17 replies to this topic

[Rusled]

From those who use prescription eye glasses, what do you find is best when shooting targets ? no glasses, with glasses, or with contacts? Keepi in mind that the scoped rifles are hunting rigs .

[True2ThySelf]

If I don't use my glasses, I can't see a thing

[Jason]

My brother got fed up with his glasses and trying to shoot through a scope. He tried wearing contacts but the dust present when he was shooting irritated his eyes. So he saved the money and got lasik surgery. He sees fine now and has never been happier.

[dabob]

I wear my glasses all the time, even when shooting rifles with scopes and while looking through binoculars.

[Frank]

I have to wear my glasses all the time or I could not SEE what I am doing. However, wearing glasses is more difficult than when I did not need to wear any, prior to my early 40's, as I have to constantly adjust them for clarity. They are bifocals & can be a pain in the but when shooting at the range.Not sure what scoped rifles "being hunting rigs" has to do with it ???Frank

[Bisley]

Had to get mine this year. DMV insisted I had worn them years ago, but always ended up not wearing them when I didn't legally have to. I now realize how much I have missed out on. It took a while to get used to, but I am actually glad they made me get them. I had a short time adjusting to looking through binos with glasses. But a decent pair with twist down eye cups and you almost forget they're on you. As for shooting at the range. Well, you're required to wear safety glasses at the range anyways, so what's the difference if you wear prescription or safety glasses? As far as hunting, I have not done a whole lot with a scoped setup yet this year. I will tell you that if I had known how much better it helps the wingshooting, I would have got them years ago just for that. My hunting partner would also have to agree with the contact problem. We hunt mostly high desert, and if the wind kicks up just a bit it's Hell on his contacts. Here's a little theory I had this year on wearing my glasses while hunting. I once had a cast on my left hand during dove opener and I learned to adapt with it that year and shoot. I also had broken my right elbow a few years before that and could not bend my hand back enough to reach the trigger. I used duct tape and a sock to lengthen the stock and reach the trigger and hunted the last few weeks of quail season. I figure if I can do all that, learning to hunt while wearing glasses so I can actually see what I'm shooting will be nothing It's just a matter of getting used to. And eyes only get worse. May as well start getting used to them now since you will need them at some point in time. Good luck.

[Frank]

Forgot one... The bifocals are a small problem only at the range. For looking through the scope while hunting is no problem. Quail hunting with a shotgun is also no problem. Not sure why, but when shooting off the bench with a scoped rifle, perhaps it makes my position slightly more tilted & thus why I have to continually "adjust" my glasses up or down to get a clear picture. Again, perhaps of the blended, bifocal lenses? Not sure if that makes any sense, but is the case for me anyhow Frank

[tawnoper]

I wear mine all the time. Once you're used to them it's a non issue.

[204destroyer]

Im not sure where you hunt but the biggest problem I have with glasses is the fact they fog up all the time if its cold enough. You will get use to it, just give it awhile. I never take mine off, hunt with them target shoot with them, cant see without them, surgery wont help me so Im stuck with glasses.

[dangerranger]

I cant see squat at handshake range. but further out I see fine. my scoped rifles I adjust to my eyes , I can see both the target and the cross hairs this way. But with open sights I must wear glasses or I only see the blur of the front sight and dont see the rear at all. After adjusting the scope others cant see squat through my scopes but thats what works for me. DR

[mtn dog]

As a lifelong severely nearsighted guy, the very BEST news for me was when my eye doctor discovered I was developing cataracts! Why are cataracts 'good' news, you ask?Because you can get intraocular lens replacement surgery... one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the world. Basicly they replace your clouded natural lens with a new lens ground in your glasses prescription. Your 'eyeglasses' are installed inside your eye where the cataract lens was. My nearsightedness used to be so extreme it couldn't even be measured compared to 20/20. You know it's bad when you can't see the wall chart, much less the big "E" at the top line! That was me. Long story short, I now have 20/30 vision uncorrected and don't have to wear contacts or glasses to drive. No more days of painful dust and sand blowing under my contacts. No more nightly contact lens cleaning routine. I now wear a light prescription pair of glasses and enjoy perfectly sharp vision. Night vision is also excellent. It was several years ago and the only downside is that surgery made it necessary to use reading glasses for very up close things. But most of us need reading glasses long before we have cataracts forming so that was no big deal. With recent medical improvements, that might not even be an issue any more. Check with your eye doctor. This was also covered by my medical insurance because the doctor saw that the cataracts were getting slowly worse over a period of a few months. That made it a "medical necessity" and, therefore "covered". LOL! At least that's what he wrote in the report to ensure the coverage. I'm sure it was probably true. This beat the heck out of lasik which causes some patients to see a halo especially during night driving. I wouldn't recommend lasik, personally, if you are getting close to middle-age.

[rb765]

I have been wearing contacts since '83 and wear them day and night. I know that is not supposed to be good for your eyes and that some people cannot do this due to their eyes drying out overnight, but I do not have that problem. Even though I wear contacts, I use Rx sunglasses and had some safety glasses cut with a slight Rx to fix an almost non-existant astigmatism that I have. With shooting, I noticed very little difference when shooting with either my Rx glasses or regular safety glasses. Just like using seatbelts, after a while, it becomes a habit.

[fishandhunt4ever]

It comes down to your prescription strength. I don't where glasses for scopes or binos, but I do for iron sites and shotguns(sometimes). Find out what is comfortable for you.

[Truckeedan]

When I had to start using glasses I had two problems to correct so bi-focals were the order of the day. I couldn't see the front sight clearly on my pistol through either correction. My doc fixed me up with no line tri-focals with the center set up to focus just past arms length. It took a little practice in holding my head just right but I was soon able to focus on the front sight and the rear was clear enough. I don't have a problem with a scope but I have to make up my mind if I am going to shoot with or without my glasses when using one because adjusting the focus on the scope is required. I try not to wear them when hunting because I have been busted by the sun reflecting off them and they fog when wearing a hood when it's cold.

[1shot_1kill]

Lets face it (GLASS'S SUCK) but without them I wouldn't be able to tell a coyote from a turkey, lol Its not that bad at least I don't think they are.... I havnt tried the contact or the lasik stuff but I might consider it sooner than later...

[Rob]

Gents;Since we are dealing with lethal force - vision is important.Here is the place that I found for the building of range safe perscription glasses.The best feature of the Wiley X frames in my opinion is that it lets me use my Hawke binos real easy. The frames are built tough and the constant up & down of the binos while glassing doesn't add any discomfort to the nose bone.Here is the advert blurb from the web site. Make your own choice. I went to my optical guy first and showed him what I wanted. He then made the recommended perscription...DON'T get transition lenses...regualr bi-focals was the end game.PS...I am wearing them in the small picture to the left!From the net:http://www.safevision.net/Welcome to SafeVision®, LLC Prescription Wiley X Safety Frames for Industrial Safety Glasses, Motorcycle Riding Eyewear, Radiation/Xray Leaded Glass, Diving/Snorkel Mask, Shooting, Welding, Brazing & More. Transitions, Polarized, Anti Glare, Drivewear & more!! Call us for details at 314-961-7406

[Rusled]

Thanks for all the resonses, I have been wearing glasses for 10 years ( I'm 58 ) I find that I shoot better groups at the range without glasses, but after doing so, need to re adjust the focus ring for hunting with glasses. I had tried contact lenses, shot real well a first but eyes dried out and everything became blurry. I may try getting another set of glasses specic for shooting with yellow lenses. My current sets are all photo grey lenses. I should think that when they darken it may change my perception of the target .

[Air Rifle Hunter]

I have wear transitions (three different magnifications) and they are fine for stalking and scouting, but I hate them for shooting. Sometimes I don't even wear my glasses hunting (my vision is not to awful) and just use my binos and adjust my scope focus. This next year I'm going to just get some single magnification glasses and then I probably won't mine wearing them while hunting.