Getting new glasses have questions

[gdbleb]

I learned the hard way.
1) Find an eye doctor who services shooters in your area who will permit you to bring your guns to the office. Shotguns, pistols, open sights, scopes are all different focal points if you are struggling for absolute clarity of the front sight and a reasonable picture of the target. Some lenses may be able to do double duty.
2) Forget about progressives. They are wonderful except on the firing line. Get bifocals where the doctor locates the small reader lens exactly where your face needs it when you are in position.

 

[K22]

I have traditional bifocals which I have used for over 40 years with success. The key is mounting the scope for optimum cheek weld and eye relief with or without corrective lenses.

One of the advantages of a scope over open sights is that it places the target and reticle in the same plane. Still, I was taught to always focus on the reticle because if that is off, you have no chance of hitting the desire POI. It's the same principle as open sights, i.e. always focus on the front sight.

The American Rifleman many years ago did an extensive article of this issue. The bottom line: focus on the reticle.

Also, some scopes have small eye boxes and for me, it is difficult to obtain a clear view. This is why I stopped buying scopes on the internet. This is one piece of equipment I believe the shooter should check before purchasing. Most quality shops have a dummy stock with rubber rings that you can place the scope in and check it for clarity.

 

[Forum Boss]

Sometimes less is more. I am nearsighted (about 20/40), and wear glasses to drive.

But I got the best results when shooting with NO correction, just using the focus ring on the scope. I set the scope's focus to maximize target sharpness and the reticle was still plenty sharp.

I do always wear safety glasses but those are non-prescription.

Likewise, when using binoculars (with a separate focus ring for each lens), I can see best with no glasses, and no contact lenses.

 

[6.5 forever]

I always shoot without mine with a scope.
Never been able to do it with glasses on.

Same here. My prescription glasses don't work around the edges. I use quality yellow tinted shooting glasses that fit my eyes better for shooting. Easily adjust the scope to work with my eyes.

 

[Alexander-M]

I am 80 years young, have had cataract, YAG, and Lasik surgeries. I told the ophthalmologists how I preferred my vision to be, and the results were great. I take my glasses off to read, do not need them around the house, but need them to drive and outdoors. I always wear my glasses to shoot, and I would never consider shooting without wearing eye protection.

With my glasses I can focus on a pistol front sight and at the target at 25 yards, no problem seeing 9mm and .45 cal holes at 25 yards, or shooting a rifle with iron sights at any distance. I can also shoot trap and skeet.

However, my only problem was when I started shooting F-Class 12 years ago – the rim of my glasses interfered with the scope picture; the glasses would slide down my nose and the top part of the rim partially obstructed the sight picture. This happened only when shooting prone and not from a bench, or when hunting, etc.

Finally, just two years ago, I bought new glasses, same prescription, but larger frames, and this solved the problem when shooting prone – no more interference.

The picture below shows my everyday glasses on the left, and my shooting glasses on the right.



Alex

 

[RCE1]

I wear progressive glasses and have shooting glasses made with the same prescription. I've always been told to focus on the front sight with irons and never had problems with the progressives. I generally use Zenni for my glasses, but I understand where they put in the transitions doesn't work for everyone. Certain optometrists specialize in shooting glasses but I've never had any issues with the prescriptions my opthamologist gives me.

Zenni offers several different compounds with polycarbonate and another impact resistant material as options. I've found that whatever coatings they employ, they are highly resistant to scratching, compared to other discount brands (like Costco, for instance).

 

[GetReal]

Oh well, at 68 I still give thanks to the LORD for what HE has given me!

Given my last 2 days ( I' ll spare everyone the details) that's a real encouragement for me. Thx.

 

[Shooter13]

Exactly the way I feel.

I do the same EXCEPT I do use safety glasses, always recommend them.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

I always wore my prescription glasses for all shooting. I see better through the scope with them on. However, my vision was terrible. I couldn't even see the big E on the top of the chart. I also have blue eyes and I can't tolerate being outside without sunglasses. I pretty much wore my aviators till the last hour of light.

I just got LASIK and my right eye is 20\20 and left eye is even better. Looking forward to shooting this weekend!

Reading is now pretty lousy. I will probably need bifocal safety glasses to see the turrets soon or maybe a turret magnifier.

 

[M-61]

Parallax marked yardage, can be wrong. Ajust to your eye.

Parallax numbers shouldn’t even be on a scope. It is not a rangefinder.

 

[Kittitas George]

I do the same EXCEPT I do use safety glasses, always recommend them.

If you shoot with out prescription lenses but need bifocals to read, good safety glasses are available at a welding supply store. They have all the correct certs for safety, plus colors and different powers of bifocal. Cost should be about $20, I have a couple of pair. I've noticed a difference in 'eye relief' when changing power on variable scopes. My varmint guns are all fixed 12X Leupolds. The guns I use for "big" game have the scopes I put on them 60 years ago, Bausch & Lomb, 2 1/2X to 8X. Very little eye relief change. I remove my glasses when using binoculars, glasses will reduce the field of vision. If not looking thru the same place on the glasses, it can change the focus. Quality optics and consistency in positioning are a must. I'm a retired surveyor that's been shooting sage rats, and prairie dogs for many years, good optics make a difference. My recommendation would be Swarovski, Zeiss or Leica, 10 x 42, very expensive, BUT, like your rifle they go on every trip and don't 'wear out'. I also use a pair of Bausch & Lomb 7x50 binoculars, 1943 WWII surplus, I leave in the P.U. just in case.

 

[Walt Krafft]

I think a lot of shooters ignore the need vs whats best. I do NOT NEED glasses to drive or function on a daily basis. But, I can see a LOT better with a small prescription in a pair of glasses. Since I do need reading glasses, I just wear a pair of bifocals all the time.

 

[buzzster]

Another important thing I have found purchase the very best lenses you can
Zeiss, Nikon or the likes if they don't sell higher end lenses then go elsewhere. If they
have the higher end they will advertise it.

 

[20PPC]

I wear bifocals all the time except when shooting.
I settled on something that works really well at least for me.
I had a special pair of glasses made that has my distance lens in the left eye and a 2.25 reading lens in the right eye.
This allows me to read the flags without issue with my left eye and still have a clear reticle and sight pic. in the right.

 

[GetReal]

Parallax numbers shouldn’t even be on a scope. It is not a rangefinder.

It can be. I love my NF rangefinding capabilities at 22x. They are spot-on. I can slide up and down the hash marks on the reticle and be dead on Steel anywhere from 300 to 800 yd. Beyond that, Im 50 / 50. A "me" problem.

Now if your scope is strictly for bench rest then I would agree with you

 

[gmr4]

and get Trivex lenses very good lenses, no coatings because the coatings will wear off and make a mess

This is what i purchased after reading an assessment from an expert on one of these forums, cant find it. I purchased clear none prescription safety glasses, no added coatings. I use a spotting scope that I can focus to correct vision and of course a scope has a diopter to correct vision. Bi-Focals and transition lenses did cause issues. I beleive the poster is turbulentturtle I just cant find the info now.