Shooting with glasses
General Topic
OK, I know this has been discussed many times, but I'm going to try and put my issue on this and ask advice.
I started using readers many years ago. My eyes slowly got worse and now I wear bi-focals. Specifically, progressive lenses. I will NOT wear contact lenses.
Not to brag, but I am a fairly good shoot with most weapons, to include my bow. I have been worse the last few years with my bow because of my vision. Most would probably be ok with how I shoot, but I am better than that, and if I could see, I would be back to top form.
When I'm at full draw my corrective lenses make the pins so bright, I can't see my target bullseye. I have to move the pins off bull, and then back on to where "I KNOW" the bull is and release. 20 yards and closer, is not that much of an issue. 30, 40, and 50, it is almost impossible to see the bull. As with any shooting, the site and target will be blurry depending on what I'm focusing on, good vision or not.
Just so as not to cause a stir, I have always practiced out to 50-60 yards but would not shoot at an animal from that distance. At least not the game I hunt. Shooting that far out increases my accuracy once I move back up to the 30 and closer. I can see ok without my glasses but shooting and reading I absolutely need them. Not sure if a rectifier would help or not, but then I would have to remove my glasses when shooting and couldn't see crap elsewhere. Confusing? Hope I'm explaining it corrrectly.
Maybe smaller site pins? I'm only 57, but man it's a bitch getting older. V.A. docs say I'm not a good candidate for Lasik eye surgery and would be reluctant do it anyway.
I'll still kill a deer this year either way, but would like to resolve this issue, as I would bet it will get worse as I age further.
Smaller pins is a cheap way to start, if it doesn't work talk to your doctor. Might need a pair of distance-only glasses to eliminate the magnification closer in. (The 'progressive' part might be wrong for your set-up.)
Up close part is to high, or you're tilting your head back
I wear glasses and couldn’t stand the progressive lenses. So just opted for bifocals
The only drawback is there is a certain distance I can’t see clearly, but it hasn’t affect my shooting
I wear progressive lens and yes it sucks. I have went to a single pin sight and that helped a bunch.
Although I wear progressive glasses most of the time, I only use distance single vision glasses for shooting my bows and firearms. If I shoot a compound bow with peep and sights, I only can shoot 5-10 shots before going cross-eyed, so I can't practice much. I have mostly practice and hunt with a recurve bow shooting instinctive for the past 20 years and still kill deer.
Why the aversion to contacts?
And how do you do with single-vision glasses?
You might try a Montana Black Gold to manage the light intensity. Or smaller pins. Just something to adjust to.
Agree with Dana. Had the same issue, now I use distance only glasses to hunt and shoot. Works great. Best wishes!
Sorry Bou'bound, I meant verifier or some call clarifier.
Single vision glasses may help but I need the other for reading so I would have to have two sets of glasses with me. Which I'm not opposed to trying.
I can't stand anything in my eyes, that's why no contacts. Also, how do contacts work when I have bifocals? I might try my lined bifocals to see if that makes a difference.
Gunny,
With contacts you can’t tell anything is in your eye, especially if they fight right. I wasn’t very successful with multi focal plane contacts. Neither distance or up close was clear. I opted to use a single contact in my dominant eye. Works great.
I recently got a pair of plastic framed distance glasses for upcoming CO elk hunt. But they will likely just last one season because I’m scheduled for cataract surgery in January. Anyone had the procedure done recently? I’m curious how it will affect my shooting & sights.
I have used the peep with the inserted magnifer for many years now and it works great for me .The only drawback I have ever had was it fogged up once used antifog on it and that works well .I still only wear reading glasses and wear no glasses in the stand
Going on 70 and I've stuck with single distance vision lens for the past 26 years for bowhunting, shooting sporting clays, hiking, skiing and driving. I wear progressives around the house...reading, computer, woodworking, etc but hate them for any shooting sports, at least until you get to skinning. Didn't like a convention bifocal for hunting/shooting either.
With progressive lens you loose some of your peripheral vision. I go with regular bifocals for that reason. I have the same issue with pin being blurry or ghosting. For hunting whitetail it’s not a problem but I’d never score high in 3D.
As you can tell from the previous posts, what "works" or doesn't, is highly variable. That is because we are all different and so are our needs. I have worn progressive lenses for the last 8 years and I shoot with them relatively well. At least as well as I did pre-progressive/bifocal stage. From experience, I find if people do not wear bifocals or progressive lenses continually, they really never get used to the way they see with their respective lens choice so they have problems with most things they do. I'd suggest you talk to your eye doc the next time you see him/her and explain your problems and hopefully they'll spend a little time with you and offer you a solution or two. For a non spectacle correction option, I have seen where some folks really like the "verifier" option in their peep sight as has been mentioned above. Hope that helps ya some.
I had a pair of “distance only” glasses built for golf and hunting. Neither bifocals nor progressive lens work for me for these activities.
I wear progressive lenses and can’t shoot with them so I opt for contacts when shooting and hunting. My eye Dr just gave me single use daily samples to try. I put them in the the AM and take out and throw away when I’m done for the day. I don’t think anyone can stand having stuff in their eyes but with contacts you really don’t feel them and don’t know they’re in 99% of the time.
If contacts were a definite no, I’d try single focus distance lenses for shooting and hunting.
Gunny....you didn't say if you've been checked for cataracts??
Yes, I’ve been checked for cataracts. VA puts you through every dam eye test there is on a yearly basis.
I have a check up coming up soon and I’m going to wait til then and get a pair of single focus glasses. Also will let the doc know what I’m going through and see what he or she thinks.
I’m in the same boat as others, can’t shoot with my transition lenses. I took my script numbers and ordered a pair online with just my distance lens numbers. I also like them when low light situations are present, just helps me see the details better in the woods. Now- they aren’t the most fashionable things- but they are a built a touch stronger for wearing in the woods!
I recently ordered "distance" only contacts to try to improve my aiming and shooting. The hardest part for me so far has been learning to easily put them in and especially take them out of my eyes. Fat fingers, I guess. That pain in the butt has put a dent in my enthusiasm to consistently try the contacts.
Getting old ain’t for sissies. When I first had to get bi-focals, I opted for the progressive lenses. It really bothered me for a number of years but last year I either started getting used to it or something else changed. I can’t shoot near as far because of the focus issue with either the pins or target. I can still shoot accurately out to 50 yards though. Verifier peep didn’t help me, so I just use the regular peep.
Progressive lenses worked for me in day to day life but they distort like heck. Unless aligned perfectly I don't shoot well at all, especially shotgun wing shooting. Very frustrating. Not a great candidate for contacts as they have to go in the right index and stay there. And the times I've tried them were irritating. Likely never gave them long enough to get used to so mostly on me I guess.
Perfect solution for me was to go with the single distance script and bought dedicated sports glasses. I can see my pin pretty clear at it's distance and the target very clear. A few folks can build curved lenses and that works great, I can see without distortion from near corner to corner. Went with Oakley transitions in the end and am very happy. Bird shooting went well, archery, everything. I carry my progressives in my pack for when I need fine work, using my cell phone, breaking down an animal, whatever.
Maybe sometime down the road I might give lasik a try, am told they have come a long way with astigmatism correction. But likely not help so much with the close up correction I'm told. Might still need the "readers" for that.
"Maybe sometime down the road I might give lasik a try, am told they have come a long way with astigmatism correction".
That's where I'm at. Had to start hunting with glasses, about 3 or 4 years ago, not crazy about it.
I'm all good up close, but past 50 yards or so, I lose all detail (number of antler points, for example) !
I have "driving glasses" that I use to hunt with, they are polarized, which can be nice. I've adjusted to them pretty well (still shooting barebow). But, they can completely suck on a cold, frosty morning, when you're working up a sweat trying to get to the top of the mountain.
"But, they can completely suck on a cold, frosty morning, when you're working up a sweat trying to get to the top of the mountain. "
x2.
I've heard it called "the war of fog...."
Once you get your eyes checked and get the prescription, go to 39dollarglasses.com and order some glasses. Save yourself a few $$$. (They aren’t actually $39 but that’s where the pricing starts)
I have been making do with progressives. Anybody have a recommendation where to get the single distance sports glasses?
As long as you have your prescription any optician can make them for you.
I also use bifocals with the line very low. But one thing that has helped me is that I use those things that hold the glasses back so they don't slide down the nose. keeps from trying to look through the frames. None of this is perfect. Oh to have young eyes again. Greg
I can't shoot well with my progressives. Single vision lenses work much better for me.
For me, the verifier Lenz in the peep was the best solution. But I don’t have any issues seeing at a distance
