eyeglass experiments.

[johngalt]

I'm nearsighted so I need glasses to see distance. I have also run into the problem that as I get older my close up vision is deteriorating. It's to the point that I either need readers or take off my glasses/contacts to see anything up close. It affects my shooting, as I can't focus on the front sight.

I made an important discovery - I stumbled across an old pair of glasses that are a little weaker than my current prescription. Distance vision isn't 100% but is good enough to drive. However, my close up vision is fantastic. I can read, work at my computer, and see my front sight without readers.

I'm tempted to try out a 'stereo' prescription. My dominant eye with a weaker prescription for doing close up stuff, and a normal prescription for the other.

Wondering if others have tried it and how well it worked.

 

[Onomea]

How about regular bifocals? Lower part of both lenses for close up, and upper of both for distance?

Been using 'em for years.

Unfortunately, think I need a new prescription as I see better up close with no glasses nowadays.

 

[johngalt]

How about regular bifocals? Lower part of both lenses for close up, and upper of both for distance?

Been using 'em for years.

Unfortunately, think I need a new prescription as I see better up close with no glasses nowadays.

I don't think bifocals would work for me - I need to be able to see up close for a lot more things than looking down. In my day to day activities, I've discovered that close up vision is far more important than distance. For anything that I do, distance just needs to be 'good enough'.

My non-dominant (left) eye needs the weaker prescription. I'm thinking of trying a left eye contact in both and see how it goes. That would at least give me an idea if I should go weaker or stronger.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have one pair with the left eye my normal prescription. My right lens is my close up prescription, but adjusted to focus at 34". That's the distance from my right lens to the front sight of a 4" revolver. Works great on every 2, 4, & 6 inch revolver along with my 1911's.

Ivan

 

[URIT]

I use to mess around like you're doing.

Now, I have trifocals with the top portion is for distance, middle for computer and handgun shooting, and the lower portion for reading. The middle distance was factored by 2 inches beyond my extended hand with outreached fingers.

It took very little time to get use to and works like a charm.

 

[Llance]

I'm soon due for cataract surgery. I'm going to have both eyes fit to distance because if I need to see up close then a pair of readers will be fine. People I have talked to, that have one long and one short don't like the combination and often wish they'd had them both fit for long distance. Something about being dazed by the confusion. They do after a time get used to it but like my wife she suffers from motion sickness and the difference of two different lenses made her so sick the Dr. had to redo her eyes.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Have you been checked for cateracts? That could very well be the problem.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Of all the non-lethal aging changes, I may dislike vision changes the most.

 

[Dave.357]

If you do any competitions
With hand gun , prescription
Shooting glasses will improve
Your score.
You could buy high capacity 9mm
and use spray and pray method.
With price of ammo, I suggest
the extra glasses.

 

[hittman77]

Maybe get input from your optometrist?

He/she may have good ideas and hook you up with a prescription specific for your shooting needs.

 

[LarryMNH]

I have been experimenting with my search for perfect vision with the help of perfect glasses.

My close vision needs to be 6" or so from my face.

My mid vision, computer, needs to be around 18"

Distance really does not need much help.

My latest prescription of Progressive Bifocals has 1 power across the top 1/2. at the middle of the lenses it starts an add power until I get to the bottom which is an add on of 3.5.

This latest pair is as close to perfect as I have found.

To shoot, I lean my head back slightly until the front sight comes into sharp focus.

Progressives are more expensive and take a little while to get used to them. But they cure most distances so the target object is in focus.

A fixed bifocal is something I tried but they really did nothing for me. There is only one distance that is in focus. Not for my needs to see at very varying distances.

Good luck

 

[pwlibby]

I had glasses made like Ivan, above, suggests about five hears ago. Works like a charm. My optometrist had no issues with me bringing a pistol into her clinic to assure the front sight focus was optimized for my dominant eye.

 

[ZGrand]

O.P. - It depends on how much difference there is between the two prescriptions. As you know, lenses for nearsightedness tend to make things smaller. If there is a large difference between the two lenses, the stronger prescription will make things smaller than the weaker one, resulting in double vision.

My nearsighted vision was about 20-500. I had cataract surgery on my left eye (the right was fine) and my vision is now 20-25 on the left. When I tried glasses that had clear glass on the left and a lens to correct the 20-500 on my right eye, even the small distance between the corrective lens and my right cornea made objects so much smaller that I had double vision. A contact works because there is no distance between the lens and the cornea. If I ever get to where I can't wear a contact, I'll be in a world of hurt.

 

[johngalt]

O.P. - It depends on how much difference there is between the two prescriptions. As you know, lenses for nearsightedness tend to make things smaller. If there is a large difference between the two lenses, the stronger prescription will make things smaller than the weaker one, resulting in double vision.

My nearsighted vision was about 20-500. I had cataract surgery on my left eye (the right was fine) and my vision is now 20-25 on the left. When I tried glasses that had clear glass on the left and a lens to correct the 20-500 on my right eye, even the small distance between the corrective lens and my right cornea made objects so much smaller that I had double vision. A contact works because there is no distance between the lens and the cornea. If I ever get to where I can't wear a contact, I'll be in a world of hurt.

My left eye is -3.5, right is -4.5. I'm not sure of the prescription in my old glasses. I would guess about .25 or maybe .5 weaker. The left lense is closer to the correct prescription than the right. I see better at distance with the left, but much better close up with the right.

It was a little weird at first. But I feel like I have adapted reasonably well. I see better with both eyes together than either individually. When driving, signs are difficult at distance but other than that it is working well. The last visit to the range went MUCH better.

Going down to -3.5 in the right eye is probably too weak, but might as well try it. I use the 2 week disposable lenses, I still have plenty for experiments.

 

[JohnRippert]

I am 59 and wear trifocals. Reading, computer and long distance. The middle part of my prescription works good for the front sights and I couldn't care less about what people think about me wearing old fogey glasses.

 

[wagwan]

My latest prescription of Progressive Bifocals has 1 power across the top 1/2. at the middle of the lenses it starts an add power until I get to the bottom which is an add on of 3.5.

This latest pair is as close to perfect as I have found.

To shoot, I lean my head back slightly until the front sight comes into sharp focus.

Progressives are more expensive and take a little while to get used to them. But they cure most distances so the target object

I'm really liking this idea! My optometrist appointment is set for April. I'm going to ask about these.

 

[terry_tr6]

i've been wearing progressives for years and love them. -6, -6.5. probably cataracts soon. then i think i'll go for distance vision and readers

 

[raljr1]

I have been wearing a contacts for almost 20 years now. Started with a reader in my right eye and now have distance correction in the left, master eye. Works great for me. Very little time to adjust to it. The distance correction in the left eye helps with seeing pistol sights.

 

[WR Moore]

You can often tell the bifocal using shooters by looking at them from the side. They're the ones with the body bent back like a bow and look about to fall over backwards. There are occupational lens grinds where you can jiggle where your corrections are on the lens to avoid that awkwardness.

Bifocal users can get close distance Rx at top and bottom with distance in the middle. Often called the "mechanics grind" so they could see things close up when working under a lift.

Trifocal users (me) put the middle distance Rx at the top, distance in the middle and close up at the bottom. I referred to mine as the "magic glasses" at qualification time. A crisp sight picture was a very slight forward head tilt away. Much easier than head back and less disturbing to balance.

If you're cost cutting, you might just go for a pair of over the counter reading glasses. Take a pen/pencil to simulate where the sights are.

 

[John_M52]

When my reading started needing help I would use drug store readers but that wasn't appropriate for shooting. So I used a variety of the Hydrotac plastic stick on lenses on eye protection. You can cut them with scissors and put them on and remove them as needed. Sometimes I would have a slice at the top and bottom - sort of like trifocals look through the bottom for pistol and through the top when you grab your rifle. Put them inside your gas mask and now you can read. I tried prescription shooting glasses but they are expensive. I now wear multifocal contacts. I lose a little bit of distance but I can wear them all day and do everything. I wear a slightly stronger in my dominant eye for pistol sights. That's the opposite of what the eye Dr recommends for "normal" people but it works for me. I tried progressives but I would almost trip every time I would run up or down stairs!