I'm in a catch 22 or maybe I'm just confusing myself. I am Right eye dominant however I have astigmatism, I am near sighted in my right eye (my dominant eye) and far sighted in my left eye, non dominant. I do have glasses but they are a pain, I cant stand having things on my face. I want to shoot with both eyes open but I find it impossible even with glasses. I am shooting iron sights.
Eye sight and shooting
- Thread starter Sentryau2
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JoePfeiffer
Member
Interesting -- depending on how nearsighted and how farsighted, I'd expect this to be pretty much ideal: dominant eye on the sight, other on the target. I'm terribly nearsighted (until January 31 when I get LASIK!). I keep thinking I'd like to get some safety glasses made that will be a reading glass lens on the right but plain on the left (I haven't seen custom glasses like this for a reasonable price, though).
One thing puzzles me; you mentioned that having anything on your face bothers you -- of course you need to wear safety glasses regardless of the condition of your eyes.
One thing puzzles me; you mentioned that having anything on your face bothers you -- of course you need to wear safety glasses regardless of the condition of your eyes.
wv109323
Member
Are you shooting right or left handed? Your vision (with which eye you are using)will need to be corrected so that the front sight is clear and in focus. ( both astigmatism and refraction)
If you are shooting right handed with right dominate eye you should have no problem with both eyes open.
If you are shooting left handed with a right dominate eye you will need to block the right eye. Both eyes must be exposed to the same amount of light for you to properly focus. Block the eye with a piece of translucent tape to try things out.
If you are shooting right handed with right dominate eye you should have no problem with both eyes open.
If you are shooting left handed with a right dominate eye you will need to block the right eye. Both eyes must be exposed to the same amount of light for you to properly focus. Block the eye with a piece of translucent tape to try things out.
You can yell at me if you want but i dont normally wear safety glasses while shooting when i do they are the wrap around "tacticool" style shade/safety glasses, they dont bother me as much because they stay out of my periphrial vision and dont rest asmuch on the bridge of my noes or want to fall off. Onto the important topic tho. Im shooting right handed, its still difficult to thw point of being impossible. I will continue to practice and ive tried the tape trick with no luck at all, im gonna pick up some more ammo and a PA red dot here soon and continue to practice before I give up on it completely. It just feels unnatural and is stressful on my eyes. I dont locate targets woth one eye i simpy close an eye before taking a shot. With one eye closed my groups are much smaller. Ive tried with numerous guns. My ar, .22 and even a lever gun with ghost ring sights
jr_roosa
Member
You need contact lenses.
Your shooting will improve dramatically when your vision is corrected.
-J.
Your shooting will improve dramatically when your vision is corrected.
-J.
WEAR SHOOTING GLASSES
I've had Lazik, and what I hear they can now correct for the astigmatism. But if you are old enough (like me) and correct to get good distance vision.. I like to see what I am actually shooting at, focusing on the front sight can be tough. You may need a really mild reading glass lens anyway. but
WEAR SHOOTING GLASSES
if you hate being at a disadvantage with one near sighted and one far sighted eye.. you'll really hate being blind in either of them.
Steel Horse Rider
Member
I dunno where you got your information about only having sight in one eye, but I am nearing 60 and have not had vision in my left eye since I was 2 years old and have not once wished that the blind eye was whole. It is a non-issue if you set your mind to deal with what is. Very similar to dealing with wearing glasses, which I have also experienced since I was 5. Being able to see clearly certainly trumps not being able to see whether you "like" to wear glasses or not. The sooner folks give up this idea that you were promised to have whatever you wanted in your life and deal with the cards you are holding the better your enjoyment of life will become. I know that I have not had most of the problems involving open sights and targeting that I have about read about on this website; whether that is because I am accustomed to adapting or because I rarely whine about the inconsequential things I do not know.
A few points I would like to mention, I have similar issues so I think I know where he is coming from.
1)"I keep thinking I'd like to get some safety glasses mad that will be a reading glass lens on the right but plain on the left (I haven't seen custom glasses like this for a reasonable price, though)."
Not sure what you mean be reasonable (varies widely among people) but check out your local WalMart. Many have an optical center and do good work at a reasonable price. I forget how much I paid but it was basically the same as regular glasses.
My glasses are safety glasses with side shields with the left eye focused at far distance (Infinity in photographer terms) and the Right eye focused at 39 inches (distance to the front sight on my primary firearm) no extra charge for the disparity. I was told that this distance is sometimes called " computer distance " and it may be easier for you to explain it that way. I just told them that I am a target shooter, true statments BTW
, and had measured the distance ahead of time with a friend.
You WILL have to explain exactly what you want and express frequently that you want the lenses set at two different distances. Tell them you want "monovision".
For some reason I cannot explain most optical workers cannot believe that someone wants the lenses in their glasses set for two different distances even though they do it routinely with contact lenses. My glasses have been ordered correctly but made incorrectly i.e. they did not follow the order that was placed. This has occurred on several occasions even with the manager involve.
2) Try everything for yourself using the metric of accuracy/speed for your area of shooting. Rent a Eotech, try an Aimpoint or mini-red dot, or a laser either green or red. Or you can celebrate the season by getting both!
Does not matter what the experts say what matters is what lets you use a gun the way you want. What is good for a IPSC person may not work for a Benchrester.
When my moms eyesight went bad she request ( and received ) a Glock with a LASER back in the 90's. Many tried to talk me out of it. 5 out of her first 6 shots were int the cardiac silhouette! (Mom was a retired ICU nurse )
Good luck, YMMV and all of the above is just my opinion.
NukemJim
PM me if you have any questions. NJ
1)"I keep thinking I'd like to get some safety glasses mad that will be a reading glass lens on the right but plain on the left (I haven't seen custom glasses like this for a reasonable price, though)."
Not sure what you mean be reasonable (varies widely among people) but check out your local WalMart. Many have an optical center and do good work at a reasonable price. I forget how much I paid but it was basically the same as regular glasses.
My glasses are safety glasses with side shields with the left eye focused at far distance (Infinity in photographer terms) and the Right eye focused at 39 inches (distance to the front sight on my primary firearm) no extra charge for the disparity. I was told that this distance is sometimes called " computer distance " and it may be easier for you to explain it that way. I just told them that I am a target shooter, true statments BTW
, and had measured the distance ahead of time with a friend.You WILL have to explain exactly what you want and express frequently that you want the lenses set at two different distances. Tell them you want "monovision".
For some reason I cannot explain most optical workers cannot believe that someone wants the lenses in their glasses set for two different distances even though they do it routinely with contact lenses. My glasses have been ordered correctly but made incorrectly i.e. they did not follow the order that was placed. This has occurred on several occasions even with the manager involve.
2) Try everything for yourself using the metric of accuracy/speed for your area of shooting. Rent a Eotech, try an Aimpoint or mini-red dot, or a laser either green or red. Or you can celebrate the season by getting both!
Does not matter what the experts say what matters is what lets you use a gun the way you want. What is good for a IPSC person may not work for a Benchrester.
When my moms eyesight went bad she request ( and received ) a Glock with a LASER back in the 90's. Many tried to talk me out of it. 5 out of her first 6 shots were int the cardiac silhouette! (Mom was a retired ICU nurse
)Good luck, YMMV and all of the above is just my opinion.
NukemJim
PM me if you have any questions. NJ
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slickracer
Member
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2013
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- 254
Look for the Magic Dot...it's exactly what you need.
Depending on your level of astigmatism, you may be able to wear contact lenses, which are a great solution, especially with younger eyes (you don't mention your age). However, astigmatism is complicated. With high levels of astigmatism, contact lenses can be tricky, but they are a possibility. Sometimes astigmatism can't be corrected with contacts. Mine weren't.
If you're of the age where cataracts are also a concern, you can get everything done with one implant. I just finished with cataract surgery, and my astigmatism and cataracts were corrected with an implant that has effectively eliminated the need for corrective lenses, except for reading ($20 Walmart glasses).
The real solution is not to rely on a few comments in the forum. You really need to see an ophthalmologist and get your eyes properly tested and evaluated. You should find one who is familiar with shooters' concerns, and understands what you're trying to do.
Before you waste money at an optometrist or optical dispenser, get a thorough test. It's well worth the money. Let your fingers do the walking. You can also ask other shooters. They're a great source of information and some recommendations.
If you're of the age where cataracts are also a concern, you can get everything done with one implant. I just finished with cataract surgery, and my astigmatism and cataracts were corrected with an implant that has effectively eliminated the need for corrective lenses, except for reading ($20 Walmart glasses).
The real solution is not to rely on a few comments in the forum. You really need to see an ophthalmologist and get your eyes properly tested and evaluated. You should find one who is familiar with shooters' concerns, and understands what you're trying to do.
Before you waste money at an optometrist or optical dispenser, get a thorough test. It's well worth the money. Let your fingers do the walking. You can also ask other shooters. They're a great source of information and some recommendations.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
All you need to see very clearly is the front sight.
If you can see the front sight clearly??
The rear sight and target will be a blur of some degree.
But it doesn't matter.
Focus on the front sight if you can.
And the other two will take care of themselves through no fault of your own.
That's the way your eye works.
Doesn't matter if you are 20 with 20/20 vision. or 60+ with poor vision.
If you can figure out a way to see a clear sharp front sight??
That's all you need to see to be a most excellent shot.
rc
If you can see the front sight clearly??
The rear sight and target will be a blur of some degree.
But it doesn't matter.
Focus on the front sight if you can.
And the other two will take care of themselves through no fault of your own.
That's the way your eye works.
Doesn't matter if you are 20 with 20/20 vision. or 60+ with poor vision.
If you can figure out a way to see a clear sharp front sight??
That's all you need to see to be a most excellent shot.
rc
Pete D.
Member
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2010
- Messages
- 2,659
Yes
The man has the answer. Front sight...front sight.....front sight.
Since it is an optical impossibility to focus on two things at two different distances at the same time....all you need to focus on is one thing....the front sight.
Not sure what to OP meant when he said that the tape trick,did not work. I am guessing that the reference is to the practice of putting a piece of opaque tape on the glasses so as to occlude the target and still have light on the Non-shooting eye. What is not to work there?
As it is now, your eyes do not permit this to happen, therefore you must add something to the eye/gun system to make focus possible. If you want direct effect at the eye without surgery, then you have to wear some kind of glass and/or an adjustable iris like those available from Merit, Gehmann, and Lyman.
At the gun....a red dot, tube style, may work. Maybe.
As to glasses falling off, etc., if the glasses fall off or sit in a bothersome way.....then they don't fit you. Get properly fitted glasses and you will forget that you have them on.
Pete
Bingo!
The man has the answer. Front sight...front sight.....front sight.
Since it is an optical impossibility to focus on two things at two different distances at the same time....all you need to focus on is one thing....the front sight.
Not sure what to OP meant when he said that the tape trick,did not work. I am guessing that the reference is to the practice of putting a piece of opaque tape on the glasses so as to occlude the target and still have light on the Non-shooting eye. What is not to work there?
As it is now, your eyes do not permit this to happen, therefore you must add something to the eye/gun system to make focus possible. If you want direct effect at the eye without surgery, then you have to wear some kind of glass and/or an adjustable iris like those available from Merit, Gehmann, and Lyman.
At the gun....a red dot, tube style, may work. Maybe.
The important topic is your eyesight.
As to glasses falling off, etc., if the glasses fall off or sit in a bothersome way.....then they don't fit you. Get properly fitted glasses and you will forget that you have them on.
Pete
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While I agree completely with what RC Model says, I've got roughly 20/400 vision in my dominant eye. (or, basically, I'm frigging blind; I have to be 20 feet from something to see it with the same level of detail as a normal person sees at 400 feet....).
Even a great big black-on-white bullseye on an SR target at 200 yards is gone; just a blur. So even though I can see the front sight fine, there's nothing to point it at except some blurry thing that looks sort of like a hill that's been drawn by a kindergartner with life like water colors.
Unfortunately shooting with glasses is difficult due to parallax caused by the frame. I haven't broke down to get "real" shooting glasses with an adjustable lens, and every set of prescription glasses I've bought causes parallax to some degree.
So, I usually shoot rifles with iron sights with my non-dominant eye (left handed), where the prescription (and parallax) isn't as severe (20/200 vision there). I shoot scoped rifles with my right (because the optics correct my vision, and parallax is handled in the scope).
Over the years I've gotten pretty good at slinging lead out of rifles with the wrong hand. I've overcome the eye dominance issues by reading long books with my dominant eye closed. Now I can "will" my eyes to switch dominance. It takes a little practice but you can selectively switch eye dominance - and there are some benefits to this.
Even a great big black-on-white bullseye on an SR target at 200 yards is gone; just a blur. So even though I can see the front sight fine, there's nothing to point it at except some blurry thing that looks sort of like a hill that's been drawn by a kindergartner with life like water colors.
Unfortunately shooting with glasses is difficult due to parallax caused by the frame. I haven't broke down to get "real" shooting glasses with an adjustable lens, and every set of prescription glasses I've bought causes parallax to some degree.
So, I usually shoot rifles with iron sights with my non-dominant eye (left handed), where the prescription (and parallax) isn't as severe (20/200 vision there). I shoot scoped rifles with my right (because the optics correct my vision, and parallax is handled in the scope).
Over the years I've gotten pretty good at slinging lead out of rifles with the wrong hand. I've overcome the eye dominance issues by reading long books with my dominant eye closed. Now I can "will" my eyes to switch dominance. It takes a little practice but you can selectively switch eye dominance - and there are some benefits to this.
jcwit
member
For those of you who are diabetic, does not your vision/focus ability change with your sugar levels?
Mine seems to. Really noticeable when using iron sights, especially peep sights.
Mine seems to. Really noticeable when using iron sights, especially peep sights.
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