My eyes are getting old, should I wear glasses while shooting a pistol?

BigDaddy · Jul 30, 2015

DanGuy48 said:
...a friend just sent me this link. It actually does make some sense and I am going to try some of the exercises. They seem to be common sense types of things though so I don't think I'm going to shell out the money for the DVD program.

http://www.dryfiretrainingcards.com/vision-gym-and-balance-gym-for-shooters/

Do let us know how it goes. This guys claims it will do everything but put lead in your pencil. We have oysters for that. :lol:

5cary · Jul 30, 2015

sundazes said:
What kind of progressives did you get and where? Mine absolutely suck for shooting. I had to get shooting glasses that focus on the front sight.

I also got progressives, and they are awful.

My eyesight has deteriorated to the point where my pistol scores have gone way down recently. Our qualification course is quickdraw/timed/multiple shots, and we normally do it on a semi-covered range from 3 - 25yds. It wasn't until I did the course outside recently, in the sun, that I realized just how poor my focus on the front sight was. My prescription glasses don't help at all (they suck so bad I don't wear them).

I never even thought about using my 1.5 reading glasses for shooting, but based on what I read here, I'm going to do some experimentation. My problem is that if I don't wear them all the time, I probably should'nt qual with them (I normally wear my EDC Oaklys).

I may have to give that shop in Damascus a try (I'm assuming this is the thread: http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=176744&highlight=damascus)

lx1x · Jul 30, 2015

I have tri-focal lens and it works fine for me. :shrug:

Just for thoughts.. When you go in self defense mode.. Would you ask your assailant to wait so you can change glasses or look for your other glasses.

I'd rather use the glasses I have on and work round it.

mike_in_md · Jul 30, 2015

Computer distance glasses would probably work better. If you want to go on the cheap, go to CVS and try some glasses that are weaker than your reading glasses.

jimbobborg · Jul 30, 2015

lx1x said:
I have tri-focal lens and it works fine for me.

Just for thoughts.. When you go in self defense mode.. Would you ask your assailant to wait so you can change glasses or look for your other glasses.

I'd rather use the glasses I have on and work round it.

With either my single scrip contacts or my bifocals, I have no problems hitting the A zone on a target out to 15 yards. However, hitting a 4" plate at 20 yards and beyond is a problem. Or shooting bullseye at 50 yards. See the difference?

lx1x · Jul 30, 2015

jimbobborg said:
With either my single scrip contacts or my bifocals, I have no problems hitting the A zone on a target out to 15 yards. However, hitting a 4" plate at 20 yards and beyond is a problem. Or shooting bullseye at 50 yards. See the difference?

You need to practice more . lol.

I said self defense... 20 yards is within reason.. 50 yards.. You'll just watch me run away..

DaftPict · Jul 30, 2015

I too have aging eyes, and had my optometrist make progressive safety glasses for the range. That way I can see both sights and target and it works for me.
For HD I keep a light/laser on that pistol so I don't worry about grabbing glasses first....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mark75H · Jul 30, 2015

I have progressives too. They are of no use for shooting for me.

ShallNotInfringe · Jul 30, 2015

I have a designated pair for shooting. They are distance and cover my entire eye. I also sneak and use them for tv also. Perfect for both.

I figured out progressives are not good for shooting early on.. Line of sight is all wrong.

sgt23preston · Jul 30, 2015

My eyes are getting old, should I wear glasses while shooting a pistol? Reload this

Rick3bears said:
I switched to Progressives a couple of years back. It took some time to get used to them, but they work really well for shooting. For a few bucks more, I got shatter resistant and transitions. Works really fine for pistol, rifle, optics, whatever.

Me too...

The center part of my lenses are "set" to focus at about 24" for computer work...

That seems to work correctly for my handguns...

And I do have Glaucoma in my right eye...

Get your internal eye pressure checked...

molonlabe · Jul 30, 2015

Subscribed thread within a subscribed thread.
http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=56286

photoracer · Jul 30, 2015

Reptile said:
Interesting. The information about selecting reading glasses for various relatively close distances is very useful to me.

I'm quite nearsighted, but can not obtain a crisp image when I wear my glasses and use a scope. Without my glasses I get a very sharp image. Is the scope acting as a corrective lens and, if it works for me, why would anyone wear corrective lenses when using a scope?

No the scope is just focusing for your eye regardless of the state of your eye. I was nearsighted but like I said I am in the middle of getting the lenses in my eyes replaced due to cataracts. Prior to that I used my regular prescription glasses for scopes and red dots and a special pair of glasses with my regular nearsighted correction on the left eye and an 18" reading distance focus on my dominant right eye for shooting iron sights. As it happens I have found I can shoot fiber optics sights on the right eye without using the short focus lens. Now that my right eye is farsighted due to the correction on the IOL lens they inserted I find I can still shoot fiber optic sights without glasses on the eye. At least in daylight when the FO sights are bright anyway.

DanGuy48 · Jul 31, 2015

Just wanted to add a bit to the above, if you have a simple diopter correction that is needed, some scopes will have this available, and in that case you should not need your glasses, assuming it's not a huge correction. However, if you have astigmatism, you cannot correct for that on the scope, so you must wear your glasses to have corrected vision through the scope.

Gambler · Jul 31, 2015

As others have said, go see an optometrist if you haven't already.

R81 · Aug 3, 2015

I sometimes use the Elvex Rx500 which come in different strengths. You can get them in less the 1.0 power also. Good quality safety glasses.

http://www.amazon.com/Rx-500C-0-5-F...1&keywords=elvex+rx500+safety+reading+glasses

Walton Feep · Aug 3, 2015

Anyone try these? Independently adjustable.

http://www.amazon.com/Adlens-Adjust...ef=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1438610560&sr=1-2

photoracer · Aug 3, 2015

No, but they look interesting, provided your vision issues are limited to near and farsightedness and you don't have moderate to severe astigmatism.

Winebike · Aug 3, 2015

Putting a Leupold Delta point reflex sight (or equivalent) on your pistol and running with a scope or red dot on your AR and shotgun would be the best way to go. Doing that will allow you to use your normal, shooting glasses for all three platforms.

If you can't do that, then make up some special shooting glasses with your normal prescription in the non-dominate eye lens. For the dominant eye lens prescription, request a "bifocal" with one segment of the lens using your normal distance prescription and the other segment using a "computer" prescription so you can focus on the front sight. Measure the distance from your eye to the front sight on the pistol you use most and have the optometrist adjust your "computer" prescription to that distance. You will need to figure out based on what will work best for your shooting style, what the height of each segment should be for your bifocal. Also, you will need to decide if you want the normal distance segment on top or bottom. It all depends on how you want to hold your head while shooting your pistol and rifle. Having a prescription like this will allow you to use one pair of glasses for both pistol and rifle. Personally, I don't like progressive lenses, but it's something you can also consider as another alternative.

BTW, Dr Blandina at the Ellicott City Walmart is always happy to accommodate my shooting prescription requests. I always send my prescriptions to SportRX.com which has a nice selection of suitable frames and lens types.

DanGuy48 · Aug 4, 2015

I used to sell optics and just had the great idea for stick on Fresnel lenses for shooting glasses. Wouldn't you know, it's already being done? Anyone tried this?

http://www.fresnel-prism.com/products/-3m-press-on-optics/

Blacksmith101 · Jan 30, 2019

My eyes are getting old, should I wear glasses while shooting a pistol?

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