Who wears glasses?

[Jim Norman 5]

OK,I shoot, I wear glasses. When I started I had a single prescription and all was good in the world. THEN... I got my first pair of progressives. It was a pain. Could not get my head in the right position for USPSA style shooting. Fast forward, got a person that knew what to do. We used a set of handheld lenses to until the front sight was in focus. We did this for both eyes. I do not subscribe to the different focus distances. Shooting action you find yourself on quite a number of occasions shooting weak side, weak side eye. Now, that said, my eyes are not so bad as many peoples. I can see targets at distance with my shooting glasses, not well enough to shoot iron sight rifle, but I don't stumble over my feet either.

 

You can accomplish the fitting in multiple ways. I have carried a slide and used it, however I now do it by just holding a pencil out as if it were my pistol and focusing on the point. We do this for both eyes. I then verify this at my optometrist by using a set of trial lenses. Now, if your vision is really bad, this may not work for you, you may need the unbalanced lenses. Also for Open, this does not work as the 'dot' is focused at infinity and you get a starburst with the short focus lenses. For Open you'll need a pair of glasses focused for distance and a pair of readers for loading mags or writing scores.

 

Shooting a scoped rifle is not an issue, merely adjust the diopter ring to focus the reticle

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

I know this is an old thread... but I've been reading through all the "bad vision" threads because I've been sooo frustrated. Even though I'm still a newbie (about 50-60 hrs of total practice now)...I've hit a wall in terms of getting better and I think my Rx is the culprit. (Mind you, I think I'm doing OK considering the front iron sight (or red dot) is a freakin' blur! With a .22 Pistol at 50 ft. - either slow fire or timed fire, I am consistently getting about 2/3rds - 3/4ths in the "black" section of a rapid fire bullseye target (not all x's of course).... and the rest are almost all in the first 2 white rings. I think that's good... at least from what I can tell sneaking furtive glances at other peoples' targets, LOL. It's intriguing enough to make me wonder how I might do if I didn't have such a crappy, out-of-date Rx. So, new peeps needed. (Mo' money, mo' money... clearly the downside of this new hobby).

 

So, a story... I recall there were referrals on one of these threads of eye doctors who were also shooters, but I really like my eye doctor (optometrist) who I've been going to for years. I wanted him to have first dibs at the business. So, I called him just to assess... I was willing to print out some of these threads, a few articles, etc. and drop them by his office if he was game to read up and work with me. If he sounded perplexed, I'd move on.

 

The first issue I hit was the receptionist who (no exaggeration) let out a barely muffled "gasp" of horror when I mentioned target shooting, and I could feel her pursed-lip, Bloomsberg-esque disapproval for the rest of that blessedly brief conversation. A bad start.

 

Then my doctor called me back. When I said target shooting, he said, "pistol or rifle?"  When I said I was having trouble lining up the shot, he questioned "sights? scope? laser?" Yay! It turns out he occasionally has shooters come in (right after business hours), they bring their gun in (w/red dot attached if they're using one) and he assesses it all in the office. (Yeah, yeah... questionable if it's "legal" in NJ... I know). 

 

He immediately started rattling off suggestions of different ways to correct the vision for pistol shooting --- all mirroring suggestions I've seen on these forums (e.g., both lenses focused on the front sight or scope, or with 1 long-distance lens in the off eye to get better peripheral vision, etc., etc.) He said he'd try a few different lens combos and see what I preferred.

 

The point is: I learned that it pays to ask your regular eye doctor. He certainly sounded knowledgeable enough to make me feel confident. I'll report back after all is said and done and let you know how it went. But, I feel marvelously optimistic! Once I start getting my shots ALL in the black, then I'll feel confident enough to do a local bullseye competition, knowing that I won't embarrass myself.

 

And some questions for the other visually-challenged on here... since I badly want to try long distance shooting at some point soon - do any of you use different Rx glasses for different guns (pistol vs. rifle)? Is that necessary? If so, have any of you used those frames where you can quickly pop different lenses in and out as needed? Which is more cost-effective, do you think? THANK YOU!

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Where's your eye doctor?  I'm considering options (keeping glasses or going the surgical route) for next year...

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

He's in Somerville. I PM'd you. I'm not planning to post his name however. Not yet. Honestly, I don't know that I need to be so careful - I mean if someone had an empty gun in his office and it wasn't considered a "reasonable deviation" for them to have it on his/her person, that's the owner's legal issue if they get nabbed, not the eye doc's, right? But, hell... you never know with the law. So, again, not posting his name... unless someone who sounds knowledgeable tells me - convincingly - I'm not putting the guy in a bad spot. Sorry - it's a paranoia only NJ residents can understand. LOL.

[Vlad G 345]

 

And some questions for the other visually-challenged on here... since I badly want to try long distance shooting at some point soon - do any of you use different Rx glasses for different guns (pistol vs. rifle)? Is that necessary? If so, have any of you used those frames where you can quickly pop different lenses in and out as needed? Which is more cost-effective, do you think? THANK YOU!

 

I use the same glasses for everything from scoped rifle to iron sighted pistol, but my primary issues is astigmatism with only very little other prescription. Depending on your prescriptions you needs my be different. I use Rudy's with the prescriptions in the shields and photocromic lenses which means I never pop them out although in theory I could change them out.

 

One warning might be to stay away from polarized lenses they can interfere with certain reddots.

[the_stranger 13]

I use ESS with the U-Rx Insert for matches. At the range usually glasses with progressive lenses so I don't

need to take the glasses off to mess awith any gun adjustments.

[ramnj 8]

I put red dots on my G34MOS (Burris FF3) and M&P9FS (RMR) and made a huge difference.  My vision got worse with age and also use progressive lenses.  

 

With my M&P Shield I'm just learning to adjust my sight to the target and getting five inch group shots which I'm fine with.

[ChrisJM981 924]

I use the same glasses for everything from scoped rifle to iron sighted pistol, but my primary issues is astigmatism with only very little other prescription. Depending on your prescriptions you needs my be different. I use Rudy's with the prescriptions in the shields and photocromic lenses which means I never pop them out although in theory I could change them out.

 

One warning might be to stay away from polarized lenses they can interfere with certain reddots.

Have you found one brand or another that properly addresses the astigmatism? I recently got new glasses, and while they're better, I wouldn't call them good. I have single lens polycarbonate glasses from Costco. They almost seem to make the astigmatism worse. I'm unsure if I should have my prescription rechecked or try a different brand or material.

[Vlad G 345]

Have you found one brand or another that properly addresses the astigmatism? I recently got new glasses, and while they're better, I wouldn't call them good. I have single lens polycarbonate glasses from Costco. They almost seem to make the astigmatism worse. I'm unsure if I should have my prescription rechecked or try a different brand or material.

 

My setup works awesome. I would say take you glasses to your eye doctor and have them check it to make sure it matches your prescription. It is possible they cut them wrong.

[ChrisJM981 924]

My setup works awesome. I would say take you glasses to your eye doctor and have them check it to make sure it matches your prescription. It is possible they cut them wrong.

That's a thought.

[carl_g 568]

I wear reading glasses... I would like to get something that will work for reloading as well any options other than doubling up?