Can't See my Handgun sights very well any more?

[sgt127]

I have a great optometrist. I told her what the problem was. She said bring your gun. I did.

I'm nearsighted and now...farsighted too. Sigh.

We did the better here...better here...for a bit and absolutely zero'd me in for the front sight with my right eye. With bifocal contacts.

I'm also going to have some glasses cut with the sight picture window in the top left corner of my right lens so I can keep my head reasonably straight while I look at the front sight.

It's good to have people that know what they are doing.

 

[springer99]

As I aged, I struggled with the same "changing vision thing". As I was shooting a lot of Bullseye competition at the time(and used iron sights), I first tried an adjustable iris adaptor mounted on my normal lens. Eventually that became a hassle so, I went to my eye guy and had him workup a prescription for shooting glasses for me. Those worked well, but I still struggled with my sight picture when the lighting changed.

Finally I gave up the iron sights and moved to a Reddot sight(which today is more common than irons for bullseye). Magically, I found that I could shoot well, with or without shooting glasses; the focus point on that dot made all the difference.

Today, I no longer shoot Bullseye competition, but still shoot a lot; mostly for defensive practice. Gave up completely on the shooting glasses and red-dots as useless when things go bump in the night. Today I'm strictly a "Tritium" night-sight and/or Laser sight guy. Mostly today, I use CT laser grips as my sight of choice.

YMMV but, like it or not, most will probably follow my same journey.

 

[gotboostvr]

I do have to hold the head up a bit higher also, no completely getting around that, except putting an occupational D-seg up in the top nasal corner.

You could ask about a blended round seg. Same thing essentially, it'll just be less noticeable but give the same effect.

 

[entropy]

No folks. It's just that simple. (Ask me how I know)

Set the focus target at front sight distance, adjust the the optical phoropter lenses for best patient vision detail, write the prescription.

If you're an optometrist or opthalmalogist, then you must be one of the few who will take the time to write out a specific focal length. (That isn't the usual 40 cm for reading. 75 cm for computer, or ocular ∞ ) And the shop you have them go to must have someone that will and knows how to set their pupilometer for a specific distance. Many of them don't. I've been both a lab tech and optician at both individual practices and big chains, including one-hour. I've seen very few MD's/OD/s that do it, and fewer opticians that know what to do with an Rx so written. I am one that does. I've set OC's up in the nasal corner in the OD for SV Pt.'s many times for shooing-specific glasses, usually for competition. The OD i work with currently likes his AR (non-detachable rail) because the head position gives him good vision.

 

[Boarhunter]

I feel your pain.

Uncorrected, I can see my sights just fine, but I cannot see anything (e.g., the target) at any distance. Corrected, I can see distant objects reasonably well, but the front sight is a blur. A couple of eye doctors listened and tried to solve the problem to no avail. So I solved my problem on my own...

I let the doctor do his thing to correct my vision for contacts. Then I simply wore one contact lense, leaving my dominant eye uncorrected (and focused on the front sight). The eye doctor blessed my plan, but mentioned that few people can tolerate having different eyes focused at different distances (they apparently get nauseous, etc.). But for me it works just fine.

BOARHUNTER

 

[gonoles_1980]

Fortunately without glasses or contacts I can see the sight easily. It's when I have my contacts in or wear glasses. At the range, I have safety bifocal reading glasses (0 on top 1.5 on bottom). Though when I am out and carrying I wear contacts, which blurs the sight. I probably should practice with regular safety glasses to get use to shooting like that. It is an interesting issue to solve. Maybe getting a laser.

 

[modifiedbrowning]

check out SSP eyewear top focal glasses.

 

[Boarhunter]

Fortunately without glasses or contacts I can see the sight easily. It's when I have my contacts in or wear glasses. At the range, I have safety bifocal reading glasses (0 on top 1.5 on bottom). Though when I am out and carrying I wear contacts, which blurs the sight. I probably should practice with regular safety glasses to get use to shooting like that. It is an interesting issue to solve. Maybe getting a laser.

Gonoles,

Try wearing one contact lense in the non-dominant eye and see how that works for you. It has been a tolerable solution for me.

And if that does not work, remember that good trigger control beats a perfect sight picture every time (at least when it comes to practical, self-defense shooting).

BOARHUNTER

 

[whughett]

For a day by day range visit fix. Simply take a small piece of tape, punch a tiny hole in it and affix to eyeglasses in a position where your master eye has to pick up the front site thru the hole. I used self adhesive black target repair disks for years before buying a Merrit optical aid and eventually went to tri-focals.
If your a serious CCW type lots of point and shoot practice is about the best answer for self defense.

 

[chicharrones]

I feel your pain.

Uncorrected, I can see my sights just fine, but I cannot see anything (e.g., the target) at any distance. Corrected, I can see distant objects reasonably well, but the front sight is a blur. A couple of eye doctors listened and tried to solve the problem to no avail. So I solved my problem on my own...

I let the doctor do his thing to correct my vision for contacts. Then I simply wore one contact lense, leaving my dominant eye uncorrected (and focused on the front sight). The eye doctor blessed my plan, but mentioned that few people can tolerate having different eyes focused at different distances (they apparently get nauseous, etc.). But for me it works just fine.

BOARHUNTER

I can't do contacts anymore, but I'm sure thinking about doing this with glasses. It sounds like you are nearsighted like I am.

 

[Legionnaire]

Great thread; thanks. Some options here I didn't know about. Have an eye exam scheduled for this summer and will be talking with my Dr. about this. I would happily pay for dedicated shooting glasses that addressed the issue.

 

[Glock Doctor]

My optometrist is also an active pistol shooter. He fitted me for: (1) regular bifocals for everyday use, (2) a pair of 'computer eyeglasses' with a longer focal plane for seeing clearly at typical monitor distances, and (3) a pair of TRIFOCAL EYEGLASSES that do all of the preceding, as well as give me a perfect picture of my front sight through the narrow lens that traverses the middle of each trifocal lens.

The trifocals take a little getting used to; but they work 'like a charm'!

 

[chicharrones]

(3) a pair of TRIFOCAL EYEGLASSES that do all of the preceding, as well as give me a perfect picture of my front sight through the narrow lens that traverses the middle of each trifocal lens.

That's what I currently have, but I have to tilt my head back to use the middle lens. Kind of a real pain in the neck after a while.

 

[Glock Doctor]

That's what I currently have, but I have to tilt my head back to use the middle lens. Kind of a real pain in the neck after a while.

OK! Next time you get an eye exam tell your optometrist this; and he might prescribe your next set of shooting glasses with a shorter focal plane. This is what I had to do with my own computer glasses. The shooting trifocals were (and, thankfully, are) all right; but my new computer glasses needed to have the focal plane extended in order to compensate for how far I normally sit back from my computer's large screen.

 

[Kman314]

I have needed 1.5x readers for years. This is what I do. Keep both eyes open. Focus on target over the blurred image of your sites. Shoot and hit target. I guess this is what others here have called "point shooting." You really can aim, and it doesn't take any special glasses or gear. And it's easy to do in an emergency.

 

[chicharrones]

I have needed 1.5x readers for years. This is what I do. Keep both eyes open. Focus on target over the blurred image of your sites. Shoot and hit target. I guess this is what others here have called "point shooting." You really can aim, and it doesn't take any special glasses or gear. And it's easy to do in an emergency.

That's exactly what I do for self defense gun practice. I basically make sure the top of the gun is lined up and fire away.

It's when I want to use a handgun meant for shooting small targets that I have problems, although red dots make it much better.

 

[V-fib]

Had the same prob after cataract surgery. My distance is 20/20 but I still need bifocals in +250 to read. however it was difficult to see the iron sights with the bifocals so I went to the dollar store and tried on different reading glasses with my arm extended to see what strength would allow me to focus on the sights. It turned out +150 was the perfect strength to use and my shooting with the iron sights is much improved. when painting your front sight start with white paint first then add the brighter colors over it. much brighter that way. good luck

 

[KNO3]

I can't wear contacts because my astigmatism is so bad. So my optometrist made a pair of glasses with one lense set to my front post distance, and the other for vision beyond. Works great for targets, but not practicle for things that go bump in the night since they aren't my regular eyewear. I added a laser grip for those special occasions.

 

[RussellC]

First, like cross dominance, what works for one person may not for another but this is how it went for me. I like others, had an understanding eye doc. She made all sorts of lenses for me in my effort to keep sight and all in focus, with no success. What finally worked for me was using pistol tactics many talk about, focus on the front site, and front sight only. Let the target and the rear sights blur. I had to practice a lot, mainly just holding the gun out and concentrating on keeping the front sight in focus.

There are several exercises combining sight picture with optical illusions that will help. When you attain proper front sight focus, these "illusions" disappear. It is natural for your eye to want to move away towards other things, and when it does, the front sight gets fuzzy. Practice and concentration make it become second nature, and it doesnt even require going to the range.

Once attained, (and I have to continue to practice this) not only did my shooting improve, getting on target was much quicker as well. Plus, I no longer have to hold my pistol out to "full arms length" to just keep the front dot in focus.

As I said in the beginning, what works for one may not the other, but this works wonders for me. It is a trick to keep focus concentrated on the front dot, and it took a while for me to feel comfortable letting the target blur, but again for me it works fine.

This works even with my cross dominance, (left master eye and right handed) I shoot right handed and keep both eyes open, I just pull gun up to master eye, (no head cocking) and adjust squint to prevent abnormalities like double target, etc.

Glasses? I have the same prescription now in all glasses, they are progressive bifocals...for me this works to great effect.

One additional note, unlike the original poster, I am far sighted, not near sighted. I guess the take away is, if you are trying to keep all in focus, for me that doesnt work consistently. Give it a try, doesnt cost anything

Russellc

 

[huntsman]

I did a compromise of sorts, went to a new Doc and he said he could cut me a lens for shooting but instead he suggested I wear my prescription first. My eyes have gotten worse since my last set of glasses so now besides progressive bifocals I have astigmatism, I ended up buying new Wayfarer frames and had my script cut into poly-carb polarized sun glass lens, this will be my shooting/hunting everything outside glasses. Hope it works cause I dropped a bundled on them

 

[Monac]

Had the same experience. After cataract surgery, I'm seeing everything, including the sights on my pistols, a lot better. Just sayin'.

I have heard the same thing from a friend of mine who had cataract surgery last year. I am very glad, for you and for my friend, that it helps.

 

[Coal Dragger]

Bull Nutria,

While this will be more of the same advice I will offer a slightly different take on it maybe for your consideration.

I'll break this down into solutions for different uses.

1.) Range use and recreational use: As stated by others go to a good optometrist and have a pair of custom shooting glasses made, I'd go so far as to suggest you pick out a good pair of shooting specific frames to have made into a prescription set of glasses. If it can be done with clear, and a shaded rose or amber colored interchangeable lens set even better. Glasses designed for shooting will have the benefit of staying higher on your nose and keeping your eyes looking through the lens when you shoot, especially shooting rifle or any other time you might can't your head forward a bit and otherwise end up looking through the top of the frames on your normal glasses. Oakley has some good options here that would probably work, as does Wiley X.

2.) Serious use, home defense, CCW, open carry etc: Obviously you are not going to be able to get away with wearing shooting glasses all the time because they will compromise your vision for most other tasks. So your carry gun, or home defense gun (in this case a pistol) should wear an optical sight. These have come a long long long way for handguns in the past few years. Something like a Trijicon RMR is very tough, weighs almost nothing, and is so compact that more often than not a special holster isn't even needed. I had one mounted to a Freedom Arms .454 Casull for a few years, and it survived that violent recoiling revolver. I've also shot the miniature RDS on a semi-auto pistol with a set of co-witnessed iron sights. The concept is very sound, and since the aiming point is on the same focal plane as your target, your normal glasses for distance vision will work just fine. You'll probably find that at distances past 10-15 yards your practical accuracy shooting a dot sight is much better than irons ever were, particularly on a low contrast target. My Trijicon RMR is now off the Casull awaiting a milled slide for my HK VP9 once HK releases their optic ready VP9 and parts, I plan to upgrade my carry gun to the RMR with a set of irons tall enough to co-witness. Played with a similar set up in a class last year, and found I could still get a quick reference with the irons up close for go fast shooting, and that the red dot was just as helpful on a semi-auto as it was a revolver for distance shooting. I'm 38 and my vision is still good (with contacts), but eventually the day is coming when I won't be able to make out a sharp front sight....I'm getting ready now.

 

[22-rimfire]

The answer for me were prescription "computer glasses". Not perfect. The focal point is arms length or about the distance I typically sit away from my computer. The sights are pretty clear and the target fuzzy.

 

[Igloodude]

I've got a similar problem, where with my steadily-degrading eyesight, progressive (for PC/distance) and two-handed hold, the sights are blurry, but for Bullseye-style one-handed hold, the PC focus is nearly perfect (and many moons ago I shot Bullseye regularly). Which has led to some interesting comments sent my way by my coworkers that go to the range with me, when I regard having to use two hands as an accuracy handicap.

Anyway, I'm thinking about dedicated shooting glasses with distance focus on one eye and PC/two-handed focus bifocal in the other.

 

[doubleh]

The simple solution is to switch to a red dot sight.