Bifocal wearers what do you do?

[lionking]

The truth as I experience wearing progressives for the last 10 years when I turned 40. The top part of the lens is for distance and the bottom part is for reading computer work. The middle part is transitional. Unless your rifle is six feet long the front sight is going to be blurry a bit. Since you can't tilt your head up to shoot rifle just gotta deal with it. For handgun you can tilt your head back awkwardly to use the bottom of your lens to focus on front sight but I hate that so I use the top part and deal with it but I still manage to shoot pretty good. Indoor range will be worse, outdoor with more light is more forgiving.

 

[1MoreFord]

For me progressives don't help when shooting a pistol. I can either focus on the sights or the target but not both. I have tried shooting with one eye open, then the other eye open then both eyes open... I found I shoot best with both eyes closed. YMMV.

You're human and thus not supposed to be able to focus on both the sights and the target at the same time. Nobody is supposed to able to do that. You'd have to be superman to do that. Focus on the sights and let the target go out of focus like the textbook sight pictures show.

 

[1MoreFord]

I am in the TRI focal lens group.

First - TRUST yourself.

Second - focus on the front sight and the target. I know...sounds like basics class. Well, now, you REALLY need to master AND believe in the basics to get thru this. Slightly fuzzy front sight and clear target is your goal.

I prefer an orange front sight (finger nail polish works rather well - glow in the dark available as well)

No, you want your sights to be as sharp as possible and a somewhat fuzzy target. Read some old shooting magazines about the subject and find out what this ole timer is talking about from other ole timers who shoot bullseye and the like with iron sights.

 

[1MoreFord]

View attachment 837009
Ask your eye doctor for an "occupational bifocal" where the upper prescription fits your shooting style.

Thanks for the visual. These are the style lenses I've bought and used the last couple of times I've bought glasses. These are the best solution I've found.

They aren't very popular so options are limited in my area but I get mine with safety glasses thickness plastic lenses, anti-UV coating, and anti-scratch coating. They have worked well for me and I'e recommended them several times.

 

[Mike OTDP]

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.

You get yourself over to Dr. Alan Toler in Richmond. He's rated Distinguished in Rifle and Pistol. Rent his Custom Sight Picture kit (Google it, he's got a web site). Get a prescription for your exact shooting needs.

Let me put it this way - I go to Toler. Two hours each way to get there, but he's the best refractive man on the East Coast and understands the needs of a shooter. I went over to a dedicated pair of shooting glasses about 12 years ago, and never looked back. My only regret was that I didn't do it a decade earlier.

 

[rpenmanparker]

You get yourself over to Dr. Alan Toler in Richmond. He's rated Distinguished in Rifle and Pistol. Rent his Custom Sight Picture kit (Google it, he's got a web site). Get a prescription for your exact shooting needs.

Let me put it this way - I go to Toler. Two hours each way to get there, but he's the best refractive man on the East Coast and understands the needs of a shooter. I went over to a dedicated pair of shooting glasses about 12 years ago, and never looked back. My only regret was that I didn't do it a decade earlier.

Do you keep those handy for when an intruder comes calling?

 

[dcloco]

No, you want your sights to be as sharp as possible and a somewhat fuzzy target. Read some old shooting magazines about the subject and find out what this ole timer is talking about from other ole timers who shoot bullseye and the like with iron sights.

Are you a bifocal or trifocal wearer?

 

[1MoreFord]

dcloco, somehow I missed quoting you in my reply.

Unfortunately, these days, I'm a trifocal wearer. However even in my bifocal days I want'd my near distance vision to be in the top of my glasses since I've always leaned forward a bit and shot with a bit of a head down stance.

Back in my pre-glasses days I Never could acquire a text book sight picture. In a proper sight picture you want the sights, Especially the front sight, to be in sharp focus and the target to be a bit fuzzy. Read from the old bullseye experts writings and don't rely on modern internet wisdom.

 

[cfullgraf]

Interesting information here.

Before my cataract surgery, distance vision was corrected for near sightedness and my glasses were progressive bifocals. They seemed to work well.

After cataract surgery, I do not need glasses for distance but closer in vision sucks. I do not have the range of "clear" vision (depth of field) I had before the surgery. I still need bifocals of some kind for close work.

For skeet, I use plain shooting gasses since I only need to focus on the target.

Presently for handgun, I wear full lens readers with the strength set for the distance to the sight. It works fine for the target and plinking that I do but I doubt it would be optimum for a run and gun kind of game. I need to try some progressives.

Rifles with optical sights, I adjust the scope for my vision and shoot away. On my last couple prairie dog hunts, I used some safety glasses with fixed bifocals. The rifle was set for my distance vision but I could function close up if I needed to without changing glasses.

I flounder around with iron sights although I need to try progressives again.

 

[PRM]

I use progressive lens that my optometrist sets for shooting. I literally sit in his office aiming an unloaded firearm while he takes measurements for the lens.

 

[dcloco]

I guess I am not following your logic. Exactly where is this "..."old bullseye experts writing...." exist? Did they wear bifocals or trifocals?

Yes, I know what the standard info about sight picture is. The bottom line, this does NOT work for this trifocal person. My firearm fits me. I focus on the target and let the front sight creep in after recoil.

So, please "....don't rely on modern internet wisdom."

dcloco, somehow I missed quoting you in my reply.

Unfortunately, these days, I'm a trifocal wearer. However even in my bifocal days I want'd my near distance vision to be in the top of my glasses since I've always leaned forward a bit and shot with a bit of a head down stance.

Back in my pre-glasses days I Never could acquire a text book sight picture. In a proper sight picture you want the sights, Especially the front sight, to be in sharp focus and the target to be a bit fuzzy. Read from the old bullseye experts writings and don't rely on modern internet wisdom.

 

[1MoreFord]

I guess I am not following your logic. Exactly where is this "..."old bullseye experts writing...." exist? Did they wear bifocals or trifocals?

Yes, I know what the standard info about sight picture is. The bottom line, this does NOT work for this trifocal person. My firearm fits me. I focus on the target and let the front sight creep in after recoil.

So, please "....don't rely on modern internet wisdom."

Some old bulleye shooters did wear glasses of all varieties but bifocals or trifocals don't matter to the age old text book sight picture examples that have been published and referenced for years both in print and on the internet.

Human eyes are not capable of focusing on sights and distant targets equally. You can get either your sights in focus or the target in focus under the best of circumstances and conditions. When you are young and your vision is at it's best this may be less obvious than when you become older and your eyes start needing help but is reality at all times. Lots(maybe most or all) of times human eyes can't even get both the front and rear sights in sharp focus at the same time let alone trying to add the target to the equation. The front sight is the important one to have in sharp focus with the rear sight being less so and the target even less so.

Here's the best example I can find on short notice.
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://www.cheatography.com/uploads/davidpol_1454992124_NRA%20fs_sights.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.cheatography.com/davidpol/cheat-sheets/how-to-use-your-gun-sights/?prsrc=3&docid=xXFXJxEMwoNA2M&tbnid=hflcIkIgZDr-wM:&vet=10ahUKEwjfzL-V1uHhAhUS1qwKHQ01CdsQMwhjKAswCw..i&w=1024&h=942&safe=active&bih=907&biw=1680&q=gun sight picture&ved=0ahUKEwjfzL-V1uHhAhUS1qwKHQ01CdsQMwhjKAswCw&iact=mrc&uact=8

 

[nettlle]

I just got my first progressives a couple of weeks ago. I didn't even know what progressives were until I picked these up and tried them. For decades I had line in/no line bifocals.

Bifocals, no line or not, have a definitive vision line when the vision transitions from regular vision to bifocal. It's all bifocal or all regular vision. No in between. Progressives for me are so much better. It's like an infinetly adjustable focus on a scope lens. With only a slight tilting of the head there is the ability to obtain focus, without changing shooting position, on the sights or target.

Unlike regular bifocals the ability to focus in increments is there with progressives.