blur and I am just pointing and shooting. Doing OK, but I would like to see clearer.

I am 55 yo and right eye dom and shoot left. Close right eye because I have enough targets to shoot with the only the left eye. Not going to change after all of these 50 years of shooting.

I am having problems with finding out what is the best method for incorporating Rx bifocals into the glasses for shooting "steel matches" I have seen several methods including "bifocal on top, with distance under" to a "modified Zeiss computer grind pushed higher up". Who has any new suggestions as how to get what will work for me for run and gun steel?

signed:

Fuzzy site/target steel shooter

[Alan550]

You can also buy a "static stick-on" bifocal that you can place where you need it for shooting. Do a Google search for "stick-on bifocals" and you'll have a huge list to choose from. Just experiment with positioning until you find the right spot to place it on the glasses.

Alan~^~

[Graham Smith]

I'm in pretty much the same category except for being right handed, left eye dominant. It took some time, work, and expense, but I found a prescription for progressive bifocal contact lenses that works pretty well for me. This gives me a fairly sharp view of the sights at the expense of some fuzziness at the target end.

[Paul Burtchell]

I truly wish you the best in this endeavor. I'm right there with you the vision (bifocal) issues, but I am right handed and right eye dominant. I have tried everything. Taping my left lens, monovision contacts, etc... NOTHING has worked for me. There is alot of good info. on the forum regarding this. Try a search under monovision & again good luck.

I'm headed back to Open. I love target focus.

Edited January 1, 2010 by baerburtchell

[ChuckS]

After years of screwing around I found that:

1) I don't seem to be getting any younger so my eyes are not getting better

2) Bifocals, split or progressive, are too slow for our shooting games.

3) A hard front sight focus is great for targets < 15-20 yards

4) A focus a few yards in front of the gun allows for a reasonable compromise in seeing the sights and seeing targets > 20 yards.*

5) A fixed distance prescription lenses and a red dot rule!

Happy New Year,

Chuck

*I took my gun to the eye doc and used his lab glasses to set the focal length by aiming at a target at the end of a hallway. Decot made my glasses, I am sure other vendors could help you determine a good dominate eye focal length

Edited January 1, 2010 by ChuckS

[armordude]

Alan

Thanks for the low cost suggestions.

I want to get dedicated glasses. Dont mind spending the money on something good. I am looking into the Rudy Exceptions Rudy Exceptions that way I can change the outer lens depending on the conditions as well as getting new inserts as my eye site changes.

KGentry, Project Rudy Shooting rep on this forum is also offering a big discount on all rudy glasses plano or Rx of 35% plus a really cool P_Rudy hat with an order. See that link here Project Rudy Discount for BEF members

You can also buy a "static stick-on" bifocal that you can place where you need it for shooting. Do a Google search for "stick-on bifocals" and you'll have a huge list to choose from. Just experiment with positioning until you find the right spot to place it on the glasses.

Alan~^~

Edited January 1, 2010 by armordude

[ranger]

Have you considered contacts? I wear a "long range" contact in one eye and a "short range" contact in the other. Your mind figures out pretty quick which eye to use. FOr the cost of a contact prescription you can get a set of sample contacts and try it out. You need to give it a little time to get your mind right on the concept though.

[armordude]

Ranger

Thanks for the suggestions.

Two issues.

1. I cant even put eye drops in my eyes, contacts are out of the question.

2. I shoot left and I am right eye dominant. with both eyes open, i see two images. I have a hard enough time hitting one target let alone two I have tried at a much earlier time(perfect vision) to use both eyes and it was a lost cause. I am good shooting with left open and right closed, but I want to be better.

Have you considered contacts? I wear a "long range" contact in one eye and a "short range" contact in the other. Your mind figures out pretty quick which eye to use. FOr the cost of a contact prescription you can get a set of sample contacts and try it out. You need to give it a little time to get your mind right on the concept though.

[wileecoyote37]

Try http://www.goodglasses.com/index.cfm/fa/ca.../parentcat/6387 . They make a set of clip on computor glasses. Buy the strenght you need to put front sight in focus. I removed the side I didn't need and cut the bottom of the lense so I only have the portion I need for shooting. They clip on and off easy. If I put them on 20 minutes before a match my brain adjusts and I can see front sights and still see the targets.

[Jim Watson]

I shoot monovision the simple but not necessarily cheap way. I have Randolph Ranger shooting glasses with the master eye ground to focus on the front sight and the off eye at distance. Rather than pay extra for bifocals, I just squint at my score card.

My next set of frames will likely be Randolph XLW with Rx inserts so I can have a selection of tints.

Similar deal to the Rudys you mention in post #6.

[bbbean]

After experimenting with several configurations, I had my eye doc work up a prescription with a distance prescription in the left eye, and a right lens that puts the focus right at my front sight (I took my gun in to get the focus just right). I put a piece of tape in the center of my left lens, and now when I bring the gun up, the front sight pops into focus.

I never found a bifocal arrangement that worked for me. Too much head bobbing and focus changed when I had to shoot in an unusual position.

FWIW, I also tried a couple of different shooting glasses, and found the Decots to work best for my needs. The glasses that used an insert were simply too prone to fogging in hot, cold, or humid weather. The single lenses haven't fogged on me yet.

[spd522]

After experimenting with several configurations, I had my eye doc work up a prescription with a distance prescription in the left eye, and a right lens that puts the focus right at my front sight (I took my gun in to get the focus just right). I put a piece of tape in the center of my left lens, and now when I bring the gun up, the front sight pops into focus.

I never found a bifocal arrangement that worked for me. Too much head bobbing and focus changed when I had to shoot in an unusual position.

FWIW, I also tried a couple of different shooting glasses, and found the Decots to work best for my needs. The glasses that used an insert were simply too prone to fogging in hot, cold, or humid weather. The single lenses haven't fogged on me yet.

This is pretty much the same thing I did. I had Lasik in 2005 which corrected my extreme nearsightedness. However I am also 55 yoa and require something to help with the front sight focus. The Lasik left my dominant right eye a bit farsighted and my left eye nearsighted (monovision). For normal stuff it's perfect. For shooting, the eyes are just the opposite of what I needed.

My eye doctor helped me with tinted glasses that correct both eyes to what I need for shooting. Now my left eye sees distance and my right the front sight. They take about 10 minutes to get used to when I first put them on but help tremendously. I can also wear them for 3 gun where I usually shoot Tac Irons.

Craig

[Bongo Boy]

It's a real interesting problem. Comments made by bbean above are about like mine, although I'm so reluctant to admit it because of the cost of a pair of bifocal shooting glasses. Started with a pair of Wiley-X P-17s, with near vision correction at the top. Just as bbean says, it slows ya down and there's always a struggle to get line of vision to go through the right piece of glass.

Based on bbean's and Craig's comments above, I popped out the left Rx glass and put the stock lens back in, so now only the strong eye has the Rx correction for the front sight:

The near-vision correction is the section just above that line you see, the remainder of the lens still has the long distance correction, which is very minor. The left lens, again, has no correction at all. I think this is actually going to work REAL well. In tests around the house sight acquisition is quick, there's no apparent need to tip the head in any odd way, and overall far vision seems quite normal with little if any distraction.

Edited January 7, 2010 by Bongo Boy

[Paul Burtchell]

I think with eyesight issues, whatever works for you is the way to go.

[armordude]

Well I have walked my eye doc through the issue. Took my gun into her office and with me sighting out the lobby window to a license plate in the parking lot as the "target". Since its Arizona, there were only a few folks that were nervous She did say this was a first for her practice. Her son and her husband shoot so it was not that far out of an idea for me to ask if I could bring the Glock.

We tried using my distance vision correction and added lenses over those so that I could improve the clarity of the sights and still get the target in the best focus. We settled on a compromise correction.

I then removed the barrel in Glock 35 and put the slide back on. Then she stood in front of the now barrel less gun and looked at my eye/pupal position with respect to my sights and the new Project Rudy Perception frames Rudy Perception that have the Rx as a separate lens from the changeable outer shields. With me in my stance and the Rudys on, she marked the spot on the lens where the sights line up with my pupal.

This measurement was then recorded which places the Rx much higher than what you would get for a normal progressive bifocal grind.

I transmitted this to Rudy and they are working with me to supply my new Perception frames with this "test lens". (I will pay the normal price for these with the discount listed on this forum)

I will go shoot these and see how it goes.

The pros at Rudy are also being consulted on what they think would be the best approach considering I shoot left and I am right eye dom(closed for shooting). I will if I/we come up with a potential different approach, I will by a new set of Rx inserts and try those.

I have to say after explaining the dilemma to to the Rudy team, they were very interested in working with me to optimize my chances of getting the best sight picture possible. This shows Rudy's commitment to providing the best possible, most innovative sport optics in the world.

Stay tuned for the results.

[ChuckS]

armordude,

You followed the same method that I did to set my dominant eye to a reasonable compromise for sight/target clarity. I did try do do some bifocal work but I found that weird shooting positions sometimes gave the wrong engagement geometry for my eye-sights-target. Single vision takes that out of the equation. That, combined with the adjustable bridge of my glasses, pretty much allows me to see as best as I can for any position.

Good Luck!

Chuck

[benos]

armordude,

You might try a pair of glasses with a prescription for your shooing eye lens set to a clear focus on the front sight, and the non-shooting eye lens set to more of a distance focus. Depending on what your prescription is for the distance focus lens, you might have to experiment with that one a bit.

be

[armordude]

Thanks BE. My problem is since I am cross eye dominate the right dom eye tries to take over for my left(no dom) shooting eye with both open. I have tried to open both but its like I am drunk and seeing double. I get two front sites with both eyes open. I have a hard enough time hitting the target with one site

armordude,

You might try a pair of glasses with a prescription for your shooing eye lens set to a clear focus on the front sight, and the non-shooting eye lens set to more of a distance focus. Depending on what your prescription is for the distance focus lens, you might have to experiment with that one a bit.

be

Edited January 12, 2010 by armordude

[benos]

Then you might try (clear) taping the non-aiming eye?

be

Thanks BE. My problem is since I am cross eye dominate the right dom eye tries to take over for my left(no dom) shooting eye with both open. I have tried to open both but its like I am drunk and seeing double. I get two front sites with both eyes open. I have a hard enough time hitting the target with one site

armordude,

You might try a pair of glasses with a prescription for your shooing eye lens set to a clear focus on the front sight, and the non-shooting eye lens set to more of a distance focus. Depending on what your prescription is for the distance focus lens, you might have to experiment with that one a bit.

be

[Jadeslade]

That double vision goes away-stick with it. You have to fight through it.

[benos]

That double vision goes away-stick with it. You have to fight through it.

For me, with a pistol, with iron or optical sights, double vision never went away. IMO, whether or not double vision will "go away" depends upon the strength of each individual's eye dominance.

It's best to experiment and find out what's best for you. Some will never have to tape, squint, or aim with their "opposite eye." Some will always have to tape, squint, or aim with their "opposite eye." And some may have to tape or squint, for certain scenarios.

be

[Jadeslade]

Good to know. One of my instructors was convinced I could do it and stood next to me and every time I closed my right eye-he would tell me to open it.I shoot right handed with my left eye dominant.I was not consciously aware of it. After about 4 months of intermittent training-one day it was just there. A clear sight with both eyes open. Lots of dry fire in there as well, especially the blind draws. I think I should have been left handed growing up. Had one of those teachers that thought right was right.

[armordude]

I will keep everyone posted as my experiment continues.

for taping the other eye, I found these in my research Eye tape

Per their site:

They do it to overcome double vision, ghost images or cross-eye dominance - - all of which can lead to serious accuracy problems. About 40% of the population is affected, to some degree, by cross-eye dominance in which the dominant eye is opposite the shooting hand. The purpose of the translucent Magic Dot, when applied to the lens of shooting glasses over the offending eye, is to subtly screen it out of the aiming process while maintaining the key advantages of two-eyed vision - -depth perception and peripheral vision.

I will order some and "see"..... I made a funny

[Rehabber]

What worked for me was going to Walmart and bringing home several pairs of $9.99 reading glasses ranging from +1.75 to +2.50, going to the basement with a dryfire target on the wall and seeing what worked best. For me it was the +2.00. The front sight jumped right up and the target at 15 yds. back wasn't a blur

[TerryO]

This is how I finally fixed my being able to see the front sight. It has worked wonders for my shooting.

Edited February 15, 2010 by tohlmann