Bifocals & aiming

[paperboy98]

Well, it finally got me....I have bifocals and have gotten fairly used to them. But, aiming a pistol is harder for me now. Do any of you have any suggestions, or is there something my Optomertist can do to help? Thanks. Paperboy98

 

[OKFC05]

I use "computer glasses", which are single-vision glasses that focus at 4 feet. I shoot IDPA and USPSA, and bifocals are just not practical when you have to move and shoot from odd positions.

You're supposed to be looking at the front sight when the shot goes off, anyway.

 

[Hang-Fire Hank]

Shooting Glasses

Paperboy98: I decided the extra $$ for shooting glasses was a good idea. I'm right-eye-dominant, so the upper part of my right lens is set to focus for the distance to a pistol's front sight and will also work with a rifle's front iron sight. The upper left lens is my normal distance prescription. I also had the lower part of BOTH lenses (bi-focals) set for close-up reading (e.g. loading, reading a scorebook, putting sight settings on, etc.). This works out really well. Both lens are polycarbonite for safety.

H-F Hank
NRA Bene.
USAF Vet

 

[stevieboy]

I feel your pain, boy do I ever! My 63+ year old eyes aren't very good either close up or at a distance. Shooting with bifocals was pretty much a disaster for me, because my eye/brain could never decide whether the front sight or the target was most important. The result was that everything appeared to be blurry to me. About a year ago I changed over to progressive lenses that gradually shift between readers at the bottom and distance lenses above. They're not perfect but are a vast improvement over my bifocals. I can now more or less visualize the front sight without twisting my neck into impossible angles and my shooting has improved considerably. I'd strongly recommend you look into progressives. They ain't cheap but they are a solution to a problem that most of us will encounter with advancing age.

 

[rngr621]

I had the same problem and went to the optometrist and asked for double D glasses. I need correction for both near and distance. Double D's are glasses that like H-F hanks have a bifocal on the bottom and on the top. The optometrist said that they could both be the same strength or the top could be half the strength of the bottom. One tip is to make sure they test you at the distance your sights are from your eye. Most optometrists standardize at about 10-12 inches for near vision. Works great for target shooting as I lower my head and look through the tops of the lenses. These glasses are used primarily by mechanics and electricians who have to focus on close objects that are above their head.

 

[scott625b]

Bifocals and Aiming

Had the same problem and had my eye doctor create a special set of shooting glasses. Both lenses are bifocals, the lower for reading etc. The left lens (weak eye) has a regular distance lens in it and is for viewing long distance. The right lens (strong eye) has a lens in it that has the front sight of my 5" M29 as the focus point. Therefore for all my shots, my strong eye focuses on the front sight. Works great

 

[Sistema1927]

If you have just been prescribed for bifocals do yourself a favor and get premium progressive lenses. I have had no problem using either handgun or rifle sights with mine but I hear that the bifocal line gets in the way for those who wear them.

 

[DCWilson]

I use "computer glasses", which are single-vision glasses that focus at 4 feet. I shoot IDPA and USPSA, and bifocals are just not practical when you have to move and shoot from odd positions.

You're supposed to be looking at the front sight when the shot goes off, anyway.

That's my solution, too. When I wore bifocals, I really had to crank my head back to see the sights, and because they were a prescription for reading distance I found myself getting eyestrain by forcing my eyes to focus on something that was not in optimal range. The fixed-focus "computer" lenses were the proper answer.

Actually, I'm wearing them right now as I compose this message.

 

[cass]

Tri-focals are even more fun!!

 

[Kingshouse41225]

My eyesight is pretty good - at about 3 inches. Anything else, forget it. They finally worked me into trifocals which were supposed to solve all of my problems but I never could get used to them. I run a machine a lot and had a pair of single vision "reading" glasses made, focused at about 3 feet. They are OK for the machine but I can't see distance with them. Had another pair made but stretched out to 4 feet and those are the ones I use all the time. Rifle sights are not good with them but pistol sights are fine. Lately I have been using a red dot scope and find it works better for me than open sights, but still with the "4 foot" glasses.

 

[MO_mule]

paperboy98:

+1 for the progressives. Not ideal but at least I can focus well on the front sight (target is fuzzy). Progressives require that you tilt your noggin to get your eyeballs looking through the correct part of the lenses for the object(s) that you are looking at and that takes some time to learn. Poly lenses for safety, too, as Hang-Fire Hank recommended.

Chris

 

[Bat Guano]

Had a "jeweler's spot" focussed at the front sight, put in the upper left hand corner of the RH (master eye) lens. Lenses themselves were distance focus. In a Weaver stance the "spot" (about 3/8" dia.) was lined up perfectly for a quick flash sight picture and hit.

I borrowed this idea from an old Rifleman article. It worked fine for my last five years of carrying a gun and still does. I wear these glasses just as they are for all distance reading and use a dedicated pair for reading.

But feel free to do it a harder way.

 

[Wayne02]

I use "computer glasses", which are single-vision glasses that focus at 4 feet.

Interesting, I take it that means the assumption is most people's monitors are 4 feet away?

Are these prescription glasses or something that can be purchased over the counter?

Thanks

 

[MO_mule]

Wayne02:

My optometrist asked me if I wanted a separate pair of computer glasses (I declined reading and distance pairs and went with progressives). You might check your local pharmacy to see if the OTC models are available. I have only seen readers on the rack at Walgreens, Target, etc.

Chris

 

[m657]

I had got to the point where one solution was grinding that distracting little fuzzy knob off the front of the barrel....or find something else.

A couple years ago got Rx lenses were specific for my front sight. Good for that but not good for regular wear.

My problem complicated by laser surgery deficits remaining (but without which I would have in fact gone blind)....so the master eye has spotty defects....

Got the progressive lenses 8 months ago. They actually work better than the previous solution.

Still I like Bat Guanos suggestion and may try that next time around.

I'm not sure how my eyes and body got so much older than the rest of me....

 

[OKFC05]

Interesting, I take it that means the assumption is most people's monitors are 4 feet away?

Are these prescription glasses or something that can be purchased over the counter?

Thanks

No, you should take it that MY preference is the 4 foot focus for my shooting glasses, which I also use for computer glasses. I also get my reading bifocals set for 17 inches, while most people get 12 inches. It works for me. Many people get computer glasses set for 3 feet, but that's too close focus for me and makes it hard to see across the room.

You optometrist can write you a prescription for "computer glasses", or "shooting glasses" to focus at any distance you wish. I chose 4 feet because it makes the front sight crystal clear while still allowing me to see well for reloads and makes distance targets only slightly fuzzy. For me, the difference between a 4 foot focus and infinity focus is not a huge amount, but enough to get back that sharp front sight instead of a sharp target and a fuzzy sight.

Many people just go in and say "gimme glasses, if you must", but if you provide detailed information about your particular requirements, your glasses can be tailored to your lifestyle. The older I get, the more different glasses I have for particular purposes.

 

[m657]

re: "your glasses can be tailored to your lifestyle. The older I get, the more different glasses I have for particular purposes."

how true, how true.....still...it doesn't matter which ones I have on, they are always the wrong ones....

 

[Speedo2]

I recently saw a solution to this problem; it's been sort of mentioned above, but it was an eye-opener to me when I saw it. An older gentleman at an indoor range had a pair of tinted, distance lens glasses with a small, single bifocal disc ground into the upper left corner of the right-side lens; ground for arms-length focus. You couldn't see the bi-focal disc unless he showed it to you and he could aim (with great accuracy, I should add) without holding his head at some weird and uncomfortable angle. He shot with both eyes open; said that he concentrated on the front sight only after he acquired the target. He also explained that you had to be a little bit fast in order to keep from loosing focus on the front sight.

I've tried all kinds of things, including the Merit device and most recently I had pretty much given up wearing corrective lenses with open sights; completely losing any target clarify. This guy's solution makes a lot of sense to me and I'm gonna try it. -S2

 

[Spotteddog]

Here is where my wisenheimer comment gets installed.
Switch to #4 Buck?

 

[H Richard]

Unfortunately, only 3 remedies I have found, 1. Separate glasses, 2. Red Dot sight, 3. Merit or other disk in front of glasses. Good luck.