eye sight problems

[bogunter]

Have any of you that are colorblind had any problems while bow hunting. I have heard that this makes you a better hunter because you are more focused on movement than color, and most prey have good camo. I have three problems with my eyes....problems with accomodation, colorblindness, and worse eyesight . I am trying to narrow down exactly what is going on when I am shooting. if i shoot at a target i am one after another right down the pipe. When deer hunting (esp in low light) I have a hard time finding the target when looking at the sights, and hard time seeing the sights when focusing on the deer. This happens more when bowhunting, and doesn't include scope shooting, just open sights.

I am soon getting glasses to take this out of the equation. that leaves me with colorblindness, and the issue of loss of accomodation. I don't think there is a cure for either, but maybe a way to minimize the effects? also, with accomodation, is this more pronounced during periods of heightened adrenalin activity? (rushing my shot isn't the problem, as I mostly wait for a good shot).

anyone with good advice would be nice, as I narrow down the reason for my problems in the field.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Ah age, and youth is wasted on the young...,

As many of us get older, we loose focus ability at closer distances to our eyes, hence the reason you have to hold stuff farther from you to focus. Some of that is due to the lessening flexability of the lens in the eye, a factor of age. At some point, you may find (or have found) that the distance you need to focus is a bit farther than the end of you finger tips on an outstetched hand. Which is where you are holding your bow when you sight it, right? Now add to that a small bead on the end of a sight pin, and you have a problem.

The eye is supposed to have rods and cones in the retna, with the rods being the most numerous, but the cones giving the color vision. Depending on the type of color vision problem that you have, you may have weaker, or less, cones than the average person. The rods give you your night vision, and in low light we all experience pretty much the same vision as "color blind" folks have all the time. Now the rods have a photo receptive chemical called visual purple or Rhodopsin. IF you are having night vision problems, you may be having a problem with the production or replenishment of rhodopsin.

I'd suggest you talk to your opthomologist regarding eye nutrition, as there are lots of common vision problems that get worse over time, which may be treated with a dietary supplement. Lutein has been shown to help with the halt or slowing the process of macular degeneration, along with Vitamin A.

You may also have different persciption needs for the lenses for each eye. i know that trying to get the eyes to work together when they aren't equal really makes focusing difficult. Ask a friend with contacts to tell you what it's like trying to move about with only one contact in at a time.

LD