Readers while shooting?

[Shooting Bull]

I was informed this past weekend that I'm getting old.  (It was actually that my eyesight ain't what it used to be but he said it with a nasty smirk  )  I've been wearing +1.5 reading glasses for up close stuff for years.  I put them on while shooting and my pistol sights snapped into focus.  It was amazing.  Now I'm contemplating getting some shooting glasses with +1.5 built in.  

 

Couple of questions first.  For anyone who needs glasses for close up work, do you have problems seeing/shooting the rest of the stage while wearing corrective lenses?  

 

I absolutely don't want bi-focals.  I've found MAGSHOT shooting glasses on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/MAGSHOT-Safety-Glasses-Camo-Frame/dp/B00BZSNYJK/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1505228743&sr=1-1&keywords=magshot+safety+glasses  Are there any other good sources for full lense corrective shooting glasses that won't break the bank?

[Cliff Hanger #3720LR]

I have worn glasses since high school. (bi focal)

 

I found that the normal glasses with far on top and close on bottom was a lot of trouble because to shoot, I had to tilt my head back to get the bi focal high enough to see the sights.

I made my first shooting glasses out of lens from an old pair and some stainless wire.

I found the center of the bi focal and put a piece of tape there.

The with a file I shaped the lens to get that tape in line to see the sights when leaning forward in a shooting stance.

By the way, the close lens is on top and the far lens is on the bottom. (turned the lens over)

This allows seeing the sights and then I could see the ground to move.

 

After shooting with these home made glasses, I went to the optometrist and told him what I wanted and then showed him what I had done.

I used 1903 round glasses frame.

This allows me to turn the lens slightly when I get tired.

Found out I didn't lean my head far enough when tire but turning the lens brought the lens down about 1/4".

 

Only draw back is, to read instructions, I have to hold the paper up above straight line sight or lean over quite a bit.

=======

Advantage...I found that working on the computer using shooting glasses, I don't have to lean back to use bi focal as it is on top.

Added information...I can not see without glasses. Really far sighted and I have glasses to find glasses in specific places.

 

 

 

 

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

I got old a looong time ago.

 

turns out my computer glasses are perfect for shooting.  Don't really notice the fuzziness of the targets--can't read the scenarios to save myself but other than that they work fine.  

 

does take about 1-2 minutes for eyes to adjust when I switch them out.

 

 cheyenne

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Just go and get the white cane, and save all the worry'n and $$$$ for somedangthing important, like Whiskey. 

 

OLG

[Ace_of_Hearts]

This is where I buy Miss Glitters Shooting Glasses.

https://www.safetyglassesusa.com/fiovrxgl.html?search_query=&page=1&limit=16&sort=bestselling&category=1381&is_category_page=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiointPqf1gIVnbbACh2g9Qc3EAAYASAAEgKRDvD_BwE

 

[Procedural Pete]

Look into SSP eyewear. They sell glasses with the bifocal in the top  corner. You can have the bifocal in the right lens and the left lens or in just one with clear in the other it works great for me. The glasses are called top focal.

[Photo Shooter]

Hi Shooting Bull,

 

I use Decot's Hy-Wyd frames with interchangeable lenses. https://www.decot.com/cart/1/Sportglasses.htm

 

You will need to get a prescription from your optometrist before ordering. When you get you an eye exam, just tell the Dr. that you are a shooter and need to be able to focus on the front sights or your pistol and rifle that are roughly 20" to 40" away from your eyes ( your distances may vary). The Dr. will adjust the power factor of your prescription, like reading glasses, accordingly.

 

I like Decot's frame because if my precription changes, all I need to do is order new lenses and replace them myself. 

Also, depending upon your preference, you can get the new prescription for your dominant eye and keep your normal prescription for your other eye. 

 

 If you participate in an FSA program through your employer, you can get reimbursed as these qualify as prescription lenses. 

 

Photo Shooter

 

PS. You can also get bifocals as an option and they can place the bifocal wherever you want it i.e. High or low in the lens. FWIW, I tried the lenses with bifocals and to me, they are distracting. YMMV

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

What works really well for lots of older shooters is to put a single-vision with close focus (front pistol sight) in the master eye side, and far focus in the non-master eye side of your glasses.  As has been talked about here probably 50 times in the last 5 years.

 

If you don't like the bifocal line, you won't like an upside-down bifocal either.  Same joint line will be there.  

 

If you get a shooting glass set that uses independent RX lens carrier behind a plastic shield, you get something that your own optometrist can cut new lenses cheaply for,  and cheap front shields to replace when dinged or scratched up.

 

ESS makes a ton of products that are mil-spec tough - that is what I use and have for 12 years.

 

Using the single-vision lenses makes the solution 1 - cheaper and 2 - you can put your head at any angle and still see sharply instead of hunting for a sweet spot in a multi-focus (progressive or bifocal or trifocal) lens.

 

Good luck, GJ

[Attica Jack #23953]

Go onto E-bay safety glasses site.  I have 1.25 power full lens, with side shields for $16.00 and they work great.  I tried bi-focals, fine with the pistols...could not tilt my head back far enough for the rifle.  I change them out to unmagnified shooting glasses after I shoot, as it is a little hard to walk with them on.

[Slow Mo Dern]

Howdy,

 

     I used to shoot wearing my +1.50 readers and a pair of OTL (over the lens) safety glasses.  This worked good and offered plenty of protection but I had the hassle of wearing 2 pair of glasses at the same time.

 

     This year I discovered safety glasses that were readers.  I use +1.50 glasses from Uline.  That's the company name.

 

     I also use glasses from Spits Adventure Wear.  Both these glasses are not bifocals but are full frame +1.50 safety glasses. 

 

     They sometimes fog up when it's humid but that's not a big problem for me.  The glasses work good for seeing the gun sights and when I have to read the stage scenario up close, I switch to my book-reading readers or put them on in front of the safety glasses.

 

     I have no trouble seeing the rest of the stage.  I can see to load my guns, pick up brass, see the targets at any distance.  I just leave them on through the whole match.

 

     These are the only 2 brands of glasses I know of and I found them on Amazon.  I'm going to check out where Ace of Hearts gets his.  I hope this helps.

 

     Mo

[Pat Riot]

Hi Shooting Bull,

I do feel your pain. I have worn glasses all of my life and my prescription changes every year or so and I get new glasses every time.

I have Progressive lenses now but have the progression lowered 1mm on the lens. Doesn't sound like much but it is. On top I have my normal vision but the key here is tell your optometrist that you are a shooter and need the top part of the lens where you would be looking to be exactly correct with the normal focal point of your glasses. This is important because of the way they make the lenses. If they are only concerned with your normal "focal point" and the surrounding area the top corner of your lens will not be at the strength of the center of your lens with your prescription. IF your doctor cannot do this find another doctor. If the lab they send your scrip to does not do this tell your doc to send your scrip to another lab.

 

Also, I tried "trifocals" for shooting. I did not like them one bit but they may also be an option for you.

The top part of the lens is magnified different from the center focal point for special reasons like driving, sports, etc.

[Grizzly Dave]

Like Cheyenne Ranger, I find that my computer glasses are perfect for shooting.  Though I have sometimes thought it might be a wise investment to get actual shooting glasses, that offer more protection with that prescription.  I'll check out the links folks have posted and look in to that.

 

After I wore the computer glasses while shooting for a while, first stage of a match I forgot to switch them out for my distance glasses....not good, I think I had 5 misses that stage...

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE]

For a cheap solution you could play with a set of these until you find the optimum position, then take the glasses to an optometrist to duplicate in glass.

 

 

https://www.grainger.com/product/2MU12?cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&s_kwcid=AL!2966!3!166590747090!!!!82166233077!&ef_id=WbgXbQAAAPlGZ3E@:20170912174135:s&kwid=productads-adid^166590747090-device^c-plaid^82166233077-sku^2MU12-adType^PLA

 

 

[Attica Jack #23953]

My bad..got the glasses from Amazon.    Type in Mag Safe safety glasses.  Priced from $8.99 to $19.99  P.S buy two pair, my first pair fell off of my gun cart which I promptly ran over them with my cart.

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

Hi SB,

 

I'm not sure that readers will work for every one.

 

When I first started shooting (1999), I got shooting glasses that had the focal point at the place where most gun sights are (rifle sight is a good point). That is what the doctor recommended. He was a skeet shooter.

 

I could not read while wearing them. Since then, my eyesight has changed; but, they still work for seeing my sights. I still cannot read in them; but, the targets are clearer. The change has been that my distance vision is better and my reading vision is worse.

 

Go figure. I've heard that this is not uncommon.

 

Regards.

 

AM

[Dead Foot Dave]

I just got fitted with multifocal contacts.    They are great for shooting... just use any old safety glass with them. 

[Max Payne]

I wear 250 readers for my 70 year-old eyes. Distance vision isn't great either, but I only wore prescription glasses for driving. For about 2 years of shooting, targets were blurred, so I just shot in the middle of the blur, & things seemed to work out okay.

 

Got some Wiley-X shooting glasses about 3 years ago, & the guy asked me if I focused on the sights or the targets. I told him the targets are only up to maybe 30-40 feet away, & not sure exactly how he translated this information, but it worked out okay. I've been shooting with the prescription glasses now for about 3 years. & it has been a serious help! Glasses guy told me his son is a Navy Seal, & that the Seals prefer Wiley-X over Oakleys because they handle abuse a whole lot better.

 

I have a clear pair & a sunglass pair, & I wear them for everything now (driving, etc.).

[Rance - SASS # 54090]

I don't know?? 

I'm approaching 70 and have been wearing

glasses since I was 45 years old..

I started right out the gate with progressive bifocals..

I never took them off after getting them..

 

At the start I didn't need magnification on the distance..

just for close up work and reading of course..

As time marches on I now (still with progressive lenses) need correction 

on close up and some for distance too..

 

When I started shooting in 2003 I never thought a thing about it..

just shot with the glasses I was wearing..

I didn't have any sighting issues..

But then again I didn't know I was suppose to.. 

When I get a new prescription and new glasses now

I do get the non breakable thingy lenses and just go shoot..

 

Rance 

Thinkin I never thought much more about it

 

Edit: I don't get a lot of clean matches but I figured

that was tryin ta go faster than my reflexes will

allow .. Just sayin 

[BLACKFOOT SASS #11947]

I wear safety readers when shooting, have done so for a good while.  Most of the time they really work well for me but now and then nothing would help.  Your mileage may vary.

 

Blackfoot

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

7 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Just go and get the white cane, and save all the worry'n and $$$$ for somedangthing important, like Whiskey. 

 

OLG

If you do that get a guide dog and teach him to spot for you when you're shooting.  Should get you a page or two i Readers Digest.  

[Lazy Eeyour]

You might want to think about glasses (safety) just for shooting. Assume dominate eye is right. Have left lens set for distance and right lens set for 26-28 inches, depends on arm length. 

[Warden Callaway]

I wore glasses since I was about 12.  I didn't need much correction but used my old prescription glasses for office work and a new prescription for driving and everything else.   Then one fall about 10 years ago I came down with some kind of flu that just wouldn't go away. I lost a lot of weight and was so dehydrated I was getting leg cramps.  Finally I kind of figured out it was aspartame in the diet soda I had been drinking.   I quit drinking diet junk and within a couple of days my health started to improve.  Then one day I was driving down the boulevard and my eyesight went blurry.  Dang! Now I'm going blind!  I pulled my glasses off and everything was perfectly clear!   I've not worn glasses since.  With one exception.   I have a pair off the $2 rack that magnify that I use for close small stuff.  When I look up I get dizzy.  I can't walk with them on.  

 

I use clear or tended wrap around safety glasses when shooting.   I feel more comfortable having protection on the sides.  

 

Mary wears bifocals.  I tried to get her to get a single lens prescription shooting glasses but she just deals with what she has.  

[Shooting Bull]

1 hour ago, Lazy Eeyour said:

You might want to think about glasses (safety) just for shooting. Assume dominate eye is right. Have left lens set for distance and right lens set for 26-28 inches, depends on arm length. 

 

This is the way I'm leaning. In my dry fire practice while wearing readers the lenses are WAY too small. I need bigger lenses to give me a taller and wider field of view. 

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

9 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

What works really well for lots of older shooters is to put a single-vision with close focus (front pistol sight) in the master eye side, and far focus in the non-master eye side of your glasses.  As has been talked about here probably 50 times in the last 5 years.

Yup! Got me a pair earlier this year.

[Shooting Bull]

9 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

What works really well for lots of older shooters is to put a single-vision with close focus (front pistol sight) in the master eye side, and far focus in the non-master eye side of your glasses.  As has been talked about here probably 50 times in the last 5 years.

 

 

I cant do that. As if you didn't already know how messed up I am, it gets even better.   I'm right handed but left eye dominant. Because of that I learned to shoot pistols with my left eye. But I shoot long guns right handed and use my right eye. Put all that together and both lenses have to be the same. 

[Charlie Whiskers]

6 minutes ago, Shooting Bull said:

 

I cant do that. As if you didn't already know how messed up I am, it gets even better.   I'm right handed but left eye dominant. Because of that I learned to shoot pistols with my left eye. But I shoot long guns right handed and use my right eye. Put all that together and both lenses have to be the same. 

 

Is that why you fall down a lot.

[Major BS Walker Regulator]

Been wearing 1.50 readers with side shields for 6 years now. Sights are clear but the targets are a little fuzzy. I can deal with a large fuzzy target but can't deal with a small fuzzy site.

[CodyMaverick]

1 hour ago, Shooting Bull said:

 

I cant do that. As if you didn't already know how messed up I am, it gets even better.   I'm right handed but left eye dominant. Because of that I learned to shoot pistols with my left eye. But I shoot long guns right handed and use my right eye. Put all that together and both lenses have to be the same. 

 

Unless you just mistyped this, you really are messed up.  If you're left eye dominant it would make much more sense to learn to shoot shouldered guns left handed.  I hope that you have your eyes & vision tested even if you decide to stick with OTC readers.  I wish I had done so about 20yrs earlier than I did.

[Cholla Bob]

I have the same issue so I went to my eye doctor told him what I wanted, he gave a prescription for some single vision lens that have good clarity for the sights but won't make me dizzy when I look down range.  I put them on when I go to the loading table and take them off when I put my guns back in the cart.  Then I have some safety glasses with a bifocal cheater lens for the rest of the time, they come in real handy for reading the score sheets, stages and timer.  I got the cheater safety glasses on flea-bay for less than $20.

[Doc Shapiro]

I wear my prescription glasses when shooting, and put on regular sunglasses when not shooting.  Only way I can see the sights is with the prescription glasses.  Targets are a blur, but a clear front sight is what's important.

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

I feel your pain SB. I wear bifocals daily, have worn glasses since the 2nd grade (a little past that now) and have sacrificed a pair of shooting glasses to save my eyes once. (I am a believer that the regular glasses worn by many are not enough)

I had my eye doctor set up a prescription for single vision, focus at about 26 inches and had that made into shooting glasses of an appropriate protective level. Have one pair in clear and one in smoke color which I got on a "buy one get one" deal so cost was very reasonable. Large lenses without my bifocal prescription so no adjusting when shooting. When I am not actually shooting I switch back to my regular bifocals (can't read the stage instructions otherwise) unless I am running the timer. Yes that means I switch back and forth but it works for me.

 

Regards

 

  

 

Gateway Kid

[Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494]

  I used the near/sight focus right lense, distance focus left lense with REAL tempered safety glass and side shields for several years.  They were so heavy I always had trouble by stage 4 with sore ears and bridge of nose.  Also, took several minutes to adjust to them, and still was a little 'strange' when walking around.

Now have good synthetic (and LIGHTWEIGHT)  safety glasses with prescription insert.  Vast improvement.  Tried using safety glasses over progressive lenses to no avail.  As was mentioned above, you have to hunt too much for the 'sweet spot' to be quick with sight/target acquisition.

Only downside to prescription inserts is extra time cleaning 4 surfaces instead of 2.

 

Good luck on your search.

[Mustang Gregg]

Are reader's lenses as tough as safety glasses or poly carbonates?

 

MG

[Griff]

13 hours ago, Shooting Bull said:

I was informed this past weekend that I'm getting old.  (It was actually that my eyesight ain't what it used to be but he said it with a nasty smirk  )  I've been wearing +1.5 reading glasses for up close stuff for years.  I put them on while shooting and my pistol sights snapped into focus.  It was amazing.  Now I'm contemplating getting some shooting glasses with +1.5 built in.  

 

Couple of questions first.  For anyone who needs glasses for close up work, do you have problems seeing/shooting the rest of the stage while wearing corrective lenses?  

 

I absolutely don't want bi-focals.  I've found MAGSHOT shooting glasses on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/MAGSHOT-Safety-Glasses-Camo-Frame/dp/B00BZSNYJK/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1505228743&sr=1-1&keywords=magshot+safety+glasses  Are there any other good sources for full lense corrective shooting glasses that won't break the bank?

I'd been blessed with 20-15 vision for most of my life, yet still had the ability to see my sights in focus.  In my mid-forties, I started needing readers, as my ability to focus on my sights was fading.  I also found that my readers gave me good results as far as sight acquisition went.  My optometrist was also a shooter, he suggested going to lineless bifocals.  At that time I still retained an overall 20-17 rating on my vision, but my muscle tone in the eye made focusing up close near impossible.  The lineless bifocals were a great compromise.  They can be made in a bicarbonate lens for safety purposes, and the lack of a defined line made sighting issues far less problematic. 

 

YMMV.  But, as in my case there were no guarantees.  But, based on my experience, it's definitely worth the try.

[Crusty]

I ordered a pair of safety glasses withe a prescription that gave me the sharpest focus at 27 1/2".  Sights are nice and clear on both pistol and rifle.