How do you bifocal wearers aim??

[Mohycle]

I am having trouble seeing targets clearly at the range, through my bifocals. I'm left eye dominant, shoot lefty, pistols and rifles. Mostly freehand. Even at 25' I can't focus on the target and the front site simultaneously. Any helpful hints out there? (besides getting a scope)
Mo

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[rodell]

Turn your glasses over!

Once you have alignment on target, focus on the front sight. The target will blur behind it, but, the overall picture should remain.

You can buy shooting glasses that have your bifocal higher, or, even on the top. Some people add on a special stick on lens or one that is mounted to the bow of their eyeglass frames - such things keep you from tilting your head back and making it even worse.

 

[dobeman]

I have progressive bifocals - not a lot of strength - enough read on the bottom and some help with distance on the top.. but I focus on the front sight, looking through top of the lens and put it on the target 'blob'. Good for 100 yards for me. Scopes do help

 

[i8asquirrel]

My solution was to install crimson trace lasers and/ or holographic sights on my handguns! has worked well.

 

[Gunwheeler]

My solution was to install crimson trace lasers and/ or holographic sights on my handguns! has worked well.

X2

Also my eyes still work when the focal point is at arms length. But I mostly practice. with the Crimson Trace Lasers. Very handy from many different positions. Just hope all works as planned if SHTF.

 

[huntpotter]

lasik eye surgery. $1500 per eye.

New red dots on all my guns. $1500 plus.

Just throwin' it out there.

 

[Gunwheeler]

lasik eye surgery. $1500 per eye.

New red dots on all my guns. $1500 plus.

Just throwin' it out there.

My eyes don't fit the procedure. The three guns covered by lasers were much less than your cost estimates. Plus I had the pleasure of dealing and wheeling on this board and others to aqquire everything. Met and dealt with some great people. It's a hobby and lifestyle. Can't put a cost on that!

 

[huntpotter]

My eyes don't fit the procedure. The three guns covered by lasers were much less than your cost estimates. Plus I had the pleasure of dealing and wheeling on this board and others to aqquire everything. Met and dealt with some great people. It's a hobby and lifestyle. Can't put a cost on that!

That's true.

My wife got lasik on both eyes 6mo ago, and she can finally shoot with iron sights. Previously it was scoped rifles only, and point shooting with her pistol.

But is was spendy....!!!! Still paying it off.

I've just always been prone to distrust red dots and lasers on my defensive pistols, becasue it seems like the battery powered devices go out, right at the worst of times. So I was throwing out a possible alternative to that. But for range/fun guns, then lasers and red dots seem like they would help.

 

[chemist]

How about that. I'm also left-handed, left-eyed, a lefty shooter, and I wear bifocals. Blended bifocals, that is. It takes awhile to find the sweet spot, but that 'transition zone' in the middle of the lens works well for target shooting. In combat, who knows. In my Defensive Handgun class this past Saturday I forgot them, and still managed okay.

 

[madcratebuilder]

For hand guns a stick-on aperture for your shooting glasses, like the Hawkeye, well help focus.

Hawkeye Shooters Optic Aid

For long guns a rear mounted aperture sight helps but I still have a problem with the front post being out of focus. I just put a front aperture on one of my mil-surps, I need to test it but it sure looks like it going to be a major improvement.

 

[cdc]

I am having trouble seeing targets clearly at the range, through my bifocals. I'm left eye dominant, shoot lefty, pistols and rifles. Mostly freehand. Even at 25' I can't focus on the target and the front site simultaneously. Any helpful hints out there? (besides getting a scope)
Mo

sorry to resurrect a two month old thread - but damn. This has happened to me!

Until about 4 years ago, had excellent eyes. Then it started. It was "helpful" to wear readers. Then I had to wear them. Now I have to wear stronger ones. No lasik procedure will work for me (I asked).

Hadn't been shooting for a few years. I bought a GSG 1911 from cocktailer last week to take my son out pistol shooting. Was all excited to try it out and can't see a damn thing!

So I let him put a few hundred rounds through it.

Oh well. My son was happy

 

[spengo]

Never had a problem. I have progressive bifocals so there is no annoying line in the middle, maybe that helps? Aim through the top half I guess? Right handed, right eye dominant.

BTW without glasses I can see about 1.5" in front of my eyeball, no closer no farther. I can hit man-sized things with irons at 300yds though (if they are orange colored lol...). Do you get pre-made "off the rack" lenses that approximate your prescription or do you get them made specifically for your prescription? That may help too.

 

[cdc]

Never had a problem. I have progressive bifocals so there is no annoying line in the middle, maybe that helps? Aim through the top half I guess? Right handed, right eye dominant.

BTW without glasses I can see about 1.5" in front of my eyeball, no closer no farther. I can hit man-sized things with irons at 300yds though (if they are orange colored lol...). Do you get pre-made "off the rack" lenses that approximate your prescription or do you get them made specifically for your prescription? That may help too.

I still have pretty decent long distance sight. My guy did up a prescription for my longer views and bi-focals for up close. I tried them for month before giving up. Too disconcerting as my eyes move from lense to lense. Then I tried "computer" prescription to see near range only. They were fine, but not significantly different than regular old reading glasses.

So I'm back to looking down my nose through readers.

So, at the moment, it's the target or the sights, one or the other...

 

[spengo]

So, at the moment, it's the target or the sights, one or the other...

Front sight is clear, rear sight is blurry, target is blurry is how your sight picture is supposed to be. You can only focus on the front sight AND the target at the same time if you have mutant space alien eyes (like everyone in call of duty videogames apparently).

 

[cdc]

Front sight is clear, rear sight is blurry, target is blurry is how your sight picture is supposed to be. You can only focus on the front sight AND the target at the same time if you have mutant space alien eyes (like everyone in call of duty videogames apparently).

Say what you want. I shot fine for 30 years. Now I can't.

 

[EMP9596]

Look at the "Merit" type diopter shooting glasses, you block the left eye and have a small aperture to see thru for the right eye or visa-versa, this increases clarity. The trouble with glasses is correcting for the short range clarity and looosing the clarity at a distance; as in reading glasses. I can see either the target clearly or the sights clearly. This gives the older guys real fits. There is also a small diopter that is a small suction cup with a hole in it that works the same as the above.

VIA for AR-15/A2

2008 July 12 « AccurateShooter.com Bulletin

 

[cdc]

Look at the "Merit" type diopter shooting glasses

Thanks! I'll take a look at these.

 

[cdc]

now that is awesome. Hope it works out well for you!

 

[Tilos]

Drugstore readers in the +1.00 to +1.50 range can be worn to allow focus on the front sight only. (for a HANDGUN)

Try them on the next trip to the store, bring something that is LIKE a front sight and set on a shelf and look at it at front sight distance, try different powers.
I used a stick pin with a black plastic head for this and could see the mold seam at front sight distance!!

The best is usually a half a diopter less than your lower part of the bifocal correction.

Understand, the rear sight may also be clear but target WILL be fuzzy and you will need to give up trying to focus on these, or eye strain will result.

This works for me, it's a less than $20 investment and worth a try.
YMMV.