In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

The eyes are getting old...what to do?

CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,596 ✭✭✭
edited June 2002 in General Discussion
I am am that age now where bifocals are a must. I am really getting frustrated when I go to the range to shoot now, as I can't get a clear sight picture looking thru the top or the bottom of my bifocals! I can take my glasses off and then the sights are nice and sharp, but then the target is very blurry. I have heard of people getting prescrip glasses just for shooting, but I don't understand how they would work. You can't have a sharp target and sharp sights, no matter what the lens, can you? Should I just be happy that the sights are sharp and not worry about the target being blurry? It really is taking all the fun out of shooting for me lately.

Chris8161
Admit nothing, deny everything, demand proof!
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • woodsrunnerwoodsrunner Member Posts: 5,378 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Try this, it works for me, with iron sights. Get yourself some clip on sunglasses(cheap ones). Put them on and find your center of vision in your dominant eye. Mark that spot on the glasses. Drill a small hole,where your mark is, mine is about .050". Spray paint that lense black. You'll be suprised how much clearer things look. This works for target shooting but it blocks alot of vision so I doubt it's use hunting.

    Woods

    How big a boy are ya?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • oldgunneroldgunner Member Posts: 2,466 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Chris, you might try progressive lenses in your glasses. They eliminate the blind spots, but take a bit of adjusting(Getting used to.)

    There are no bad guns, only bad people.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • airborneairborne Member Posts: 1,728 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    To remain accurate I now have my eyes examined on an annual basis, with each new precsription I find it takes a few trips to the range to readjust. Age just makes it a bigger challenge.

    What really makes it fun is trying to find one pair of glasses that I can use for both shooting and playing pool, my two favorite past times.

    B - BreatheR - RelaxA - AimS - SightS - Squeeze
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 4000fps4000fps Member Posts: 786 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Same problem. I tried different types of glasses without much success. Now I put a scope on everything I shoot now, it works for me.I also go with the sharp sights and fuzzy target and seem to have better results. Its hell getting old. Good luck to you!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • joeaf1911a1joeaf1911a1 Member Posts: 2,962 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    What worked for my 76 year old eyes was, after my cataract operations,
    had my prescription for glasses done and went to the optician with
    my .45 auto slide (only) and we worked out a lens for my shooting eye
    that best allowed a decent view of the sights AND a decent target
    veiw. Not perfect veiws but decent. But only for my shooting glasses. Worked for me. Best $150.00 I ever spent. Still using
    the same glasses after 8 years and semi yearly checkups. Thank God
    and a good surgeon.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Josey1Josey1 Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    You can always look into the Lasik eye surgery.They shoot a laser into your pupil and reshape your cornea,my brother had it done and the only regret he had was not getting it done sooner.They pretty much have the procedure perfected now and it is very safe.I can't seem to remember whether it is used for near or far sightedness though.I wonder if there is anything I can do to repair this old memory

    "If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Actually, if you are using iron sights you could never focus on both the rear sight, front blade, and target at the same time, but you could switch back and forth quickly. I was in bifocals in college, then out until I hit about 40 and have worn them sense. I have no real problems sighting, but I have scopes on almost every thing. If you use iron sights, focus on the front blade and let the target be fuzzy, same as you would with a hand gun. What ever you do, don't quit shooting!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • oldgunneroldgunner Member Posts: 2,466 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Like joeaf1911a1, I use scopes wherever and whenever I can. That seems to be the best solution. But I have a cataract coming along on my shooting eye, so in spite of scopes and progressive lenses, I guess it's coming..I'm going to put it off as long as I can.

    There are no bad guns, only bad people.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks everyone for the feedback. I am going to try some of the things suggested and see what works best.
    Chris

    Chris8161
    Admit nothing, deny everything, demand proof!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Chris, I had a pair of trifocals made up for shooting. Brought a rifle & handgun to the optician's and had the lenses custom-designed on the spot for no extra charge. Boy, did it help! Took about a week to become accustomed to them & I ended up using them full time for everything.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • gruntledgruntled Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Lazik surgery will not solve the problem for older shooters.
    I had the sergery & am generally satisfied with it but I still
    NEED reading glasses. My distance vision went from 20/650 to 20/30
    but my close up vision actually got a little worse.
    I have been told there is a new procedure that is now entering
    clinical trials that if successful will allow for correcting for both
    near & distance vision. It might be worth while holding off for a couple of years to see if this works out.
    There has been so much progress in the last twenty years that you younger people can look forward to the day you won't have to worry about this problem.
    I first looked into surgery when it was being done freehand with a scalpel. I asked the doctor why they couldn't use a Lazer & he told me it would never be possible because they would never be able to control the depth of the cut.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I had Radial Keratotomy (by the little scalpel) done by one of the first US doctors, who studied the procedure in Russia. He worked out of Glendale, California. It lasted a good long time but I finally started needing reading glasses, and then glasses to look at the computer screen, and then glasses for long distance in the last several years. I guess my uncorrected vision is back to about 20/50. In any case, I could have further correction done now if I wanted to spend the money and have it done by the latest lasers. In the meantime, I find the graduated lenses work fairly well for most things, and I wore glasses so long that I don't mind wearing them again all that much. Not as vain as I used to be, maybe. But the bonus is that they're not coke bottles anymore. My vision used to be 20/600. Nowadays when I take off my glasses sometimes I can see just fine -- it depends if my eyes are tired or swollen. I also found that certain medications actually cause enough eye irritation or swelling or whatever that my prescription only seemed to change for a while. As soon as I changed pills, I found the prescription changed back. I kid you not.

    By the way, my cousin had problems hitting with his hunting guns that forced him to use plain glasses with a black spot over one eye in order to aim accurately. I think he trained his eye to the point that he no longer needs to use that system.

    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    Grow longer arms. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

    I am there too. Nothing to do about it either. Surgery will not help what happens to our eyes as we age.

    I have used reading glasses to shoot with. Good sight picture, but the target is bad fuzzy.

    I saw a doo dad at a drug store. Little stick on bifocal lenses you can apply to any glasses. That might be the trick. Just put them high enough on the shooting glass lens to see the sights without having to lean your head way back as with normal bifocals.

    I may have to switch to Isosceles rather than Weaver to get the gun a little further out.



    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    David, if he grew his arms longer, then he'd skin his knuckles as he walked, just like a certain moderator on GB !
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • davem3davem3 Member Posts: 75 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have had cataracts removed and lens implanted in both eyes - now have 20/20 both eyes. Vision sharp from about 16" to infinity. Use cheap reading glasses (1.00-1.25) for up close. Shooting much better and can use iron sights again but sharp focus on handgun sights still a little fuzzy because it's the inability of the muscles to focus back & forth fast enough. (like younger eyes do) My eye Dr. is a member at same range so he understands the problems & told me the center of a fuzzy target is in the same place as a sharp target so keep the front sight sharp & in focus.


    davem3
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Bubba JoelBubba Joel Member Posts: 5,161
    edited November -1
    Chris, I know what ya mean...I have bifocals and now fixin to go to trifocals...Already wear dark glasses, because of light sensitive eyes......Its the pits to get old....
    ===============

    http://www.tmorg-forums.com/
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • joeaf1911a1joeaf1911a1 Member Posts: 2,962 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Oldgunner: No, I dont own one scope except my spoting scope.
    Strictly a iron sight shooter, whether handgun or rifle. However,
    when your eye doctor says that darn cataract is "ripe" (ready for
    surgery) dont hesitate. It will only get worse and worse. I found the operation easy to accept,required about 6 hours in hospital,
    then next day the bandage comes off and you see again. Maybe I was
    just lucky, but after 4 months had the other eye done also as it was
    "ripe". Same thing as with the first eye. Incidentally, Medicare
    pays for the first pair of glasses after the operation.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.