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Old Eyes

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Joined
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OK, wondering about contacts vs glasses. I hate glasses and dont wear em if I can help it. Hunting requires glasses. Sooo...for those of you that wear contacts I ask will I have issues shooting? I see very well from 2-10 feet. Super close a bit blurry and further out blurry. I do have bifocals. Do they make bifocal contacts?

Currently shoot OK with glasses to BTW
 
Yes, they do make contacts for various uses. I got my cataracts removed and opted for less expensive "distance" vision. I can now drive, watch TV and movies without glasses. However, I do have to wear reading glasses to see up close and, of course, read. It hurt my neck to have to bend my head back to use the bifocals so glasses were little help. Now I can put on a pair of low power reading glasses and see the front sight on rifles and pistols. In truth, "floaters" interfere with my sight more than anything else.
 
Have you ever worn no line, or progressive lenses?

I once worked for Johnson & Johnson, who developed the Difinity lenses, now owned by Essillor.

I hated glasses, but I've went back to shooting open sights, since I started wearing them. In fact, that's one reason that I was able to get into traditional rifles, because, now I can see the sights and the target. I believe that I shoot better now, than when I was much younger.

Peep sights, are somewhat better too. Still have certain limits, but when hunting, I just shoot within my limits, which is 60 yards or so.
 
I just started using reading glasses, one more reason I've been shooting irons is so I can say I used them to take game. Most hunters today can't say that outside of MLers.

My friend who shoots competition had your problem several years ago. He finally found an optometrist?who would install his bifocal anywhere on the lense. He had it installed in the upper right corner, I think.
Anyway, he has 1 pair of glasses just for shooting, the rest for reading.
Oh, he also bought the little rubber peep you suction cup on your glasses lense. He said that really helped a lot.
Just a thought.
 
A piece of blue painting tape with a hole in it works well too!

TIP - I made a 'template' so I know where I need the optical center needs to be, for my lenses and stance/position.
 
I know this isn't what you asked, but have you considered Lasik surgery? If your prescription is relatively stable over time, it would be worth looking into.

I had it done 17 years ago (and the technology is much better now and lower cost.) By far, one of the BEST decisions I ever made. Still 20/20 after all that time. No glasses to clean or fog up while outdoors. No buying contacts or dealing with them.
 
I don’t shoot MLs w/o glasses. Had too many marks on plastic lenses from burning powder, cap and flint fragments to risk loosing sight in either eye. A good friend and also my brother lost vision in their right eye. Now they really protect the remaining eye. IMO ALL SHOULD wear some form of eye protection when shooting MLs.

After cataract surgery in both eyes (left eye distance and Rt eye is set at arms length. ). I have granny cheater readers hung around my neck. For shooting I ordered some cheaters w large lenses clear at the top and the bifocal lower. Sights are clear except for the floaters and I can see small things like splinters or #6 screw heads.
 
Up until my forties I had 20/15 vision in my right eye, 20/200 in my left. I saw fine with out glasses or contacts. Then my right started to decline. It’s now 20/25. I got contacts and just wore them in my left. Later I started having to read across the room. I got glasses and don’t like them, but as above I wouldn’t now shoot with out them.
I found contacts a real pain. I work in a hospital and the dry air just made my eyes burn and feel dry all the time. I have progressive lenses in my day to day glasses and bifocals in my historic glasses. Much prefer bifocals and will not get progressives again. When I shoot I take off my historic glasses and put on my day to day for most safety.
I’ve never needed my seat belt in my car, but it clicks before car moves, I’ve never needed my first aid kit in the woods but it’s always packed, I’ve never needed my loaded gun in the house or car but it’s always there and I’ve never needed glasses shooting but there always on.
 
Put can one shoot with contacts as well as one shoots with glasses? I need glasses so could just use them shooting/hunting but if no issues would like to try contacts?
 
tenngun said:
Contacts worked for me shooting fine, just no eye protection


Thanks, I would like to try. Dont mind shooting glasses, I wear googles cutting wood too, safety first. Just wanna see clear most the time and HATE glasses all day!
 
Spikebuck said:
I know this isn't what you asked, but have you considered Lasik surgery? If your prescription is relatively stable over time, it would be worth looking into.

I had it done 17 years ago (and the technology is much better now and lower cost.) By far, one of the BEST decisions I ever made. Still 20/20 after all that time. No glasses to clean or fog up while outdoors. No buying contacts or dealing with them.

Self employed, been slow HUGE deductible etc. BUT....I may some day as its getting so routine and very affordable now.
 
40 Flint said:
I don’t shoot MLs w/o glasses. Had too many marks on plastic lenses from burning powder, cap and flint fragments to risk loosing sight in either eye. A good friend and also my brother lost vision in their right eye. Now they really protect the remaining eye. IMO ALL SHOULD wear some form of eye protection when shooting MLs.

After cataract surgery in both eyes (left eye distance and Rt eye is set at arms length. ). I have granny cheater readers hung around my neck. For shooting I ordered some cheaters w large lenses clear at the top and the bifocal lower. Sights are clear except for the floaters and I can see small things like splinters or #6 screw heads.
I did the same thing with my shooting glasses - 1 distance & dominant eye at arms length - Works GREAT!
 
I have only good vision in the right eye. Had cataract surgery and, due to an astigmatism, was limited to distance or reading. Having worn glasses for years, I opted for distance. Suddenly all my iron sights were useless. I've found that 1.0 readers work pretty well. A lot of shooters in a similar situation say 0.75 readers work best but those are hard to come by. An optometrist can make a custom pair for you. Peep sights work, regardless.

Good eye protection is a must. Your gun may not get you, but you'd be surprised what comes flying by on the range. Eye surgery is expensive. I once had a hospital bill incorrectly sent directly to me instead of my insurance. Imagine opening up your mail to see a $30,000 charge for the operating theater! Still had to fork over 10%. Three grand buys a lot of shooting irons. And then there's the possibility of degraded vision. Preachy? Yes but, sadly, been there, done that.
 
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