Shooting With Glasses

[L.Leon]

My eyesight has always been bad, as I aged (61 years) my closer vision has gotten better and I don't need glasses to see from close up. For target shooting or plinking I simply don't wear glasses. When pesting it is an issue and I cock my glasses so that I can look above my right lense and through the scope for the shot.

 

[Windmill01]

The owner of my local gun shop is an English gentleman. He needs to wear glasses all the time, short or long. He had a pair of glasses specially made that appear to be upside down. The top part of his shooting glasses extends to his eyebrows, sort of egg shaped but with the bottom being flat. He says they work in well at all distances.
Gary

 

[Healthservices]

Pre covid I had contacts. Even bought a year's worth of contacts just prior. I wear only bifocal glasses now, but for working under the dashboard of a car I had a pair of glasses just for that as I could not see that particular distance when working under the dash. It is basically a prescription reader's. I have not tried those when shooting yet. But I thought about two other things and have not tried them yet. Sticking on one of these on the part of the glasses where I see thru when shooting.

Amazon
5 Pack, 1.00 Great View Reusable Stick-On Bifocal Lenses Reader Magnifying Adhesive Reading Lens Sticker Sport Sunglass Safety Glasses Magnifier Add On Goggles (5 Pack, 1.0) https://a.co/d/iw8ZwOr

Or trying one of these..

Diopter Sight « Daily Bulletin

Content tagged with Diopter Sight.

bulletin.accurateshooter.com

 

[JimD]

Except for a few years a long time ago when I tried contacts I have worn glasses since I was about 5 years old. I shoot with them and always have. I adjust the eyepiece with them on. The yardage on some of my scopes parallax reads different from the actual distance but others read about the same. The difference is normally about 5 yards at worst. I plan to make or buy a big parallax wheel for my 6-24 Athlon so I can mark it myself for the yardage.

I wear progressives now and have since I started shooting PCPs a couple years ago. I need a length of pull increase but that has always been true for me. I often need the comb raised too. But when I get the gun set up for me I can see through the scope with my glasses on just fine. To me the OP's issue seems to be he doesn't have the gun adjusted to fit him.

 

[cjtamu]

Not sure why you’d jump to the conclusion the gun fit is improper. Same position I’ve used for 50+ years, but I’ve never shot in glasses, much less progressives. As I stated initially, without the glasses on everything lines up beautifully. Which means it would be good with contacts as well, they’re just a PITA. Was at my folks’ this weekend and just for giggles pulled out my Remington 600 Mohawk I’ve been shooting for 42 or 43 years. Same thing. Great without glasses. But, trying to see through the relatively small lenses I wear forces me to pick my head up. So, the fit is only improper with the glasses I currently own. Rather than readjusting every gun I own I’m going to try larger lenses and see if I can shoot in my natural position. If that doesn’t work I’ll just go back to contacts for shooting.

 

[cjtamu]

Just wanted to post what a positive experience I had with the folks at Decot. Popped some new contacts in Sunday to try. Wonderful shooting through the scope, less wonderful with iron sights, and by end of day remembered why I quit wearing the dang things. Detailed conversation with Lori at Decot about how I would use them and what would work best for me. Gave her my prescription and she started asking more questions. Emailed it to her and told her she could call my eye doctor. Which she did and found that the prescription they had printed for me at my last visit was NOT what I'm currently wearing. This only came to light because I was talking to someone really knowledgeable who, based on all the info we'd discussed, didn't think the prescription I'd given her sounded right. Amazing. They're out of stock currently, but hopefully in 3 weeks or so I'll have a solution to this shooting with glasses thang.

 

[rcs9250]

Here’s a possible solution that competition shooters use, mostly smallbore, but others do too.
They are called Knobloch’s. The only source I’ve ever seen was champion’s Choice.
The lens are sold in many magnification powers.
The main idea is that you adjust the lens so you are looking straight, perpendicular, through the glass and not on an angle like when shooting off the bench and your head is angled which makes your glasses angled so that you are looking through the glass at an angle. Not only that, but your glasses may not consistently be looking through the same magnification portion of the lens. The Knobloch’s correct that problem.

Randy

 

[jkingrph]

I was nearsighted, started wearing glasses back in 1959-1960, and apparently when younger your eyes can accomodate to near without bifocals. I wore single focal lenses until about 1985 when I got my first progressives. Wore those for several years and went to trifocals so I would have a set focus distance, and a few years ago went back to progressives, they are a lot better now than 30 years ago. Last year my wife and I both had cataract surgery and my vision flip flopped from near sighted to more far sighted, I actually see a little bit better without my new progressives than with, but definetly have to have them for reading. Shooting with a scope is no problem with or without and iron sights without are fine, probably a bit better without as my lenses are not too tall and I need to tuck my head down to avoid the near sight transition area when shooting a pistol.

 

[cjtamu]

Man, those Knobloch’s are trick and I bet awesome for bench shooting. I’m afraid I’d get beaten up and have my lunch money stolen though!

 

[JimD]

I can understand not wanting to change your shooting position. Since I've pretty much always worn glasses the way I shoot seems natural to me. I mount the scope pretty far forward and then shift my face forward too. That causes me to naturally use the upper part of my lenses.

 

[cjtamu]

That’s funny. I have a new HW 95 and since I had to mount a scope anyway and gave up on contacts idea, I decided to play around with position. And I’ve done just what you described above. I shoot fairly far forward anyway so it wasn’t a big change. More comfortable and shot lights out with it yesterday. Hoping having a bigger lens puts a bow on it and I’m done!

 

[cjtamu]

@JimD I meant to ask what height rings you usually use. Had a gun with no scope on it and on a lark I mounted an old scope on a set of high Hawke rings. I liked it. Less severe angle when looking through my glasses.

 

[LordHawHaw]

My problem is seeing the side wheel range marks and elevation turret marks with my left eye while my right is in a Bisley eyecup that doesn't allow use of glasses due to the frames.
So I've solved my issue by using a monical, I was surprised how well it stays in the eye socket.

Nearsights Monocles | Classic Eyewear for Men & Women

Nearsights Monocles - Classic eyewear for men & women. We believe that monocles are a practical, convenient, and unique alternative to glasses.

www.nearsights.com

Before I started using a monical I used a pair of makeup glasses with a modified eyecup: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TMLB4BW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[TXPlinker]

Shoot without corrective lenses and redo your range markings.

 

[rcs9250]

Here’s a possible solution that competition shooters use, mostly smallbore, but others do too.
They are called Knobloch’s. The only source I’ve ever seen was champion’s Choice.
The lens are sold in many magnification powers.
The main idea is that you adjust the lens so you are looking straight, perpendicular, through the glass and not on an angle like when shooting off the bench and your head is angled which makes your glasses angled so that you are looking through the glass at an angle. Not only that, but your glasses may not consistently be looking through the same magnification portion of the lens. The Knobloch’s correct that problem.

Randy

View attachment 277110

One other consideration with the Knobloch’s is you can have one lens for sighting and another magnification for looking at the target or through a spotting scope. I sometimes wear a pair of drugstore”readers” for shooting pistol that allows the front sight to be nice and clear, but when I want to see the hole in the target I need a different level of magnification. By purchasing a separate lens you can have the best of both eyes, seperately of course.
Randy

 

[JimD]

My guns mostly have high rings but that is because 3 of my 5 are bullpups with quick detach one piece bases and they are high. My Prod has medium rings on it and I don't remember what I put on my Avenger but if the scope was OK with medium rings that is what I used.

I prefer to keep the scope closer to the bore of the gun when possible so it doesn't shoot so low at really short ranges. My P35s have the scope about 2.75 inches above the bore (comparing center lines) and need holdover to about 25 yards. My Prod is OK from about 10 yards.

If you like the feel of high rings, however, I would use them. I think it suggests that the comb of the gun is plenty high for your face. I usually have the opposite problem and added a comb riser to my Avenger.

 

[SqrlHntr]

FWIW, I went to multifocal contacts to reduce eye strain. Still adjusting some parallax marks but such an amazing difference not having to strain or let my eyes adjust. Open sights are fun again.

 

[cjtamu]

FWIW, I went to multifocal contacts to reduce eye strain. Still adjusting some parallax marks but such an amazing difference not having to strain or let my eyes adjust. Open sights are fun again.

Thought about that and it’s why I put contacts in last weekend. Which reminded me of all the things I dislike about them. High hopes for the glasses. If I’m not happy with them I’ll probably shoot without correction and just range with Leupold range finder.

 

[cjtamu]

Thought I'd post my experience. Got the Decot Hy-wyds in on Friday. Got to really test them out yesterday, about 30 rounds through my HW95 and a couple mags though my Maximathor. Really happy with them. Before I was having to alter my position and to be able to see through the right part of my glasses and wasn't ever 100% comfortable. Now I can hold the gun the way I want to and with the larger lenses I'm able to look through the right part no problem. And with the wraparound earpieces it's very consistent also. Worth trying if you have issues similar to mine.

 

[DerPizzadieb]

havent done it, but the 'near' portion of my bifocals gives a clear reticle or sharp redot etc its just not realistic to tilt back to use it it needs to be 'just' that part in a special pair of glasses and i think ideally you could probably take a scope with you to an eye doc and get a pair setup just for shooting ..