Pistol shooting with aging eyes.

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  • Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,409
    Glen Burnie
    A good grip and point shooting is your friend. I hope you're not into fine bullseye shooting, because those days are pretty much over.
     

    Yellowdog

    Active Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 4, 2011
    257
    Columbia
    One thing to consider is that they can do Lasik so one eye is for distance and one is for close up. I had this done about 15 yrs ago and loved it. The past few years my reading eye has weakened where I need glasses for up close. I have considered having it done again but my Dr said wait till cataract surgery in a few years and it will be covered by insurance.
     

    Harrys

    Short Round
    Jul 12, 2014
    3,362
    SOMD
    My eyes aint what they used to be.
    Reading is a choir without glasses, but "doable" if I hold the book away.
    Distance is ok. Each eye on it's own is marginal for distance, but somehow together they make a good picture.

    All my long guns are scoped.

    That brings me to pistols,, just getting back into pistol shooting.

    cant focus on the sights.
    My understanding is lasik surgery would correct my vision for distance and I would need reading glasses?

    What is the answer,, I am thinking a reflex/ red dot??
    I know there those older than me struggling with this,, whats your answer ??

    I had Lasik 4 years ago, it can correct most issues and depends how deep your pockets are. I had astigmatisms in both eyes which compounds your vision issues. I can now read small print and do not need glasses for the computer. Also, I have 20/20 vision for the past 4 years. I was frustrated as I do not use scopes and like you was having difficulty on the site picture focus.

    I was left eye dominant and shot left handed all my life while writing and throwing a ball right handed. After Lasik I had a bad accident with my left hand. So I started shooting both pistols and rifles right handed. Come to find out I was just as good. After I healed I built up my strength in my left hand and now shoot with either hand.

    If you decide on Lasik follow the doctors direction exactly. It only took about 20 minutes for the whole procedure for both eyes. About 2 hours after the operation your eyes will feel like you have sand in them (welders flash burn) it lasts for about 1-2 hours.
     

    Slackdaddy

    My pronouns: Iva/Bigun
    Jan 1, 2019
    5,845
    Thanks for the info.
    See my response to Harry.

    Red Dot. Buy a good one. I use Burris FastFire...

    I had Lasik 4 years ago, it can correct most issues and depends how deep your pockets are. I had astigmatisms in both eyes which compounds your vision issues. I can now read small print and do not need glasses for the computer. Also, I have 20/20 vision for the past 4 years. I was frustrated as I do not use scopes and like you was having difficulty on the site picture focus.

    I was left eye dominant and shot left handed all my life while writing and throwing a ball right handed. After Lasik I had a bad accident with my left hand. So I started shooting both pistols and rifles right handed. Come to find out I was just as good. After I healed I built up my strength in my left hand and now shoot with either hand.

    If you decide on Lasik follow the doctors direction exactly. It only took about 20 minutes for the whole procedure for both eyes. About 2 hours after the operation your eyes will feel like you have sand in them (welders flash burn) it lasts for about 1-2 hours.

    One thing to consider is that they can do Lasik so one eye is for distance and one is for close up. I had this done about 15 yrs ago and loved it. The past few years my reading eye has weakened where I need glasses for up close. I have considered having it done again but my Dr said wait till cataract surgery in a few years and it will be covered by insurance.
     

    Slackdaddy

    My pronouns: Iva/Bigun
    Jan 1, 2019
    5,845
    Harry,
    So if I am reading you correctly the Lasik gave you 20/20 AND the ability to read fine print??
    It was my understanding that as you age you loose the ability to "change" the focus length of your eyes. Basically the muscle that "shape" the lens get weak. And that Lasik "sets" your focal length to one set point?

    I have a fake lens in my right eye,, it got messed up from multiple surgeries removing a piece of metal in my 20s. That lens is for distance.
    The left eye can kinda focus close to read if I really strain it.

    I am right handed in working, throwing, etc. Left handed only in righting.
    I shoot pistols and long guns right handed, ALL of my long guns are scoped.

    Yesterday I found if I hold my pistol right handed and "Site" left eye, the iron sights are workable.

    But I still am looking for a compact factory "optics ready" like the M&P compact,,

    I had Lasik 4 years ago, it can correct most issues and depends how deep your pockets are. I had astigmatisms in both eyes which compounds your vision issues. I can now read small print and do not need glasses for the computer. Also, I have 20/20 vision for the past 4 years. I was frustrated as I do not use scopes and like you was having difficulty on the site picture focus.

    I was left eye dominant and shot left handed all my life while writing and throwing a ball right handed. After Lasik I had a bad accident with my left hand. So I started shooting both pistols and rifles right handed. Come to find out I was just as good. After I healed I built up my strength in my left hand and now shoot with either hand.

    If you decide on Lasik follow the doctors direction exactly. It only took about 20 minutes for the whole procedure for both eyes. About 2 hours after the operation your eyes will feel like you have sand in them (welders flash burn) it lasts for about 1-2 hours.
     

    Atrox88

    Gold Member
    Jan 7, 2016
    1,245
    Carroll County
    I have a pair of tri-focals made at Center for Total Eyecare in Westminster that allows me to see handgun sights clearly but the target is see-able but somewhat fuzzy. Red dot has been helpful but with other physical stuff going on I'll never freestyle group the way I used to but I can still hit what I am shooting at.
     

    bratgirllcp

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 13, 2013
    2,795
    Grasonville MD
    Only eyes you will have so,,,,,, talk to eye doctor be honest . friend had lasik and his vision was not improved many yrs ago hubby wore 1 contact for distance to ref football games worked great for 3 seasons Good Luck
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,561
    Harford County, Maryland
    If you don't want to talk to the doc about guns you could consider saying you want lenses for working on a desktop computer. The distance is pretty much the same.

    I use progressive lenses most of the time but you don't want to tip your head halfway back for 8-10 hours so I ordered a second pair with the focus where a typical screen would be. Turned out they are also perfect for pistol sights.

    I had an vision practitioner who didn’t want to discuss my shooting needs. I found an eye care professional who did. An he actually has a following of several shooters. Been with him or 7 years.
     

    boss281

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 14, 2012
    1,575
    Carroll County
    I am near sighted and require prescription lenses to see anything clearly beyond 10 feet. Without them I can function but most everything is fuzzy and lacks detail. Reading is also a problem and I use 1.5x cheaters.

    I bought prescription shooting glasses for distance 3 years ago and they work really well with my red dot equipped pistol caliber carbines. Range time and competitions are no problem.

    For pistols, I can use non-prescription shooting glasses to 10 yards before I lose a clear target. Since targets are often placed beyond 10 yards in competition, I equipped one of my pistols with a red dot. Have to relearn a lot but it works really well with my prescription shooting glasses.

    Sent using Tapatalk
     

    woodline

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 8, 2017
    1,947
    If you use bifocals, turn them upside down. I have a coworker who does that.
     

    songlaw

    Active Member
    Aug 2, 2017
    240
    Clarksville
    Spend the money, if considering red dot

    Red Dot. Buy a good one. I use Burris FastFire...

    I have a Burris Fastfire III. Glock 19 Gen4 MOS.
    I have had to return it three times.

    First: the red dot got fried. A guest and I shot hundreds of rounds at the range, and the barrel and slide got so hot that it fried the unit. The dot was still there, but it was like a blurry sunburst. I returned it, and they sent me another one.

    Second:
    After I shot a few mags (15 round mags), the red dot disappeared. Became a paperweight. Disassembled. Replaced the battery. Again, worked for a few mags. Then, the red dot disappeared. They said bad connections. Said they fixed it. When I received it, same problem.

    Third:
    I sent it back a third time, b/c of same issues. This time, they returned in within a day of receiving it. Same damn problems. This annoyed me.

    When I called them, they asked me whether I was tightening to 12 inch-pounds. Although I did not notice in any of their literature, you are apparently supposed to treat it like a sensitive, snowflake of a red dot.

    I bought a damn torque wrench, and now it works fine. However, it should not be that damn delicate.

    A LONG way of saying that you should spend the money for a better red dot.
     

    Harrys

    Short Round
    Jul 12, 2014
    3,362
    SOMD
    Harry,
    So if I am reading you correctly the Lasik gave you 20/20 AND the ability to read fine print??
    It was my understanding that as you age you loose the ability to "change" the focus length of your eyes. Basically the muscle that "shape" the lens get weak. And that Lasik "sets" your focal length to one set point?

    I have a fake lens in my right eye,, it got messed up from multiple surgeries removing a piece of metal in my 20s. That lens is for distance.
    The left eye can kinda focus close to read if I really strain it.

    I am right handed in working, throwing, etc. Left handed only in righting.
    I shoot pistols and long guns right handed, ALL of my long guns are scoped.

    Yesterday I found if I hold my pistol right handed and "Site" left eye, the iron sights are workable.

    But I still am looking for a compact factory "optics ready" like the M&P compact,,

    I have no problem reading small print. When I went back the next day i pulled out my phone and the doctor said you can read it clearly? I said yes, he said that may change but it has not after 4 years. I had Lasik plus done and take over 50 eye vitamins. The only issue I have had with Lasik is my eyes are more sensitive to light, does not bother me at night just during the day. For about 6 months I was seeing haloes around street lights but is dissipated.
     
    Feb 28, 2013
    28,953
    My eyes aint what they used to be.
    Reading is a choir without glasses, but "doable" if I hold the book away.
    Distance is ok. Each eye on it's own is marginal for distance, but somehow together they make a good picture.

    All my long guns are scoped.

    That brings me to pistols,, just getting back into pistol shooting.

    cant focus on the sights.
    My understanding is lasik surgery would correct my vision for distance and I would need reading glasses?

    What is the answer,, I am thinking a reflex/ red dot??
    I know there those older than me struggling with this,, whats your answer ??

    Sounds like you need one of these
     

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    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,561
    Harford County, Maryland
    I have a Burris Fastfire III. Glock 19 Gen4 MOS.
    I have had to return it three times.

    First: the red dot got fried. A guest and I shot hundreds of rounds at the range, and the barrel and slide got so hot that it fried the unit. The dot was still there, but it was like a blurry sunburst. I returned it, and they sent me another one.

    Second:
    After I shot a few mags (15 round mags), the red dot disappeared. Became a paperweight. Disassembled. Replaced the battery. Again, worked for a few mags. Then, the red dot disappeared. They said bad connections. Said they fixed it. When I received it, same problem.

    Third:
    I sent it back a third time, b/c of same issues. This time, they returned in within a day of receiving it. Same damn problems. This annoyed me.

    When I called them, they asked me whether I was tightening to 12 inch-pounds. Although I did not notice in any of their literature, you are apparently supposed to treat it like a sensitive, snowflake of a red dot.

    I bought a damn torque wrench, and now it works fine. However, it should not be that damn delicate.

    A LONG way of saying that you should spend the money for a better red dot.

    Its worked fine ever since. Nothing wrong for the money spent. You can’t begrudge use of a torque wrench. Its part of the design parameters.
     

    songlaw

    Active Member
    Aug 2, 2017
    240
    Clarksville
    It got FRIED!

    Its worked fine ever since. Nothing wrong for the money spent. You can’t begrudge use of a torque wrench. Its part of the design parameters.

    I guess you passed over the part where I said that the unit got FRIED! By that, I meant the the unit overheated and the dot emitting light source basically melted. Definitely NOT part od the design parameters.

    If the instructions stated the part about using a torque wrench, I wouldn’t begrudge the need for a torque wrench. After the third return, I was told about it from Burris support.

    In my albeit limited experience, it is my opinion that the Burris Fastfire III is a delicate flower. It does not stand up to heavy use. Your mileage may vary.
     

    GolfR

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 20, 2016
    1,324
    Columbia MD
    I had an vision practitioner who didn’t want to discuss my shooting needs. I found an eye care professional who did. An he actually has a following of several shooters. Been with him or 7 years.

    I would have told them that if they weren’t willing to help me to figure out a solution for my sporting hobby that they were refusing to provide the service I had gone in for and demanded that I not be charged for the visit.

    The doc I found was all about trying to figure out a solution to a problem that she hadn’t heard of before. She spent a ton of time with me behind the prescription flipper thingy to show me what each part of the glasses would look like and listened when I described the challenge of still needing clear distance vision to shoot through a scope. She even handed me a yard stick to put up to my cheek so I could show her my head position on a rifle.
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,561
    Harford County, Maryland
    I guess you passed over the part where I said that the unit got FRIED! By that, I meant the the unit overheated and the dot emitting light source basically melted. Definitely NOT part od the design parameters.

    If the instructions stated the part about using a torque wrench, I wouldn’t begrudge the need for a torque wrench. After the third return, I was told about it from Burris support.

    In my albeit limited experience, it is my opinion that the Burris Fastfire III is a delicate flower. It does not stand up to heavy use. Your mileage may vary.

    No, I caught the fried incident. I agree that’s not good.
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,561
    Harford County, Maryland
    I would have told them that if they weren’t willing to help me to figure out a solution for my sporting hobby that they were refusing to provide the service I had gone in for and demanded that I not be charged for the visit.

    The doc I found was all about trying to figure out a solution to a problem that she hadn’t heard of before. She spent a ton of time with me behind the prescription flipper thingy to show me what each part of the glasses would look like and listened when I described the challenge of still needing clear distance vision to shoot through a scope. She even handed me a yard stick to put up to my cheek so I could show her my head position on a rifle.

    Good practitioner. I had my wife measure from my eye to the front sight so I wouldn't have to take the pistol with me (he does that). The most annoying part of this whole aging eye gig is the tail on the dot sight. I purchased a prism sight for the AR since they are less prone to the flare phenomenon. Still have to mount it.
     

    slsc98

    Ultimate Member
    May 24, 2012
    6,746
    Escaped MD-stan to WNC Smokies
    ...whats your answer ??

    *If* $10k a family member ($5,000 an eye) is in the budget, the answer is easy: Intraocular Lens Replacement. And I recommend Dr. Ralph Ousler at GrayStone Eye Clinic in Hickory, NC. Worth the trip!

    It is not Lasik (it is an actual replacement of the eye Lens) and I am blessed to have been able to pay out of pocket for both the wife and I (a lot of thanks goes to the fund mgrs of FSPHX and PRHSX! :) ) and to say it has been life-changing is not just accurate but practically an understatement!

    We opted for the Lens that allows both near and distance vision. Freaking incredible, I could go on and on ... that positive of an experience ....:party29:

    I’m not sure how this bloke goes on for 30+ minutes (I only watched the first few minutes) but, he sounds pretty much identical to my story and I had to chuckle when he also used the term “life-changing.” Really the only way to describe it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufy5K9bnrC4

    Refractive lens exchange (lens replacement surgery): https://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/refractive-lens-exchange.htm

    LASIK VS CLEAR LENS EXCHANGE: https://bonitaeye.com/eye-care-serv...ement-naples-fl/lasik-or-clear-lens-exchange/

    I don’t know what all the info on this card means, maybe your eye guy or gal does; I only know they told me to either carry the card with me in my wallet or in my phone (I opted for the latter)

    Best o’ Success! (and, knowing what I know now, if I had to take out a loan to get the Lens replacement done, I’d gladly do it!
     

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    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,409
    Glen Burnie
    If you use bifocals, turn them upside down. I have a coworker who does that.

    There are companies that have readers with them on top.

    The issue with just reading glasses, is that you can't see past the front sight. The rest of the world is blurry.
    Same with bifocals too.
    Progressive glasses are the only real answer. And it still sucks. Ask me how I know.
    Last month I ordered some Wiley-X single vision prescription sunglasses. They suck too.
     

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