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[Rayne]

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[Mudcat]

I may have to give that contact idea a try. My eyesight is so bad even corrected that it is nearly impossible for me to shoot irons well for any length of time. It really is depressing and not getting any better. I have pretty much rely gated myself to if I am going to shoot well for any length of time I will use an optic be it red dot or scope. It's not worth the migraine that usually follows. Just part of getting older and being a diabetic.
Congrats I the ahhhhaaa momen though! They are nice.

[FreedomV]

Good reminder, I will try Irons with my reading glasses.
Thank you

[Rayne]

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[AuntieBellum]

My everyday glasses are terrible for shooting.  Not only does the bifocal line from distance to up-close on the lens itself hit just where the front sight is, but neither option is quite right.  I wear my prescription sunglasses nearly every time I shoot since they're for distance only and it gives me something at least.  Did your optometrist give you a special test to determine the right correction for that in-between length to your front sight?

[jmdavis]

There is a formula that works for some people. It is to add +.75 diopters to your distance correction or to use a +.75  if you have no distance correction. For some people +.5 may work better. The idea is that you have glasses that have the focus at 2x your sight radius. This gives you a clear front sight and usually an acceptable target.  It works for me out to 500 yards, but it fails miserably in high mirage situations at 600 and further. In high mirage the glasses show distortion that makes things very difficult.

I have been a proponent of reading glasses (particularly low powered glasses) in shooting for quite some time. They have made a big difference for a number of shooters in their 40's and up.

If you know your distance scrip or if you don't have one, you can have glasses made by Zenni optical relatively cheaply and quickly. You can also check ShootingSight.com and http://www.bjonessights.com/ for glasses. I have a pair of sports glasses made up with a plano lens on the left and a +1.5 on the right (+.75 + my distance scrip of +.75).  It works for me out to 500.

[Rayne]

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[Nero]

I also discovered the 'old prescription' trick by accident.  I have an old pair of single focus photo-greys that let sme see the front sight on my M1A.  They're utterly hopeless for close up, have to push them up if I need to do some precision work nearby.  And I discovered earlier this week that if I forget and leave them on when I switch to hand gun - then I can't see the front post again!

[Uncle Davey]

I have a terrible time with irons on a Ruger 10/22 becuase the front sight being fuzzy but I can see the front sight on my Garand just fine. I use 2.75 cheaters..I'm shooting irons on a AR at Atterbury so I will find out I need to do. I likee Amy's deal with the prescription shooting glasses.

[oladcock]

Yep, with the "arms too short" syndrome, I get a cheap pair of reading glasses from Wallyworld of the lowest power they have, 1.25 I think it is. This lets me focus on the front sight and still see well enough at distance to get the job done. Get the larger lenses, the smaller more fashionable lenses will get in the way. Use ear muffs vice plugs, they'll help keep the glasses from slipping down your nose with recoil....O.L.

[jmdavis]

Shooting irons with bifocals is very difficult and most optometrists have no idea about the needs of shooters. About the only glasses that make shooting more difficult than bifocals are the no line lenses. My optometrist is Triple Distinguished (Rifle, Pistol, and Revolver) and currently competes with pistol weak hand (well enough to make the Presidents 100 at the National Matches).


The resources that I provided links for are the ones that some of the top Highpower and Pistol competitors turn to for information and equipment.

I shoot the AR with a +1.00 to +1.5. I shoot bullseye pistol with a 1.00 to 1.25. I read with +1.5's.

My sports glasses from Zenni optical are +.25 left and +1.5 right. This lets me observe distance and wind flags with the best focus with the left eye and focus on the front sight with the right.

My dedicated shooting glasses are blinder left eye and  +1.25 right. This is a compromise to allow acceptable distance vision in high mirage at 600 and 1000 yards.  The shooting glasses have multiple lenses and I have 1.5, 1.25, 1.0, and .75 lenses in 37mm diameter.

If you have normal distance vision, try to find readers with the weakest scrip you can. That will likely be +.75 they  cannot be found in drug stores or walmart, but may be found at office supply stores.

[Mudcat]

I guess my no line bi-focals could be part of the problem.
Thanks for the info. My distance vision is horrible and has been since I was about 10.
I am due a new prescription in Dec. I may look into getting some of those fancy spectacles just for shooting this time.

[jmdavis]

Mudcat,

You might consider a lens for the front sight and the other for distance. This is what I did with the glasses that I got from Zenni Optical.

Here is the link to the specific pair and with the two CR-39 lenses and Anti-reflective coating and shipping they were around $60.

http://www.zennioptical.com/?prescription_type=single&frm_type%5B%5D=836&nav_cat_id=2&navused=1

[Pitmaster]

I guess my no line bi-focals could be part of the problem.
Thanks for the info. My distance vision is horrible and has been since I was about 10.
I am due a new prescription in Dec. I may look into getting some of those fancy spectacles just for shooting this time.

If you have a medical flexible benefit plan you can get "reimbursed" through it. I have a couple of specialized shooting and fishing glasses I've had made and submitted through mine.

[Mudcat]

Mudcat,

You might consider a lens for the front sight and the other for distance. This is what I did with the glasses that I got from Zenni Optical.

Here is the link to the specific pair and with the two CR-39 lenses and Anti-reflective coating and shipping they were around $60.

http://www.zennioptical.com/?prescription_type=single&frm_type%5B%5D=836&nav_cat_id=2&navused=1

I'm going to see what I can do about finding specialized optometrist I guess. My vision is pretty bad with a severe astigmatism too. I have brought it up to my regular Dr a couple times and he wasn't very optimistic about it. I go for appointments every 6 months and usually get new lenses most every time. When I first got bifocals I turned my glasses upside down and it worked pretty well but now my right eye is considerably worse than my left and they are not interchangeable.
I may give it a try but my insurance pays for 1 set per 12 months. I shoot well with an optic and that is what my "kit" contains so why try to force a change for something that may not be a viable option.  If I get a pair of glasses that I can see the front sight and yet see a measurable blob of a target. But have to switch back to my regular glasses to see a target # or to find my rifle on the line, may not be a good change. lol  I will ask though for sure.