O' say can you see.....help on range eyewear

[dennisf]

Even with my newest glasses, I have difficulty seeing the sights and targets on the pistol range. I can roll my head back, suffering neck injuries, but that is an awkward shooting stance and obviously doesn't work very well. There must be many more older shooters out there with the same problem. I am looking for some suggestions. I know that there are safety glasses with prescription in them (wore them for years) and that is usually in the bottom.
Some of the old time painters had tri-focals with the correction at the top of the lense for cutting in lines overhead.
I don't want optics on the handguns and I have a laser for one of them already.
What do the comp guys do for this?
What do the other old guys do? I had old guys on the pistol range Monday and most of them have the same problem.

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[stmcelroy]

I think I met you yesterday....

Not sure what you could do, best be may be to find a eye doctor that also shoots.

 

[dennisf]

I am tempted. Ya, I was on range 3 most of the day. The eye guys charge so much for glasses to start with and I had my progression moved up in to the lense on the new pair but still have the problem. The new pair were $445 with the Crizol coated lenses. I tried shooting with the new glasses after it got slow on range 3. We used to get some stick on diopter pads for the old guys at work so they would wear safety glasses. I am wondering about a stick on over my earlier yellow glasses or just over some plastic shooting glasses.

 

[1stIDFMP]

I had the same problem, until I bought bi-focal contacts. They work great - although my long distance vision now suffers slightly.

 

[elsie]

I seem to recall seeing some swing-down diopters that can be attached to your glasses, shooting or prescription. I can't find the link ATM, but I'll add it in if I do. I seem to have pretty much the same problem.


elsie

 

[NCW Ray]

I bought the stick-on diopters and only put one on the lens of my dominate eye. I’m left eye dominate and shoot right handed so I tilt my head and rest my chin gently against my right shoulder and look out the upper left corner of my left lens of my shooting glasses. With the stick-on diopter I can place it right where I need it.

 

[mjbskwim]

You sure you old geezers should be on the road,let alone handlin' a gun?

 

[wombat]

...dennis ... I also didn't want optics or even thought about; but I've seen red dot optics and ... they work. Both eyes open when shooting; who'da thought?

How's the astigmatism?

Many good brands of eye protection do have ready made prescriptions to 'pop-in', but these may not be in your required range.
If you are dominant in one eye, maybe you need to be only concerned about that dominant eye.

Is it only range shooting you are thinking about? What about low light effects? Are you practicing for carry? Wear what you have when going out?

I range with glasses and contacts; glasses are tri focals and the 50 yard target is where? The contacts ar elong range, but then the astigmatism throws that for a wobble.

Talk it over with your optometrist.

 

[Flopsweat]

You sure you old geezers should be on the road,let alone handlin' a gun?

That is so bad. But I can't stop laughing. Disclaimer: I don't know the guys you're picking on, but I'm approaching geezer status myself, so I feel OK with it.

On Topic: I'd suggest that whatever solution you choose, you at least practice occasionally with the glasses/contacts that you normally wear. In the unlikely event that you have to use your firearm to defend yourself, it will help if it's a natural, familiar action.

I don't have this issue with pistols yet, but I do have one rifle that I just can't see the front site on. I affected a cheap fix by painting the sites orange. Worked like a charm. It's just a little Savage 64 that I use to get new shooters started, so I couldn't see putting anything fancy on it.

 

[BillM]

I went with a set of dedicated shooting glasses using what they call "monovision". My dominant
eye lens is set for front sight focus, non dominant is distance. It's actually more commonly
done with contacts. I've got it on a set of Bolle' Vigilantes with the Rx frames. Not for
everybody. It takes 20 minutes or so for me to acclimate, and the first time I tried them it gave me
a heck of a headache. Been using them for USPSA pistol competitions for 3 or 4 years now.
Without them I would not be shooting iron sighted guns.

 

[halmbarte]

I usually shoot wearing my contact lenses as they work way better for me than my glasses. I do have a set of Bolle's with a Rx insert as a backup.

What I really recommend it that you talk to your eye doc and see what he thinks will work best for you.

H

 

[dennisf]

I have asked about the contacts. He says that I am not a candidate for contacts. I tried regular readers yesterday and it worked a little. I am leaning towards the stickon diopters for what shooting I do. I am putting the rounds where they need to be but it would be more rewarding if I could really see that sight picture and alignment. We have the small popup at 50yards and I am hitting about 50% with the 22 cal 1911 so I am reasonably happy.

 

[pietro beretta]

What range are you gents shooting at?

 

[halmbarte]

What range are you gents shooting at?

I'm a member at TCGC.

H

 

[dennisf]

I am a member at Clark Rifles east of Vancouver, Wa.

 

[xoddah]

look at tacticalrx.com
take the time to read, it is most useful information
they offered to send me an optical stick on to locate my optical center
then make my prescription at that same location on any frames I wanted
magnification top, center, left, right they are the only people i have ever found who will grind your prescription on wrap around lenses, usually it is primarily flat lenses or nothing.
The website is worth "looking " at
Their frames are expensive, I found the same $200.00 frames at Sportsman's warehouse for $55.00 closeout (regular $200.00) so... ) will they take your frames and add lenses of your choice.. dont know ?? will jiffy lube use your oil and filters at a much reduced rate ?? dont know
I have an appointment with the eye doctor next week to get a perscription
then Ill make a decision, most likely I will try contact lenses and then get a magnified
shooting glasses ... maybe some strap on binoculars or a fish bowl to go over my head
I do know this... nothing is cheap, so I saved a few bucks ...and let a good deal on a rifle go by ... damn it

 

[dennisf]

I was at dx yesterday. Making shooting rx glasses is a challenge for the industry at this time. One thing to keep in mind. If you go get regular rx glasses, the focal length is set for normal use like reading and computer work. When you have your arms out to shoot a handgun, its most likely not the same. I have also tried some granny readers at 2.75 so you are looking thru them and over them and it looks pretty clear. I have toyed with taking some safety glasses and cutting in one of the granny lenses just to see if it works. I tried other strength granny glasses and they didn't work. 3.0 and 2.50 weren't right for the arm length. I also called some welding, safety, and commercial painter supply stores to ask about the safety glasses that have a correction in the bottom but also a section across the top for overhead work like welding or cutting in lines when painting. I have had painters on my jobs that have these. I also asked for the stickons. They can be ordered and are spendy per unit. We used to give them to old guys to get them to wear safety glasses for reading drawings. I also looked in the Midway catalog and was surprised that there were no clip ons designed for this use. I will keep on looking and visit your website. I am thinking about the Sears special on TV for $99. I asked about a bifocal raised up more in the lense. Said it doesn't really work that way but I am going to ask Sears anyways. If you can do the contacts, others said that those work the best.

 

[xoddah]

I would take your gun with you
not likely the big box store would appreciate it ...NOT Illegal ya know..
but the eye Dr would see the need ( I shoot prone... visualize that )
if I am going to pay that much money I don't want a compromise

AND as to: old dudes
if it were not for us... you will would still be throwing rocks at targets

 

[MinnesotaORnewbie]

i believe you can get Oakley sunglasses with prescription lenses, and on top of that polarized in many different colors. why Oakley, not cause there cool, but they used to run adds of them being shot with a 12 gauge and the lenses never broke. the unique shapes and models they have can fit anyone as well, some with sides wider for less perif. view or sun and shade, and others smaller and more just front on protection. Maybe you can look at their website and find a "good" or main dealer in Oregon, also I know some eye glass stores sell them as well with scripts in them. I use them mainly for driving, and have a pair that I wear in the woods and have saved my eyes numerous times from sticks, dust, sun, and even a rickershay or actually falling BB's, "duck hunting" a pond and a group about 200 yards across sent a few over and we heard them dropping and one hit my lense. good to go