My aging eyes, a range report

[raveneap]

I'm 72 and noticed the vision thing several years ago. A friend suggested a red dot and I bought an inexpensive one. Unbelievable difference. And fun.

 

[jgcoastie]

My Dad's vision is slowly going down-hill. His handgun shooting has diminished accordingly.

I believe I'll be springing for a Crimson Trace laser-grip for his Sig for Christmas this year....

 

[FlyFish]

I wear +1.125 reading glasses for pistol shooting. Go to the drug store and try on different reading glasses, you want a power that makes print at arm's length in sharp focus.

This is what I do - actually, you want the sharpness to be at the distance the front sight would be, which is a bit more than arm's length, but the idea is the same.

I've also started experimenting with these lately, and early results appear very promising.

 

[cougar gt-e]

My question is, Where the heck is the Golden Years I heard about???

After hitting 50, I learned why Dad always gave me the rifle with open sights and he used the one with the scope.


Don't forget that when the phrase "Golden Years" came about in reference to old farts like us, the average life expectancy in America was under 50.

 

[Old Grump]

I guess Golden Years refers to getting paid for not working. Sigh, I wished it paid better.

 

[NWPilgrim]

It appears that the front sight for me is sharp through my bifocals, but not through the distance lens or with no lens. I have to crank my head back to look through the bifocals. I'll try this at the range next time. Shouldn't be too bad for handgun but rifle may be too awkward.

 

[SIGSHR]

I read in one of Charlie Askins books-written 50 years ago or so-where he recommend speaking to your optometrist, explaing your interests and needs, and getting glasses measured and ground just for shooting.

 

[JN01]

I like the XS Big Dot sights for irons-much easier to see.

Best of all though is a red dot sight.

 

[Paul105]

Several years ago, I went to magnifying safety glasses. My normal reading correction is 1.75x (yes 1.75x) which allows for a really crisp front sight, but everything beyond is blurry -- the further away, the blurrier. I found that by using the 1.25x (yes, 1.25x) safety glasses, the front sight remains sharp, and distant objects are still visible to varying degrees. While not perfect, this has been the best alternative I've found to date.

My carry gun(s) are fitted with fiber optic front sights, which I can see well enough without magnification to protect myself or my dogs.

http://www.envirosafetyproducts.com/Magnifying-Safety-Glasses.html

 

[k in AR]

Oh I know about this one and hate it, old eyes yuck!, only 60 but I have had to scope all my rifles, and with handguns I really only shoot by "point" since I can't focus on both sights & target with bifocals. (I'm Actually pretty good at the "point shooting" but it sure isn't target quality or anything like what I shot 25 years ago in the IHMSA.)
Wifey gave up and she now has CT Laser Grips on her revolver, just got them this week... but now I'm wanting mine! Still we really want to test out this "new" sighting system before we spend that much again (like 200+)... they look great, are very easy to use, sighted in with ease... Now we'll see how will they take recoil & retain accuracy.
BTW, the iron sights are still there so a dead battery should not effect SD.
k

 

[SauerGrapes]

I am currently using reading glasses so the sights are pretty clear and the target is pretty clear. Nothing like shooting in the fog....lol.

 

[longhair75]

I am another old guy. At 57, I have had cataracts removed and lenses implanted in both eyes. I still wear no line bifocals. My implants corrected my distance vision except for the rather nasty astigmatism.

Based on what people have had to say here, I grabbed a pair of plain lens safety glasses out of the warehouse at work Friday and I am off to the range to try them out.

 

[longhair75]

Back from the range. Without my no line bifocals, I could not resolve either the sights or the target. I did find the sweet spot that let me get on target. Now, if I could just stop pulling to the left at 60 feet............

 

[tguil]

I can shoot my bow pretty well without glasses, but when I really want to get on target with a handgun, I too find that my no-line bifocals seem to work the best.

 

[mdshooter]

At 56 I've got the same problem. I use dimestore reading glasses for close work, and had been wearing my (mildly corrective) driving glasses for shooting and had the same problem. About a year ago I tried the same trick of using just plain safety glasses and my scores improved immediately.

Wish I'd figured this out sooner!

 

[rrockefe]

I have a pair of computer glasses that I had made several years ago that have the same prescription over the entire lens. It proved very helpful over the bifocals while doing a lot of computer work. I tried these for pistol shooting a while back and found them a big improvement over my no-line bifocals. I can see the front sight quite well, the target not so well. I'm now going to get an updated version when I get new glasses since my eye plan offers a free extra set which I've never gotten before. I'll get that set focused at arms length over the entire lens and tinted for the sun that's usually out when I'm shooting.

I still think my better solution is the HexSite which I used for a while on one gun until the gun developed a frame crack. I will probably go back to that at some point. With that sight system your eye learns to focus on the target and the sights align subconsciously. Worked quite well for me.

 

[jhco50]

I'm 62 since last Wednesday. I have noticed that my eyes change from day to day, but I can still see my sights pretty well. The target is out of focus though.

I taught my boys the finer points of shooting years ago, but was always out shooting them. The last time we went out, they were matching me shot for shot. My son and I were bouncing cans with 22s and I couldn't beat him. I don't think it will be much longer and even the grandsons will be out shooting me. It is sad. At least I know it was me that got them where they are.

 

[woodysan]

Glasses!

I shoot better without no line bifocals, my shooting glasses were only around $16.00 online with readers on the bottom. Also being 64 is a blessing I will be 68 on the 13th of this month,and shooting and reloading all of the time. God Bless, Woody

 

[Coltman 77]

It really stinks to get older doesn't it?

 

[gregjc9]

I'm 53 and have progressive bifocals. I was getting tired of tilting my head back to get the front sight in focus. This was impossible to do during (IDPA) matches. My solution was to go to my optomotrist and get a pair of shooting glasses. I'm right eye dominant (right handed) so my right lense was focused at a distance where the front sight would normally be, and the left lense is focused for distance vision. This has worked extremely well for me.