I work with a very experienced and intelligent police officer at a local military surplus store. He has been with the force for 43 years and he has the same problem. He has told me that if it wasn't for red dot sights then he wouldn't be able to qualify with a rifle. He swears by their effectiveness and he used to be against anything except for irons and/or a scope. His precinct uses EOTechs but he purchased a cheaper electronic optic for his .22. EOTech makes a rimfire sight that retails for about $350 or so, but you can still get a quality optic for around $100-$150. Red dots are parallax free and offer great target acquisition and allow you to shoot with both eyes open. More importantly they allow you to focus on your target rather than the front sight post.
If you have your heart set on irons, the previous posters hit the nail with the multi colored fiber optic sights. I still think that irons are a must but a good red dot or holo sight can offer a great improvement over irons when eyesight is an issue.
I wish you all the best with whatever road you choose and i hope it works out for you. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer.