Bifocal wearers what do you do?

[Hokie_PhD]

well I’ve hit the age where I need reading glasses. The thing is my distant vision is still pretty amazing as I had lasic done 18 years ago and love it and still see great far. I also have a minor astigmatism so I have glasses with no Rx in one eye and a minor one in the other for night driving.

The problem is focusing on sights and the target is getting hard to do. My eye doctor suggested wearing my bifocals.

Yesterday I tried shooting with my bifocals and I’m not sure if it’s an issue of getting used to them, or going with plan B or C. I found closing my weak eye seemed to give me best results with the bifocals.

I can shoot ok without them but am looking to try USPSA and/or IDPA so am looking to have the best vision possible when shooting.

So I’d love to hear what others do. I know a little more practice and experimenting is in order but suggestions and ideas are welcome to make that easier.

 

[BC17A]

Back when my eyes started going south, my eye doctor talked me into progressive lenses, so I did and hated them. I ended up going with a lined bi-focal and stashed the progressive glasses in a drawer for about 10 years. In those 10 years, my bi-focal has gone from a +1 to a +2.5 and makes it near impossible to focus on a front sight because it's all or nothing. So, I decided to try my old progressive glasses for shooting, and what a difference they make. If I push the glasses high up on the bridge of my nose, it puts about half of the reader strength(+.5) in the sweet spot and makes it very easy to focus on the front sight while keeping the target clear(ish) also.

Since this works so well, I'm going to order a custom pair of glasses with +.5 added to the entire right lense. The eye doctor won't do that but on zenni.com you can make up any prescription you want and they'll make the glasses, pretty cheap also.

 

[EIB0879]

I've worn bifocals for the last 15 years. I haven't had an issue shooting with them.

 

[rpenmanparker]

Progressives rule.

 

[Old Dog]

I wear my progressives if I'm moving and shooting. If I'm shooting paper from static positions and I'm outdoors in natural light, I wear sunglasses with my distance only lenses.

I did shoot a steel match once with my (lined) bifocals and … I stunk … they guys said my head was bobbing up and down as I moved and I think I was actually getting a little motion sick. For indoor ranges, I use a set of cheap readers a couple steps down from my normal near-vision rating, which allow me to still pick up the front sight clearly but not blur the target too much.

 

[otisrush]

I bought a set of shooting glasses from SSP Eyewear. You can specify what amount of reader correction you want, and that correction is available on the *top* of the lens. Plus, each lens is changeable independently. I get a set with clear lenses and an additional set of lenses only with the correction I need to allow me to focus on the front sight. I have some really odd eye issues (too boring for here) but when I'm shooting open sights I swap out the clear right lens for a lens that has some some correction. And having the correction on the top of the lens works really well for me.

https://sspeyewear.com/collections/top-focal-tactical

OR

 

[Texas10mm]

Progressive lenses made a huge difference for me.

 

[.308 Norma]

I can shoot ok without them but am looking to try USPSA and/or IDPA so am looking to have the best vision possible when shooting.
So I’d love to hear what others do. I know a little more practice and experimenting is in order but suggestions and ideas are welcome to make that easier.

I'd go with progressives, but I have a couple of questions...First, if you're going to be shooting USPSA and/or IDPA you're going to be wearing protective eyewear anyway, right? And second, would regular eyeglasses with impact resistant lenses provide enough protection?
Before I had laser assisted eye surgery a few years back, I wore progressives - astigmatism and farsighted once I hit about 40 years old. But I just used my company provided safety glasses for shooting and woodworking (my other hobby). They safety glasses the company issued me had impact resistant lenses as well as side shields, so I figured they provided enough eye protection.
They were still kind of a pain in the rear for big game hunting though - they were not all that easy for me to use with my riflescopes. Thank goodness for laser eye surgery! Nowadays, I only wear glasses (still progressives with absolutely no correction in the upper lenses) for reading, and to provide me with some eye protection (however minimal) when shooting handguns or operating some of my power tools. I still reach for my safety goggles before turning on my power saws or disc grinders though.

 

[nettlle]

Progressives rock if prescribed by a good optometrist. I have had good progressives and not so good progressives. I actually got a new pair of progressives last week and these are by far the clearest sight picture I have had in many years. Put a great deal of pleasure back into my pistol shooting.

 

[J-Bar]

I can pass my driver's license vision test without glasses. At age 75 I'm kinda proud of that. I normally wear progressive (no-line) spectacles for everyday and close up work. I can use non-corrective safety glasses when cowboy action shooting. But when shooting for tight groups (I am not a bullseye competitor, just shoot groups for the zen of it) I will put on a pair of Dollar Store reading glasses in addition to my non-prescription safety lenses. Yep, 4 lenses at once. They really clear up the sights on my revolvers. Experiment with the diopter strength to clarify the sights without totally obscuring the target image.

If I were serious about handgun competition (Bullseye, IDPA, IPSC) I would have my optometrist formulate prescription shooting glasses for me.

 

[kcofohio]

I quit wearing progressives at the range. I wear Radian brand safety glasses with a +1.5 cheater at the bottom. The +1.5 area is small enough to be out of the way when aiming or using a scope. But my sight at this point is that I can still read clearly at the computer screen without glasses. About the same as looking at the front sights of a handgun. But to read a label in hand, not so much. I don't try using iron sights out pass 50 yds.

 

[AZAndy]

I asked my optometrist for a second prescription for shooting glasses. The target is a little fuzzy, but I can count the molecules on the front sight.

 

[nipprdog]

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/i-can-see-the-front-sight-post-much-better-now.805778/

 

[rskent]

With handguns I just accept that I am not gonna get a sharp sight picture. I just put the money out for big bright sights. They are fuzzy looking, but they are there. I have also accepted the fact that I am not going to shoot tight groups. If I was going to shoot a handgun competitively, I think I would be looking at carry optics. I also don’t think I would let a fuzzy sight picture stop me from shooting a pistol match. The best advise you are likely to get is from the other competitors.


I went around the world three times with “optical fixes” shooting an iron sighted service rifle. If you can think of a workaround for iron sights, I have tried it. In the end the only thing that worked was to switch to optics. I don’t shoot any better scores, but I don’t have to use eye drops constantly during a match and I don’t have a headache after every match.


As always, your mileage may vary.

 

[rpenmanparker]

I'd go with progressives, but I have a couple of questions...First, if you're going to be shooting USPSA and/ This is the or IDPA you're going to be wearing protective eyewear anyway, right? And second, would regular eyeglasses with impact resistant lenses provide enough protection?
Before I had laser assisted eye surgery a few years back, I wore progressives - astigmatism and farsighted once I hit about 40 years old. But I just used my company provided safety glasses for shooting and woodworking (my other hobby). They safety glasses the company issued me had impact resistant lenses as well as side shields, so I figured they provided enough eye protection.
They were still kind of a pain in the rear for big game hunting though - they were not all that easy for me to use with my riflescopes. Thank goodness for laser eye surgery! Nowadays, I only wear glasses (still progressives with absolutely no correction in the upper lenses) for reading, and to provide me with some eye protection (however minimal) when shooting handguns or operating some of my power tools. I still reach for my safety goggles before turning on my power saws or disc grinders though.

Look into the Wiley X Saber Advanced wrap around shooting glasses with the snap in frame for Rx lenses. Side protection without side shields. Several colors of over lenses available including clear, gray (sunglass), and vermillion and yellow for shotgunning. This is the most cost effective setup of this type I have found. If you search, you can find the parts really cheap. Then just take the insert to your optician to have the Rx lenses made to your existing progressives Rx. You can get really cheap progressive lenses. They don't have to be the top brand name, digital, yada, yada, yada. Done and done.

I'm pretty sure I paid less than $100 for everything except the making of the Rx lenses including 4 different over lens colors.

 

[bannockburn]

Progressive lenses are definitely the way to go. I quit shooting for awhile with my traditional bifocals (first pair), because I had such a difficult time getting the front sight in focus. Now with the progressive lens I can quickly and easily find my "sweet spot" in terms of focus and just dial it in.

 

[Chuck R.]

For pistol, including IDPA I use the "mono-vision" concept with shooting glasses. My right lens (dominate) has the center focal point set for my pistol front sight. My left lens is for distance. My optometrist has no problem with me bringing a pistol in and he gives me 2 sets of prescriptions every visit.

I put my shooting glasses on while we're setting up the stages and loading mags. By the time I shoot I'm adjusted. It's amazing how the brain will adjust. The only tricky part is getting my head out further when shooting around cover because I'll either have blurry sites or target. .

For 3Gun, the mono-vision trick won't work due to the carbine and shotgun. For that I use my regular progressive glasses and just hold my head higher when it comes to the pistol. Between that and a fiber optic front, combined with wider notch rear, I "get by".

 

[EIB0879]

i tried monovision with two different contacts and it didn't work for me. I do love my progressive lense glasses now.

 

[rpenmanparker]

i tried monovision with two different contacts and it didn't work for me. I do love my progressive lense glasses now.

I general find with progressives that there is a height on both lenses which provides quite acceptable vision at both front sight distance and target distance.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

well I’ve hit the age where I need reading glasses. The thing is my distant vision is still pretty amazing as I had lasic done 18 years ago and love it and still see great far. I also have a minor astigmatism so I have glasses with no Rx in one eye and a minor one in the other for night driving.

The problem is focusing on sights and the target is getting hard to do. My eye doctor suggested wearing my bifocals.

Yesterday I tried shooting with my bifocals and I’m not sure if it’s an issue of getting used to them, or going with plan B or C. I found closing my weak eye seemed to give me best results with the bifocals.

I can shoot ok without them but am looking to try USPSA and/or IDPA so am looking to have the best vision possible when shooting.

So I’d love to hear what others do. I know a little more practice and experimenting is in order but suggestions and ideas are welcome to make that easier.

Just face it Tom, your going blind and don’t need your guns anymore. Have your FFL ship all your guns to mine and I’ll put them to good use.

 

[243winxb]

Age 74, Shooting glasses, single vision lens. Left eye adjusted to infinity. Right aiming pistol eye focus adjusted closer to your preference, about 50 yards for iron sights.

If bifocals are needed for close reading, place in bottom of lens. The bifocals should be the line type, no progressive lens. I want a distinct line segment between the different fields of vision. This gives more field of view without compromising sharp focus unknowlingly.

Glass , no plastic lens.

A young persons eye will change focus rapidly, from 50 yds to front signt. The sight picture will appear clear and in focus.

As we age, focusing is locked more on the longer distance, making it harder to see the front pistol sight.

 

[243winxb]

The prescriptions is more in the center of the lens. If your a skeet shooter, the outer edges, near the frame, the lens may not produce clear vision .
The prescription can be applied to all areas. In fact, more then 1 prescription,
If i remember correctly. Needed because of astigmatisms, so i am told. Took 3 return visits to get it right.

One of the main problems was the frame was not square to my face. A wrap around type frame has the eye looking thru the lens on an angle.
The lens had to be ground on the eye side of the lens. The outer surface is normally used.

I shoot rifle/shotguns left hander. Handguns right handed.

Find an eye doctor that will work with you.

 

[Doublehelix]

Progressives here. I tried a lot of different solutions, brands and tricks (like a special prescription just for shooting). What I have found works the best is to get a good pair of progressive shooting glasses using your standard progressive prescription.

I also tried the type that has the prescription insert behind the protective glasses thinking that they would be less expensive in the long run since you only have to replace the insert when my prescription changes. Hated them!!! Two lenses added all types of artifacts for me (YMMV).

I ended up finally after lots of agony and LOTS of money with the Hunters HD Gold glasses with my progressive prescription, and could not be happier! These also have a transition type of lens so they darken in the sun which means I only need one pair no matter if I am inside or outside, sunny or shady, etc.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! They are the "official" eyewear of USPSA, so that means something.

https://huntershdgold.com/

Seriously, check these out. You won't be sorry.

 

[doubleh]

I wear my photogrey progressives. They are new and by far the best progressives I've ever worn. No distortion at the edges that I can notice with these new lenses. I can see iron handgun and rifle sights just fine with these. I wear them with whatever sight system that I'm using. I have worn progressives for many years and the quality of the lens has improved with every pair I've worn. This pair is not as good as my natural eyesight was before age started working it's ills on it but they are close.

 

[Bob Willman]

Look into stick-on bifocals. They are flexible, can be cut to whatever size needed and when wet stick on to your normal eye glasses. I stick one on the upper left side of my right lens so that when the rifle is shouldered my sight line for the rifle sights is through it. The front sight is sharp but my normal vision is not affected. They are about $20 at Amazon.