Vision, glasses and sights

[Blowingsky]

I'd like to know how some of you handle age related vision decline. I wear reading glasses but probably could use glasses for distance now too. With a riflescope, not too much of a problem, If I peek over the top of my glasses. But with a 1911, whew! With glasses I can see the sights, or without I can see the target. Also my A3-03 iron sights is a bit of a challenge, though not as bad as a handgun.

Anyway, love to hear in a general discussion how this aspect of marksmanship is addressed by y'all.

Peter

 

[wally]

I had Lasik mono-vision. Right eye can focus on the front sight, left eye can focus on the target. Its been wonderful to be able to use iron sights again, but I sure did get used to red dots before I had the surgery.

--wally.

 

[Buck Nekkid]

I wear tri-focals and had the "middle distance" prescription ground into a pair of glasses. The front sight is the most important element in shooting what you're aiming at and with the mid distance prescription, I can see my sights clearly and the target is a little fuzzy.

 

[[email protected]]

I'm 66 and just shoot pistol. I started using just a pair of reading glasses.
1 diopter strength. As my eyes got older the front sight started to get a
little fuzzy again. I now use a 1.5 diopter to see the front sight clear. Target
still looks OK. When this gets fuzzy I will go to a 2 diopter. When my wife
starts to lead me around, I'll quit.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

I screwed up earlier this week, went to the deer stand wearing my sunglasses (perscription). Realized it halfway in, and figured it was too late to double trip. Worked ok until just before dusk, pulled em off and couldn't really see crap except through the scope.

Iron sights are kinda tricky, I can see the sights well, but can't see the target as clearly as I like.

For pistol, I just shoot at shorter distances with smaller bulls.

I let an eye doc talk me into bifocals, they didn't work out too well. Found that they wouldn't allow me proper sight through a scope. I think single vision is the way to go for shooting.

I've considered lasik, but after speaking with people who have had it done, I've come to realize there are some slight trade offs that could pop up that I'm not willing to deal with.

 

[Mike U.]

Middle age sight has not been kind to my shooting. Even with prescription glasses (bifocals), long arm iron sights are both fuzzy, until I work my head down into a painful position on the stock to accommodate those glasses. That causes a problem because it interferes with a proper cheek weld.

Pistol shooting is a little better when I use the three dot system. But, still my glasses are not real shooter friendly. Without those dots, regular iron sights are no fun to shoot with.
I need new glasses.
No, what I really need is my better than 20/20 vision back sans glasses.

Gettin' old ain't fer sissies...

 

[icanthitabarn]

I used reading glasses.when needed. I'm not talking about for shooting, but the computer, and reading. Wore em all the time. After a few years, my vision changed. Its a long and strange story, but for the last few years, I have tried to not use them, and this seems better. Usually I can read tiny print, better than 10 years ago, As to shooting. I'm in same boat.

 

[wrench]

I had a pair of shooting glasses made, with a middle vision prescription ground into the top of the right hand lens.
My right eye can focus on the front sight, left can still see the target. Works pretty well.

 

[CooperThunder]

Before I did my CCW, I went to see my opthalmologist and he gave me bifocals contact lens for my right eye. I wear contact lens and I have the same grade in both eyes, but for shooting, I wear bifocal contact lens.

 

[CU74]

Blowingsky: Thanks for posting - at age 66, I'm having the same problems.

The rest of you: Thanks for the suggestions. No way I'm getting Lasik surgery. I can see at distances just fine; have needed reading glasses for twenty years. My ophthalmologist and I will be having a lengthy discussion soon............

 

[twice barrel]

I'm just getting back into shooting and handguns at that. My vision has been poor all my life and now (55) with a cataract in my master eye along with transition lenses instead of trifocals I cannot keep the rear sight in focus but am fine with the front sight (once I find it) and the target. Both eyes open most of the time but truly wish I could keep everything in focus with just my master eye. The 3-dot sight seems to make matters worse and I'm exploring the Straight-8 sights. Held a SIG the other day that had a single white block under the rear notch and a white block amid the front sight. In the store it seemed to me to be easier to line up. Haven't found the same sights available as an aftermarket option but think I'd like them.

My XDm sights are nice and low but I sure wish a different dot option was available without having to replace the sights or paint'm up.

TB

 

[gym]

We covered this over the years, but I will throw this out again. Try one contact lens for reading on one, and one for distance on the other. Many doctors are doing this now. You can just go with one if your distance is good. Or a trifocal lens, "wife has them". The only problem is with Stigmatism, but there is a new lens out for that also, they just are more expensive.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Hard lenses can force the cornea into shape and correct the astigmatism, just isn't comfortable. I end up having exactly the opposite with my poor vision, I can see the sights but the target is a fuzzy blur, that's why my glasses are on the bedside table. Oh well, I can still hit center mass with out them.

 

[Bo]

I put XS Big Dots on my SA XD 45 Service and my SA 1911. They work great. they're not target sights but, I carry for self defense anyway.

 

[twice barrel]

Well, I should have said "progressive" instead of "transition". My first contacts were glass, then perforated plastic, last were extended wear soft-lenses. None worked, even the Astigmatic ones. Threw in the towel on contacts and wear eyeglasses.

When my cataract surgery on my left eye was performed a corrective lens was used. However once healed it was less than 20/20 but the clarity and color restoration was considerable. I look forward to my right eye receiving similar benefit.

TB

 

[azyogi]

There are a couple of books, The Bates Method for Life Without Glasses, and 30 Days to Life Without Glasses. These books contain exercises which reduce or [as they claim] eliminate the need for glasses. I did manage to reduce my diopter from 2.50 to 1.0 for reading glasses, when I stopped doing the exercise, my reading glasses went to 3.0. I did notice that when doing these exercises, I could see the front sight better. I never did get to where I could see as well as I could when I was younger. I must admit I am not very good at following any exercise program, and someone with more dedication to the program might have better luck.