New Glasses, group size dramatically increases.

[Rob228]

I was recently given a prescription for glasses, a mild correction (I am far-sighted) and have never worn glasses prior in my 38 years. My last two trips to the pistol range have been absolutely abysmal. The optometrist thinks that my eye is still adjusting to seeing the lens in my field of vision then trying to focus on a front sight post or red dot and that with time I will adjust to it.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? It was disheartening to say the least. I wish I could say that I was smart enough to try without glasses just to remove that potential variable but I did not. Work is fairly busy this week so it will likely be Sunday before I can try with and without the prescription lenses.

 

[TunnelRat]

Did you notice something yourself when shooting? Did the front sight seem fuzzy, the target seem fuzzy, etc?

I’m near sighted. Without glasses the front sight looks perfect but the target is fuzzy. The reverse is true with glasses.


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[Butzbach]

Different lenses

I require both near and farsighted assistance. I had been experimenting unsuccessfully and expensively for about five years with altering the size of the middle distance area of the progressive lens to preserve a normal head tilt with pistols and cheek weld with rifles. I had no success.

My new optometrist recommended a different tried and true approach that his first mentor used in his practice in Dallas. My newest shooting glasses have a progressive lens on the left and only the mid range “computer screen distance” prescription on the right (my dominant). They have worked very well during the three range trips I have made so far with pistols. I can see a perfect sight picture with a fuzzed out target without having to unnaturally cock my head up. I can’t wait to try them with a long gun.

All this reminds me why combat is unfortunately a young man’s game.

 

[stinkeypete]

Congrats, Rob. 38? When I turned 40 my dad gave me a pair of reading glasses as a joke. I put them on. "WOA!!! What!? Is that why I have been having headaches reading?"

You're one of us.

 

[TunnelRat]

For me red dots took care of all of my issues. Even with my astigmatism the dot is still crisp enough. All I do is superimpose the dot on the target and luckily with my prescription I can see the target clear as day.


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[ballardw]

When I was at my optometrist getting shooting glasses we used a measurement of about where the front sight for the pistol would be with my typical 2-hand grip.

My vision is such that without the glasses I have a very hard time with the front sight and the rear is practically nothing. Maybe the generic correction is one of too much or not enough for pistol sights.

I have to remove the shooting glasses and use reading glasses for things like sight adjustments though. The doc says my eyes aren't "bad" but details are hazy for anything close.

 

[ammo.crafter]

eyesight

Have the optometrist make a pair of glasses with the focal length measured from your eyes to the end of your shooting hand.

 

[SIGSHR]

Instead of the end of your shooting hand, I would use the front sight. Charlie Askins mentions this in his books written 60 years ago.

 

[NoSecondBest]

You want the front sight in sharp focus, not the target. Even without glasses and 20/15 vision you can’t focus on both at the same time. The front sight on a handgun is an intermediate distance, neither close or distance. If the front sight is sharp and clear and the target is just a tad blurry, you’re right where you need to be. I have my shooting glasses made for a focus distance of 28”. My optometrist isn’t afraid of guns and I take one if to get examined. He is a shooter himself and first and foremost we verify the gun is EMPTY.

 

[TunnelRat]

You want the front sight in sharp focus, not the target. Even without glasses and 20/15 vision you can’t focus on both at the same time. The front sight on a handgun is an intermediate distance, neither close or distance. If the front sight is sharp and clear and the target is just a tad blurry, you’re right where you need to be. I have my shooting glasses made for a focus distance of 28”. My optometrist isn’t afraid of guns and I take one if to get examined. He is a shooter himself and first and foremost we verify the gun is EMPTY.

For me the problem is without glasses the target is more than a tad blurry.

The points about changing your focus distance that a number of people have made seem like good ones. Do you find it affects your vision in other activities though? I could have a dedicated pair for shooting, but that doesn’t help me day to day.


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[Rob228]

The points about changing your focus distance that a number of people have made seem like good ones. Do you find it affects your vision in other activities though? I could have a dedicated pair for shooting, but that doesn’t help me day to day.

Now that I think about it, the target is a LOT blurrier than it used to be. Other than that, the only time I really noticed that my vision was starting to go was driving at night.

Lots of good information here to take with me on my next trip to the optometrist, she's not a shooter but my regular doctor is, I may have him translate the issues I have into doctor-speak.

 

[jetinteriorguy]

I didn’t need glasses until I turned 47, fact is glasses suck. Now days I’m happy if I can keep everything within a 5” circle out to 12 yds rapid fire in both semi’s and revolvers.

 

[langenc]

At some point cataracts will become a problem for many/all...

My guy says I have em, have had for 15+ yrs, but they are not growing-yea...

My reading sight went down the tube about 3 yrs ago. I could read the fine print w/out glasses. Now struggle w/ most of the time. Doc still says corrects to 20/20??

 

[hemiram]

Don't be shocked if your "not growing" cataracts suddenly go into overdrive. I don't know what set mine off, but mine went bad about the time the Covid thing hit and within a very short time, it was obvious something was going on in my right eye. A visit to the doctor confirmed it, and about the time I was going to see the eye surgeon the first time, my left eye started going bad too. A few months later, I had surgery and everything is almost well. I have a secondary catarat in my left eye and it's dead center of my vision, so it wil be YAG laser time about a month from now. A few zaps and it's gone. The secondary cataract is really annoying as it adds "Rays" to any bright lights at night and the rays have rainbows in them. Since my left eye is my master eye, I can''t avoid them unless I close my left eye, which is annoying.

As far as shooting goes, well, I don't shoot any worse than before I had surgery, but I don't shoot any better, either. At 30 feet or less, I'm OK, but at 50+, it's kind of a joke. I seem to do better with 1.0 power reading glasses than with my distance vision glasses. Why is a total mystery.

 

[tomrkba]

Point shoot or at least look at the target through the sights. Does that bring group size down?

 

[Bob Willman]

I use stick-on bifocals to make the front sight sharp. They are flexible, can be cut to size and stick to the glass lens by wetting them and positioning it where you look through the lens when using the sights. They can be removed and reused.
At the store I looked at the display standing away from it at the distance equal to where the front sight would be. Then I tried several diopter reading glasses - over my regular glasses - until the display was sharp. Then I ordered the stick-ons from Amazon - about $20.

Bob
WB8NQW

 

[CDW4ME]

Nearsighted. I can see the front sight fine without glasses.
Glasses fuzz the front sight, weaker prescription less so than stronger.
Contrast is good, Trijicon HD or TFO green front, yellow rear.
I usually wear weaker prescription when shooting, wore stronger and was surprised to find TFO had advantage on Trijicon HD. Despite the front sight being fuzzed, I still shot alright.
Messing around at home, XS Big Dot would also be a good choice with the stronger prescription, the "golf ball" is fuzzed but still useable.

ETA: Threat inside 7 yards; if wearing glasses, I'll just put them on top of my head.

 

[Mike38]

Give yourself a couple more weeks to adjust to the new glasses. If that doesn't help, look into a lens with +0.75 diopter on your aiming eye. I bought a pair of +0.75 clip on flip up lenes, and removed the lens from the non aiming eye for $20. If you want something a bit more professional looking, look into Knobloch glasses like shown here... http://www.champchoice.com/store/Main.aspx?p=CategoryBody&c=OPEYKN

Ideally, with iron sights, the front sight should be crystal clear and in focus. The rear sight slightly out of focus, and the target even more out of focus.

 

[FITASC]

I am the opposite of the OP, being nearsighted so my glasses are set for distance. That makes looking at the front sight not an optimal choice. Secondly, I have more trigger time with a shotgun where your focus is on the target and not any sights. If I focus on the target with the sight a blur in my peripheral, my groupings are a lot better than if I do not use corrective lenses so the target is a massive blur while the front sight is crisp. I know it goes against everything everyone say, but it works for me.