Eyeglasses and seeing sights on handguns and rifles.

[BigAlofPa.]

Im at the point in my life where it's hard for me to see the sights on some of my pistols. Last years eye exam. The doc said i could use what he called a small prescription. I opted out, Because i can still see well driving and spotting game and stuff off in the distance. And i could still see my sights and target. Now the sights are blurring. I do use reading glasses. 2.50 strength. How do those who wear glasses see the sights and the target? I would guess bifocals would not work? Im ok with that since i have reading glasses. Thanks Al.

[JWFilips]

I always thought of Getting a pair of my prescription glasses with progressive bifocals installed upside down this way when you crouch down in the defensive pistol position the bifocal area would be on the sights

[wch]

See your optometrist and explain your problem(s) to him, the Doctor has likely had others inquire. The answer is eyeglasses tuned to a proper focal length for your eyes to see the sights in sharp definition.

[BigAlofPa.]

Ok cool ill measure the distance from my eyes to sight on the gun that is closest then. Probably my Mosin nagant. But ill check them all.

[Wheelguns 1961]

I wear progressive bifocals and I do just fine. If I am having a hard time, it is usually because my glasses have slid down a little. I just push them up and continue.

[Nueces]

I've been down this road. I now request what I call 'computer glasses', main lens focal length at 26", with bifocal readers. I found that 26" works for my computer monitors and also handgun and rifle sights.

For cowboy competition, I get Wiley X Romer II safety goggles with the 26" prescription on the right, for sights, and the distance prescription on the left, for targets. A few minutes accommodation is all it takes for my eyes and brain to figure it out so that I see a single image near and far.

[Paper Puncher]

Al

May 1984 American Rifleman had an article on vision that was pretty good. I have an electronic copy I can email you if you want it.

[wv109323]

Getting old is tough. As your eyes get old they will not focus at close distances,thus the need for reading glasses or bifocals.
As you correct your vision for close focus the correction will not let you see at distance. So from here on out you must decide what to do.
For pistol you can bring the sights in focus by correction (bifocals) and hold on the target as best you can. This is usually acceptable as the target distances for pistols is not that great.
The obvious answer for rifles is a rifle scope or a red dot where the eyes just have to focus on the target. Peep sights can help as the peep apature is somewhat a diopter like a bifocal. But shooting for groups at 100 yards or more with conventional iron rifle sights is not possilble.

[kayala]

I'm wearing reading glasses and becoming red-dot aficionado :)

[metricmonkeywrench]

Have a buddy that wears glasses full time, when he went in last year he related the same issue. The Dr set him up with a “working” focal length instead of a reading length. He reports a night and day difference when shooting, though he has to keep 2 pair of glasses.

[country gent]

when I was competing ( NRA High power) I used a set of Knob block shooting glasses . with my prescription ground into the 1 lens. These allowed the lens to be centered for postion and me looking thru the center where the prescription was most accurate. There was is an optometrist named Bob Jones who specializes in glasses for shooters. He used to have booth on commercial row during the nationals.

[BigAlofPa.]

My mosin don't have a scope. I been looking for a good set up where i won't ruin the originality of the gun. I hear so many good and bad on each set up i find. My 7600 i like the sights for close up shots. My eye exam is may. Im going to call and see if i can get in before that. In the mean time ill grab a pair of low power readers too. Paper Puncher ill send a Pm with my email addy.

[MT Gianni]

I have a set of shooting glasses with a fixed bifocal. I brought in a handgun - cylinder to set the prescription to where the sights were in focus. I can't see my sights well with a progressive bifocal.

[RED BEAR]

I use a set of fixed magnification safety glasses to were i can see the sights and still see the target . For me it is a comprise between target and sights started off with little magnification i now use 4 or 4.5 magnification .also my long range shooting with iron sights is a thing of the past scopes only or some other optics iron sight pistols are 25 yrds or less. You can buy these cheap magnification safety glasses from amazon around $4 or $5. You may want to ask your doctor if there is something he can do then all the better. I also use my regular glasses and green lasers they are easier to see in daylight.

[SvenLindquist]

Get a Merit disc for punching paper and high power green laser for everything else.

BTW seeing the target is not anywhere near as important as seeing the sights.

[Hick]

If your distance vision is good you might want to try a peep sight/globe sight combo. I have artificial lenses in both eyes (cataract surgery) and the same problem-- blurry sights. I put a peep sight on the rear and a globe sight on the front. That way, you can look through the two holes and place your target in the center of the hole in the front sight. The eye naturally tends to center in a hole. So, I see a crystal clear target centered in two slightly blurry holes-- and it all works out fine. This works for the rifles, but not the pistols-- but it helps.

[ghh3rd]

I have had to resort to placing a pair of dollar store reader glasses over my regular glasses, all held in place with my shooting ear muffs. I can see the sights doing this. I look goofy but I’m 65 and I don’t care anymore.

Recently I heard about EyePal. They are nothing more than a static cling circle of rubber with a small hole... an aperture sight that clings to your glasses or safety glasses. $18 for a couple of stickers? I’m cheap but gave it a try and was shocked how well I can see my handgun sights and a sharp target at the same time!

Mine came with one with a hole suitable for handguns and one for rifles. I haven’t tried the one for rifles yet, but bet it will work fine. I’m just grateful that it works like it does so I can enjoy reaching my potential at the range.

I only intend to use this at the range... I don’t think it would be good for hunting since you need suitable light, and don’t think it would be easy to use rapidly.

[trebor44]

BigAlofPa.,

If you have normal distance vision, but can not focus on rifle and/or handgun sights, a pair of simple low power reading glasses with a full lens magnifier of +0.50 and +0.75 diopter may solve your problem.

I have normal distance vision, but have trouble focusing on objects closer than half a fathom. I have been using the Elvex Rx-500 Safety Glasses at +0.50 diopter for rifle and +0.75 for handgun. I can see my front sight again!

You can obtain these glasses here (https://www.safetyglassesusa.com/elvex-rx-500-safety-glasses-with-black-frame-and-clear-full-lens-magnifier/). The price is very reasonable. They are definitely worth trying.

PB

Start with a quality eye exam! You get what you pay for, it should cover distance and near vision. As suggested some form of correction will work. I have gone through most if not all of the suggestions and use them according to what I am shooting, where and when. There really is no one size fits all. Some are better than other and all work to a degree. I prefer apertures, red dots and scopes and what I shoot. I would suggest starting with an aperture (you can create one with your fist). A Merit adjustable can be mounted on your shooting glasses.

[BigAlofPa.]

Great article Paper puncher. Thank you very much. My step son was over today. And he wears glasses. I asked him how he does with seeing the sights and targets. He said no issues. He dose not have bifocals. So that gives me a ray of hope.

[Land Owner]

Tri-focals here and no problems with sights, scopes, target acquisition, or scoring hits in the "X" ring. You get used to them, know where the sweet spots are (near, mid-range, far), and learned consistency is the key to everything.

[fast ronnie]

I have two pair of glasses, one for distance, and one for reading. I have to keep switching back and forth, and it is really irritating. I don't use bifocals because they don't work in the machine shop for me.
I've had to resort for scopes for most of my stuff. Most difficult is shooting pistol with open sights at 100 yards. It drives me nuts.

[MT Gianni]

I have had to resort to placing a pair of dollar store reader glasses over my regular glasses, all held in place with my shooting ear muffs. I can see the sights doing this. I look goofy but I’m 65 and I don’t care anymore.

Recently I heard about EyePal. They are nothing more than a static cling circle of rubber with a small hole... an aperture sight that clings to your glasses or safety glasses. $18 for a couple of stickers? I’m cheap but gave it a try and was shocked how well I can see my handgun sights and a sharp target at the same time!

Mine came with one with a hole suitable for handguns and one for rifles. I haven’t tried the one for rifles yet, but bet it will work fine. I’m just grateful that it works like it does so I can enjoy reaching my potential at the range.

I only intend to use this at the range... I don’t think it would be good for hunting since you need suitable light, and don’t think it would be easy to use rapidly.

Try a 3/4" or 1/2" square piece of painters tape with a hole punched through it. Put it on your eyeglasses and move it til you focus through the hole.

[Idaho45guy]

I've worn glasses since I was 8 and graduated to bifocals at age 45. They worked just fine for shooting and I have been getting some impressive groups with open sights for years.

Then I went to Costco last year for my latest set and everything went screwy. Apparently, my previous doc had me set up with the computer distance progressive lenses with a larger field of view for the close up stuff.

Costco just gave me the standard field of view and magnification and my groups got twice as big and my match scores went down.

So, I dug out my old glasses and things are better. Costco is so cheap, I can go get new glasses this Summer and make sure they set them up properly this time.

I've heard of online glasses vendors that are ridiculously cheap. Clark Howard recommends these guys... https://www.zennioptical.com

But you need some critical measurement; the one that measures the distance between your eyes, I believe. Most optometrists don't include that with your prescription, but apparently Costco does.

[Idaho45guy]

Just went to the Zenni site and went through all of the steps to order decent, progressive lense glasses with all the options and it was under $100. Not bad. Costco was maybe $20 more.

Will go back to Costco so I can talk with them in person about making sure I get the right set up. The Zenni site was confusing in that regard.

[Froogal]

I wear tri-focals. I can see the rear sight of my rifle, and I can see the target, but the front sight is pretty much a blur. I guess at it and usually do just fine.

[Sig556r]

I wear progressive bifocals and I do just fine. If I am having a hard time, it is usually because my glasses have slid down a little. I just push them up and continue.

^^^Happens to me a lot...start to notice once rifle groups go astray...on freehand pistols, transition between bifocals is PIA, had to nod a few times to get a clear front sight picture...

[Froogal]

I wear tri-focals. I can see the rear sight of my rifle, and I can see the target, but the front sight is pretty much a blur. I guess at it and usually do just fine.

I can actually read a book or magazine BETTER without my glasses. It is the distant objects that get kind of fuzzy. I CAN shoot without my glasses, and even hit the target, but maybe that is just pure luck.

[Hickok]

A Glock 17 with a 17 round mag at really close range really helps with sights problem!:kidding:

[BigAlofPa.]

Mach 12th i see the eye doc. Glad i don't have to wait to May.

[Pablo 5959]

https://www.amazon.com/Hydrotac-Stick-on-Bifocal-Lenses-OPTX-20-3-00-Diopter/dp/B000W7EDCW/ref=asc_df_B000W7EDCW/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309760615398&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9893852556009315259&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032096&hvtargid=pla-569815133673&th=1
I put one of these up in my safety glasses a the right spot to look down on my sites.
Get .5 less then you use for reading. This will work for arms length. All I see of the target is a blur. So I just am at the center of the blur.

[Echo]

I went to flip-ups when I was competing. Flip the front lenses up, and the back lenses are ground for near-vision. See the sights like a champ. When the stage is finished, flip the front lenses down, and I had normal vision. I had the back lenses photo-brown, for brightness control.
I also had a strip of masking tape on the nasal side on the near left lens. Looking straight ahead, it didn't interfere, but when positioned to fire, looking sorta over my right shoulder, it blocked the target - and MAINLY, the bullet going down range! I couldn't see the bullet with my right eye, as the pistol recoiled up into my field of view. But the LEFT eye was looking along the SIDE of the gun, and I could see the 45 slug arcing it's way to the target (The 22 sometimes, too). Especially troublesome when one sees it going into the 9-ring, instead of the 10!

[Handloader109]

Another option that may help is adding a laser to your handgun. I've two crimson trace rail mounted. In under a g17 and other on my ppx. Both have threaded barrels and lasers keep me from changing out sights. Now I just got a new Kimber micro 9 with laser grips. Works well.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[BigAlofPa.]

I shoot outdoors how does a laser do in the daylight? Im not up to date on all the new fangled tacticool stuff. i did try a reflex sight on my Ruger mk3. Totally useless to me on a sunny day.

[NSB]

Take a look at a "tin can" red dot sight. I've got about a dozen of them and I've used them for hunting and competition. They are a God send for older eyes. They almost always have more adjustment in the brightness settings (usually 11 settings) and some have different reticle choices. There are several different quality brands on the market with lifetime guarantees. The problems you had with the reflex sight is pretty common. I have a few of those also, but they're used for competition and the ones I have have adjustable brightness settings and work pretty good. Comparing the two, the only advantage to the reflex is simply size and I believe the tin can types are overall a better choice. If you want to get a "decent" one to try look at the Bushnell TRS-25. They are available for anywhere between sixty-five and eighty-five bucks if you look around. I don't rate them as good as the ones costing two hundred + dollars, but they're almost as good. If you don't like it, you'll probably get about all your money back if you sell it.

[knifemaker]

At 71 I still have 20/20 vision for distance, but must use 1.75 reading glasses for anything closer then 30 inches. For shooting I went to the dollar store and purchased cheap reading glasses at 1.0 power. They allow me to see the rear & front sights on my handguns very clearly and do not cause excessive blurring of the more distant target I am shooting at.
Like NSB I also like the Bushnell TRS-25 red dot sight. I have several I use on my Ruger mini-30 and Ruger PC-9mm carbine. They work great and well worth the money you pay for them which is far cheaper then most others.

[BigAlofPa.]

Yeah i have the red dots on my Pistol caliber carbines and my AR 22's the tube ones. They are nice. I bought out our walmart one year when they had them on clearance lol. They are CP brand i think. Choice of red or green and different brightness dots and they have some other designs like a target circles too. And a 1/2 circle option. I like the dot the best.

[David2011]

For a long time I shot with readers. A few years ago I started going to an ophthalmologist that is a shooter. I took my competition pistol in and got a shooting only prescription and glasses that focused 2" past the front sight. That was so the sight wold be sharp enough but the target would be less blurred than if the focus was at the front sight. I'm right handed/eyed so the left lens was made for distance only. The right lens is for distance with a large bifocal at the top of the lens. It's in exactly the right place when I lower my head to the top of the pistol. The glasses are shooting glasses so they have the benefit of meeting ANSI safety glasses standards. The lenses can be dyed any color you want. At the recommendation of some shotgun shooting friends I went with a rose color that makes clay targets stand out against the sky. The next set of lenses will be neutral gray.

[BigAlofPa.]

Today i see the eye doc. I'll post what he/she said.

[BigAlofPa.]

Back from the eye docs. Getting no line bifocals. Polycarbonate scratch resistance lenses with auto darkening. He said ill be able to see the sights and see out further too. He did say it will take some adjustment on my part. Out of pocket will be 69.00 over what insurance covers.

[Safeshot]

I just use regular bifocals, focus on the sights with the bifocal lens. The target will be "a little out of focus". Better groups this way for me at least.

[country gent]

There was a neat little clop on loupe that came with 3 lenses + .5, + .75 and +.1 this allowed you to tune your glasses to the best sight picture. The loupe was n a spring loaded swivel and could be raised out of vision when not in use. It was called Clearsight. What I really liked about it was with different lenses you could tune for pistol or rifle front sights. Some would take 1 lens off of flip up sunglasses to blind the off eye helping the shooting eye to focus. As far as I know the Clearsight unit is no longer made. It was a handy unit in that it just clipped on the regular glasses bow and wasnt noticed.

[BigAlofPa.]

Glasses came in early. Wow i was surprised when i put them on. Everything looks bigger lol. Tomorrow i plan on trying them shooting. Playing around at home i can see the sights much better inside. Tried them at the reloading bench. Not as good as my cheaters. So ill stick with the cheaters when working on ammo. I also run into things walking around with them on. Guess depth perception is off. They told me to be careful driving with them as i get used to them.

[David2011]

I find the same thing in the reloading room. I’m better off either with no glasses or with readers over my regular prescription glasses, depending of course on what I’m doing. If loading, priming or doing anything that might go “bang” I’ll wear over the counter bifocal safety glasses that meet ANSI standards. Looking down the ammunition is in focus and looking ahead the rest of the room is in focus. I’m fortunate that my range for not needing correction is from computer screen distance to about 7-8 feet.

I use the same OTC safety glasses or prescription safety glasses in the gunsmithing and machining room.

[BigAlofPa.]

Went to the gun club today. All my issues solved. Love the glasses. I can even see better through my scope. Im a happy camper now.

[375supermag]

I wear progressive bifocals and I do just fine. If I am having a hard time, it is usually because my glasses have slid down a little. I just push them up and continue.

Hi...
Same issue here.
Still able to shoot handguns quite well but adjusting to the trifocals was a bit of a struggle.