I would like to know what others have done to solve the problem of shooting with old eyes. If I shoot with my regular classes the sights are blurry. If I use reading glasses the target is very blurry. Bifocals suck because they force me to tilt my head back ruining proper body head alignment. Any thoughts?
Shooting with old eyes
- Thread starter thor767
- Start date
Longtrain
Gold $$ Contributor
I wear tri-vocals and am 59 and had a difficult time with irons until I had Art Neargaard (sp) make me a lens that allows me to focus on the front sight easily and therefore blurs the target a bit. The lens allows me to have a non-straining focus of the front sight. My eyes don't get tired during a match. Last season I used it a bit and shot well, to confirm what it was doing, I shot with my regular glasses, I could see the front ok, but would refocus and see the target well also, this combination, allowed me to "bull gaze", and produced off call shots in the 7 and 8 ring, with me wondering where they came from. The lens works and going back to it made all the difference.
You don't need to see the target perfectly, just the front sight .
You don't need to see the target perfectly, just the front sight .
Lapua40X
California Hunter Education Instructor
I had spent half a lifetime shooting with open sights. I always believed that shooters who needed scopes didn't know how to shoot. (Sorry guys, I know better now) But when I lost my ability to align sights and target I put away all my stuff; didn't shoot much at all (except pistol) for the next 10 - 15 years. My son got on my back for my attitude about scopes and pressured me into giving it a try. That's all it took. Since then I've worked harder at dealing with open sights, inspired by a bunch of old guys like me who shoot vintage military matches. I found that selecting a lense for my glasses that allow me to get good alignment of the sight radius with proper "clear front, fuzzy rear" relationship and not being concerned about being able to see the target clearly works pretty well; as long as I can make out the position of the bullseye on the paper.
So I'd recommend finding a pair of lenses that provide you with something akin to the system I use and see if it helps.
I've talked with some other old guys who shoot with both eyes open and have a sighting lense for one eye and a target viewing lense for the other. I don't know how they handle that. It'd drive me nuts.
So I'd recommend finding a pair of lenses that provide you with something akin to the system I use and see if it helps.
I've talked with some other old guys who shoot with both eyes open and have a sighting lense for one eye and a target viewing lense for the other. I don't know how they handle that. It'd drive me nuts.
Alex Wheeler
Site $$ Sponsor
I have worn glasses my whole life, I cant see across the room let alone down range with out them, and I have astigmatism. I have never been able to shoot well with the front sight in focus. I have trained myself to focus on the front sight to get good alignment, then focus on the target to clear it up, and then fire. I usually shoot in the mid 480's. With most points lost in standing. You can shoot with bad eyes, you just need the same blurry sight picture every shot ;D
Hi Thor! Have you tried shooting with a Loupe' yet? This is an adjustable aperature that can be attached to your glasses. If you are astigmatic it does wonders for clearing up that front sight. Further adjustment can clear rear blade or target. However you can only pick one of the three distances at a time to sharpen in focus..... The Loupe' worked well for me w/ iron sights 'til I developed cataracts. Then I opted for lens implant surgery (takes about 10 min. per eye) Now I'm seeing 20/20 or better in both eyes and astigmatism is gone.
Oklahoma Jim
Silver $$ Contributor
I wore thick glasses for most of my adult life until about 10 years ago. I got lasik surgery as a 50th birthday present. I can shoot open sights on my pistols as well now as I did as a young guy.
I still shoot scoped rifles too, but I'm very happy I had the surgery.
I still shoot scoped rifles too, but I'm very happy I had the surgery.
I’m 66 and mostly shoot IHMSA so a 15†sight radius is standard. Like Lapua40X my right lens gives me a clear front sight picture and my left lens provides a clear 200 yard target. I also use an adjustable iris in the front and rear sights. But the thing that made the most difference was finding an eye doctor that understood what I needed, took the time to work with me and let me bring my pistol to his office to fit my shooting glasses.
Texas Solo
B.S. High Master
Are you using a 6:00 hold? When my eyes got old, I learned real quickly how much it helps. The target is fuzzy, but I can see when the front sight just kisses the black. That's where to break the shot. Of course you'll have to re-sight your rifle to shoot a bit high.
If you shoot an AR in NRA or CMP service rifle, get an SR Microsight from Stallings Machine. Use your distance correction glasses and you will see both the front sight and target clearly. I and some friends have and like them. Get the alignment tool however, it's $10 well spent. You should also get checked for cataracts, and if you have them, get your natural lenses replaced with lenses corrected for distance.
DaveC said:
Amen to that; my eye doctor wasn't a shooter, but she immediately grasped my problem and came up with a prescription that worked great after taking some dimensions after I demonstrated with both a pistol and a rifle in my normal holds.
The other key was a coach I had early on, a retired Marine Corps gunnery sargeant who, when I took up pistol as a varsity sport in college , informed me "Focus on the front sight. Don't worry if the target is blurred, it's not going anywhere." He was right.....
You need to go here:
http://www.bjonessights.com/
I've known Bob Jones for roughly 30 years as I shot Palma with him and he knows all about what shooters vision problems are! I used his lenses and none other worked better!
You could also try these as various power diopter lenses are available and I used these for many years as they work well. If you're far sighted you'll need a +lens and a -lens if near sighted!
http://www.champchoice.com/prod-KNOBLOCH_FRAMES_W_37mm_LENS_HOLDER,ADJ_NOSE_PIECE,CARRY_CASE-1699.aspx
http://www.bjonessights.com/
I've known Bob Jones for roughly 30 years as I shot Palma with him and he knows all about what shooters vision problems are! I used his lenses and none other worked better!
You could also try these as various power diopter lenses are available and I used these for many years as they work well. If you're far sighted you'll need a +lens and a -lens if near sighted!
http://www.champchoice.com/prod-KNOBLOCH_FRAMES_W_37mm_LENS_HOLDER,ADJ_NOSE_PIECE,CARRY_CASE-1699.aspx
Lapua40X
California Hunter Education Instructor
Wish that was available for my 1903 Springfield's ladder sights. The guys I compete with don't allow any modification for the vintage rifles and if I made any modification I'd have to shoot open class. But I'm gonna hang in there with what I have and keep trying to reduce the size of those groups.
Sure hope thor767 finds something that works for his needs.
Sure hope thor767 finds something that works for his needs.
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