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mature Eyes


Johnny Swan, SASS #50322

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Ok, i just got back from the Eye Dr for my annual check up and he says you still have 20-20 vision. I said well I came here to talk to you about my eyesight and my shooting. I seem to be missing more frequently with my pistols this year than before. Oh, he says, your eyes are in great shape but at under 12 inches or so, you have mature eyes. I looked at him and he replied, your getting older.

We went through some tests and lenses as if I was shooting and yea, I didn't realize how much of a difference there was. He wrote me a scrip and talked about some options.

My question to the group (without offending anyone..lol) is what have those of you wearing glasses done to correct your individual issues?  I spoke with him about getting transitional lenses going from 2.0 to 0 and have talked about bifocals. I think the transitional lens makes more sense but I am open to hearing what others have done. 

Swan

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I've got old eyes, but I can be corrected to 20/20 fairly easily and use progressive lenses in my every-day-wear frames, both clear and sunglasses.  Never tried bifocals.

 

I like my safety/shooting glasses set up with master eye set to 18" distance, and weak eye set to far distance.   This takes a little getting used to the first time or two out, after that I seem to be able to jump right into my shooting glasses with no "eye confusion".   But that means my glasses are single-vision lenses (much cheaper) AND I don't have to tilt my head to get sharp vision of my sights - they are sharp where ever I look.

 

I can't shoot handguns in progressive lenses quickly.   Hard to get the right spot in the lens to see the sights.

 

Your vision may vary.   GJ

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I have tricocals for day to day vision.  They work for me OK.  For shooting, my Optometrist ordered me a set of wrap around glasses with polycarbonate lenses, ground to my middle view prescrip.  Their sharpest focus falls at 32", so the sights on pistol and rifle are pretty sharp.   The target outlines are a bit fuzzy, but not so much that I cannot see their center mass and rough outlines.   I haven't had problems shooting.   

Previously, I tried upside down bifocals, which just did not work for me.  Neither did Progressive lenses. 

 

 

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I have tricocals for day to day vision.  They work for me OK.  For shooting, my Optometrist ordered me a set of wrap around glasses with polycarbonate lenses, ground to my middle view prescrip.  Their sharpest focus falls at 32", so the sights on pistol and rifle are pretty sharp.   The target outlines are a bit fuzzy, but not so much that I cannot see their center mass and rough outlines.   I haven't had problems shooting.   

Previously, I tried upside down bifocals, which just did not work for me.  Neither did Progressive lenses. 

 

 

 

 

Same for me. Have worn bifocals and now have trifocals. But they do not work good for me shooting. I end up having to tilt my head to

get the lenses to the right spot. And that was just not working at all.

So eye doc gives me a sport script for shooting. And like the above. Makes my sights real clear and the targets might be a little fuzzy. But not really that much. More so the rifle targets than the pistol targets.

Works pretty good. Much better than the bi-trifocals do for shooting. At least for me.

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I've worn glasses since I was about 13 or so. Nearsighted progressed to VERY nearsighted, then back to nearsighted as I aged. Now, at age 65, my are "mature" as your Dr. put it. 

If I have my glasses, (or contacts in my case, I HATE wearing glasses) set up for perfect distance I can't see close up, and vice versa. I'm too cheap to try bi-focals, tri-focals, progressives, etc.

So I get my lenses set at one power LOWER than perfect for distance. This gives me about 95% at close up, which lets me see my sights just fine, and I only need cheaters for fine print or extended reading, (boks or a large menu).

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I had cataract surgery 2 years ago and now have 20-20 in both eyes for distance. However I still need correction for reading, LT/ULT etc. I can see sights well(see them better than I use them). I have taken to competing in yellow safety glasses/readers bought a a big box store and it works well for me. The reader part allows me to check my pistols at the LT.  The yellow lens allow better target definition and they are wraparound all for under $20.

 

Imis  (hope this helps)

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Howdy

 

Mature Eyes. I don't know how old you are. When you are young, the lens in your eye is flexible and can change focus to allow you to focus on objects at different distances. As we age the lens looses the ability to change shape to bring objects at different distances into focus. That is why so many folks need reading glasses as they get older, even though they can still see objects faraway in focus.

 

I have been wearing glasses since I was six years old. I am blind as a bat nearsighted, cannot even get out of bed without my glasses.

 

When you say Transitional lens, I think you mean progressive.

 

In the old days, when I was a kid, if you got bifocals, there was a hard line across the lens where the bifocal was.  The first pair of bifocals I had had the line halfway down the lens. I hated them, my eyes always went to the line, and it was very annoying.

 

Been wearing progressive lenses for the last 30 years or so and I love them. There is no hard line separating the two magnifications, it is a gentle blend between the two magnifications.

 

Some folks don't do well with progressive lenses. In order to focus at different distances you have to 'point you head' so the exact area of the lens lines up with your eyes to bring an object into focus. For instance, even though my correction is huge, the reading portion of my lenses are 2 diopters stronger than the rest of the lenses.  So to read a book, I look through the bottom most part of the lenses, but to focus on a computer screen about 18 inches away I raise my head up a bit so I am looking through the blend between the full magnification and the reading portion.

 

I took to head pointing with my progressive lenses right away, it was no problem. Other folks don't take to it so well. You will only know when you try some.

 

See if you can go to the supermarket and try some inexpensive 'readers' with a correction of 2X. Try some with a hard line and see if you can find some without the hard line. See if you can tell what you will like before spending a lot on prescription glasses.

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Let me share what my experience. I visited my ophthalmologist and explained the usage of my new glasses.

No big deal talking about shooting with him, so I extended my arms as my regular stance and he placed the reading device accordingly.

New measure was perfect for me when they came.

I use the pair for my Steel Challenge, plinking and funny It works well for my rifles with iron sights.

 

czhen

FL   

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I had cataract surgery in August. I ordered new glasses for reading and yellow and dark shooting glasses. I extended my arms so they could be set for my sights. As a lifelong bullseye competitor and handgun hunter, aeons ago, I was advised to have a fine focus on my front sight and fuzzier on my target. That hasn't changed. The main benefit of the cataract surgery is no longer being blinded at night by oncoming headlights. :) Now, I can safely enter more away shoots without being concerned about a night time collision. :D

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I have shooting glasses set up like DDD and GJ.  I put them on before I take the gun cart out of my vehicle or otherwise prepare for a match.  It takes a few minutes for my brain to adjust to lenses that focus at different distances.  The first time I used these glasses my stage times decreased by an average of six seconds.  That was a stunning improvement by just changing glasses.  I wear my normal glasses when driving home.  Wearing my shooting glasses might contribute to an accident.

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I had cataract surgery in August. I ordered new glasses for reading and yellow and dark shooting glasses. I extended my arms so they could be set for my sights. As a lifelong bullseye competitor and handgun hunter, aeons ago, I was advised to have a fine focus on my front sight and fuzzier on my target. That hasn't changed. The main benefit of the cataract surgery is no longer being blinded at night by oncoming headlights. :) Now, I can safely enter more away shoots without being concerned about a night time collision. :D

I'm getting there.  Left eye is getting real fuzzy, and will probably have to be fixed.  The right eye also has some cataract, but, so far not as bad. Yeah, it's bad driving at night.  I expect to get things corrected sometime after the first of the year. When my accommodation went down in my forties, I had a pair of gray-green safety sun glasses set up to give me sharp focus at about 18", or the rear sight on my M1860 Henry/rear sight of my OM Ruger Vaqueros.  This left the front sights and the targets very slightly blurry.  Don't know what I'll need after the cat is gone.  Not doing too much shooting right now anyway, due to the weather. We'll see...:rolleyes:

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I sincerely hope that your surgery works as well as mine did.:)

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My eye Doc knew just what to do.  Made my right eye (dominant) for front sight, left eye with my normal script and bifocal. Can read stages and see front sight without changing glasses every  stage, works great. They do transition to dark gray in the sun, added a pair of B-52 side shields. Good Luck:)

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I've got old eyes, but I can be corrected to 20/20 fairly easily and use progressive lenses in my every-day-wear frames, both clear and sunglasses.  Never tried bifocals.

 

I like my safety/shooting glasses set up with master eye set to 18" distance, and weak eye set to far distance.   This takes a little getting used to the first time or two out, after that I seem to be able to jump right into my shooting glasses with no "eye confusion".   But that means my glasses are single-vision lenses (much cheaper) AND I don't have to tilt my head to get sharp vision of my sights - they are sharp where ever I look.

 

I can't shoot handguns in progressive lenses quickly.   Hard to get the right spot in the lens to see the sights.

 

Your vision may vary.   GJ

+1

 

My shooting glasses are set up the same way and take some getting used to after the progressive lenses. I can now put them on about 10 or 15 minutes before the shooting starts and not think about them for the rest of the match.

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I was having trouble seeing pistol sights. I also was having lots of misses on pistol.

Had a eye exam said I needed glasses. Explained about shooting , doctor said he makes glasses for police officers all the time.

Somehow he takes prescription for reading and distance and puts them together.

Now I can read with them and see at a distance. No problem . Also no lines in glasses.

I don't know how it is done . But it works.

Have sent other shooters to doctor . They also are pleased. 

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I went through this for about 5 or 6 years when I hit 40.  Still had 20-15 distance, but my closeup was going.  It was really frustrating.  I tried everything.  Finally when I hit my late 50s, I ended up needing glasses for for distance too.  I went to progressives for everything and haven't looked back.  My shooting glasses are progressives.  Works great.

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At my last eye exam, I heard the dreaded "cataract removal surgery in about three years."   I've been wearing (and shooting with)  "progressive" lens glasses for the last fifteen years.  The last birthday was #69.  I'm right eye dominant, and right-handed.  I like to shoot "clean," and don't particularly care how long that takes.  What works for me is to be very consistent in "presentation"(no accumulated roll-up) for the revolvers, and to maintain a consistent solid "cheek weld" on the rifle.  The eyes (both open) see the front sight, and the target.  Consistent grip/cheek weld means I can don't have to try and focus on the rear sight so much, and can work on placing the front sight on center mass of the target.  Pioneer white bead front rifle sights, and stock Ruger stainless steel front sight blade on the Vaqueros.  Rear sight on the rifle is a "flat-top" Marbles with the blade insert widened a bit with a round file.  Stock Ruger rear pistol sights.  A few folks I shoot with swear by their "aperture" tang-mounted rear rifle sights.  Net effect on those is to require a consistent cheek weld to see through the hole and place the front sight center-mass.   Easy modification, and Track of the Wolf (among others)  has 'em at reasonable prices.  Make sure to get the correct tang screw kit.

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Reading glasses around 225. Therefore had left eye lens correct set for front sight on rifle/ pistol and right eye normal. Left eye dominant. Both with yellow lenses. Took weapons out back at his office and did it with weapons.

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Why Johnny Swan, Here I thought you were doing your Clint Eastwood impression squinting at the targets while shooting the stage.;):D

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I've worn glasses since I was about 13 or so. Nearsighted progressed to VERY nearsighted, then back to nearsighted as I aged. Now, at age 65, my are "mature" as your Dr. put it. 

If I have my glasses, (or contacts in my case, I HATE wearing glasses) set up for perfect distance I can't see close up, and vice versa. I'm too cheap to try bi-focals, tri-focals, progressives, etc.

So I get my lenses set at one power LOWER than perfect for distance. This gives me about 95% at close up, which lets me see my sights just fine, and I only need cheaters for fine print or extended reading, (boks or a large menu).

For me, the 32" focal length works well for the shooting.  Everything is fine until I try to read stage directions as a Posse leader.  Then I either have to change glasses or have somebody hold the paper for me. 

Getting old is SO inconvenient!   But the alternative isn't very good either.  I do honestly count my blessings and thank my maker daily for everything still working at some acceptable level for both my wife and me.  Not everyone has it that good at 70.  I pray for them too.  

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Shooting as a Grand Patron exposes you to even more challenges besides hitting the targets, I find them hilarious and a great cure for boredom and burn out!  :D

 

I now find breaking one minute to be my new goal! ;)  The kids in their 60s, 70s and early 89s think they know it all! :P

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Howdy, Johnny Swan,

 

     This is what I use and they might work well for you without you spending a lot of money.

 

     Elvex RX 500 safety reading glasses:   ELVEX model # RX 500 C.      Mine are 1.50x but they come in 1.0x to 2.0x.

 

     Full lens Magnification Ballistic-Rated Safety Glasses.  

 

     These are NOT bifocals but full lens safety reading glasses.

 

     They come with a micro-fiber carry bag and a cord/string.  They look like ordinary shooting glasses.

 

     Get them from Amazon for $14.95.  They do wear out and break over time so get an extra pair.

 

     These allow me to see my sights and the target clearly .  They are like wearing 1.50x reading glasses only they're safety glasses.

 

     I hope this helps.  

 

     All the best,

     Mo

 

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+1 on the Rx500C full lens safety glasses.  After my cataract surgery last year I found these to work fine for shooting.  Unfortunately for day to day I have progressive lens glasses.  Lasik surgery worked wonderfully for me for many years until the cataract situation arose and deleted the Lasik correction .  I have had to have corrective lens since around 9 or 10 year old then contacts came along and  I tried different types as they were developed and available.  The Lasik was like a miracle when correction was like 8-9 in contacts..  I am just thankful that at 74 there is help to allow me to continue shoot and play the game..

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