My new shooting glasses

[BamaNapper]

I've been thinking about ordering a pair of dedicated shooting glasses for a couple months and finally acted on it. My wife was ordering a pair of prescription sunglasses so I threw a trial pair on the order for me to save the shipping.

I wear prescription glasses and being well into my 60's I need bifocals most of the time. Anyone wearing bifocals knows the problem with trying to shoot handguns or rifles with fixed sites. You end up looking like a bobble head doll trying to find a way to get both the sights and the target into the best focus. So I dropped the notion of bifocals and ordered a pair with the left eye prescription for long distance and the right eye for about 30". Last night they showed up, and I have to admit it was a bit strange at first. I could close my right eye and everything across the yard was nice and clear, close the left eye and the phone in my hand was in perfect focus. It took maybe 15 minutes wearing them before I no longer noticed the weirdness. So I picked up my SIG and sighted at the back of the yard. I actually laughed. Both the bird feeder and the sights were in focus. It works. It's probably been 25 years since I've seen that sight picture. If it had been earlier in the day, or if the range was a little closer, I would have already tried them out. It looks like Friday is going to be a range day for me. I'm stoked.

The beauty is that an online manufacturer (I use zennioptical.com) can make single vision no frills glasses for $7 a pair. That was cheap enough to try and throw them out if I didn't like the results. I ordered a large frame aviator style for a little more protection and they came with polycarbonate lenses at that $7 price. No, they aren't they highest quality shooting glasses and I know that some other lens materials would offer better protection. I'm due an eye exam soon so I'm sure a another pair with my new prescription will be ordered. Maybe then I'll order the thicker lenses, antiglare, and scratch resistance. Of course that could run the price up near $20. If I'm really feeling spendy maybe I'll even opt for the auto-darkening lenses. Regarding the quality of the glasses, I have been wearing glasses from Zenni for the last couple years and have no complaints. The pair I'm wearing now (they were $7 back then too) are from my first order and they are holding up just fine with daily wear.

[Dapaki]

I've been thinking about ordering a pair of dedicated shooting glasses for a couple months and finally acted on it. My wife was ordering a pair of prescription sunglasses so I threw a trial pair on the order for me to save the shipping.

I wear prescription glasses and being well into my 60's I need bifocals most of the time. Anyone wearing bifocals knows the problem with trying to shoot handguns or rifles with fixed sites. You end up looking like a bobble head doll trying to find a way to get both the sights and the target into the best focus. So I dropped the notion of bifocals and ordered a pair with the left eye prescription for long distance and the right eye for about 30". Last night they showed up, and I have to admit it was a bit strange at first. I could close my right eye and everything across the yard was nice and clear, close the left eye and the phone in my hand was in perfect focus. It took maybe 15 minutes wearing them before I no longer noticed the weirdness. So I picked up my SIG and sighted at the back of the yard. I actually laughed. Both the bird feeder and the sights were in focus. It works. It's probably been 25 years since I've seen that sight picture. If it had been earlier in the day, or if the range was a little closer, I would have already tried them out. It looks like Friday is going to be a range day for me. I'm stoked.

The beauty is that an online manufacturer (I use zennioptical.com) can make single vision no frills glasses for $7 a pair. That was cheap enough to try and throw them out if I didn't like the results. I ordered a large frame aviator style for a little more protection and they came with polycarbonate lenses at that $7 price. No, they aren't they highest quality shooting glasses and I know that some other lens materials would offer better protection. I'm due an eye exam soon so I'm sure a another pair with my new prescription will be ordered. Maybe then I'll order the thicker lenses, antiglare, and scratch resistance. Of course that could run the price up near $20. If I'm really feeling spendy maybe I'll even opt for the auto-darkening lenses. Regarding the quality of the glasses, I have been wearing glasses from Zenni for the last couple years and have no complaints. The pair I'm wearing now (they were $7 back then too) are from my first order and they are holding up just fine with daily wear.

My wife and I wear Zenni's as well and have been ordering from them for a good decade or longer. We took the chance when I started needing bifocals and the local optometrist office wanted $500.00 for a pair!

I looked online and found them, ordered a pair for $64.00 and order three pairs a year for me and a couple for the Mrs. all for less then one pair of glasses from the local place.

Is this about what you got? $12.00 for the pair plus $4.95 for shipping, took 2 weeks to get to me from California.

264239

[BamaNapper]

Looks to be about the same lens shape/size, but I opted for the plastic frames this time around. My next pair of shooters will probably be the more a traditional metal frame like you're showing since they would work better with earmuffs. You can't beat their glasses for the price. Unfortunately, once the wife got started on Zenni she figured out she could order all kinds of different shapes and colors to match what she's wearing. The shooting glasses are my 4th pair as I've gotten away from wearing bifocals. I have distance glasses for driving, sunglasses, and my computer pair that I wear about 90% of the time.

[Dapaki]

My youngest girl got a pair of plain glass glasses when we placed our first order, Pink, Gurly, cute. She wanted to fit in too. They sure came in handy when we were required to wear safety glasses later that summer since she already had the plain glass (polycarbonate) lenses.

[CastingFool]

The auto darkening glasses can be a pain at times. I had a pair like that and within a month, I switched back to non darkening.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

This is good info. I have heard of having a bifocal created for the dominant eye off the bridge of the nose for shooting with irons. But that would cost much more.

[Dapaki]

This is good info. I have heard of having a bifocal created for the dominant eye off the bridge of the nose for shooting with irons. But that would cost much more.

You may want to try putting a pair together on Zenni, you can change the prescription on one eye if you wish! I made a pair of 'cheaters' for soldering SMD repair 8 years back and I got a x5 add to the bifocals. They worked SO well.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Progressive lenses are the way to go for shooting and everyday wear. That way you can focus on anything from the closest to Infinity just by moving your head slightly.

They take a little getting used to, but once you're thru that they are the hot tip. My shooting glasses are 10+ years old now and still work perfectly and I can even drive with them on and usually do on the way home from shooting.

Randy.

[Dapaki]

Progressive lenses are the way to go for shooting and everyday wear....

Randy.

Yes, sorry, I didn't write progressive lenses but that is what I have ordered. I do have the standard bifocals as well with a X5 adder for close up soldering too.

[BamaNapper]

Randy, I actually had progressives, not bifocals, and I understand the appeal. But when it came to shooting I'd tip my head to get the sights in focus, then tip to get the target in focus, then tip back to recheck the sights.... It was a frustration. Not too bad with a rifle off a rest, but maddening with a pistol. I ended up using my computer distance glasses to give me my sights mostly in focus and just put up with the target being somewhat out of focus. A favorite exercise at the range is to put out 2-3 targets on different stands at various distances and take a shot on each of them as quickly as possible. Maybe a double tap on each if I'm doing well that day. That's where I'd go into bobble head mode when I wore progressives. The purpose of the exercise is training yourself to move your eyes to the next target quickly then bring the gun onto it. If you have to move your head to focus from the target to the sights, you're no longer on the target. With my computer distance glasses I'm moving a pretty fuzzy set of sights onto a somewhat fuzzy target. If I'm trying to put 5-round groups on a bullseye target it's not a huge issue, but it takes all the fun out of some exercises.

My hope is that when I get to the range I can adapt to having my left eye see the targets clearly while I bring relatively clear gun sights onto the target with my right eye. If it goes well this summer I may experiment with a second pair in the fall adding another half a diopter to the right eye and see how that works for iron sights on a rifle. It's all an experiment that gives me a reason to go shooting.

[30calflash]

Timely post, I'm overdue for an exam and need to replace my broken shooting glasses. Tx!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Randy, I actually had progressives, not bifocals, and I understand the appeal. But when it came to shooting I'd tip my head to get the sights in focus, then tip to get the target in focus, then tip back to recheck the sights.... It was a frustration. Not too bad with a rifle off a rest, but maddening with a pistol. I ended up using my computer distance glasses to give me my sights mostly in focus and just put up with the target being somewhat out of focus. A favorite exercise at the range is to put out 2-3 targets on different stands at various distances and take a shot on each of them as quickly as possible. Maybe a double tap on each if I'm doing well that day. That's where I'd go into bobble head mode when I wore progressives. The purpose of the exercise is training yourself to move your eyes to the next target quickly then bring the gun onto it. If you have to move your head to focus from the target to the sights, you're no longer on the target. With my computer distance glasses I'm moving a pretty fuzzy set of sights onto a somewhat fuzzy target. If I'm trying to put 5-round groups on a bullseye target it's not a huge issue, but it takes all the fun out of some exercises.

My hope is that when I get to the range I can adapt to having my left eye see the targets clearly while I bring relatively clear gun sights onto the target with my right eye. If it goes well this summer I may experiment with a second pair in the fall adding another half a diopter to the right eye and see how that works for iron sights on a rifle. It's all an experiment that gives me a reason to go shooting.

Note in Bold: That is where your problem is. You don't shift focus from the target to the sights.

You focus on the Front Sight and everything else is fuzzy. The target doesn't need to be in crisp focus only the Front Sight.

With a Rifle with open sights You make sight alignment and hold it there with your cheek weld. Then put the Front Sight on the target and let fly. I have shot 31/40 in Rimfire Silhouette with open sights.

With Aperture Sights you look thru the rear sight and put the Front Sight on the target and let fly.

I have shot 32/40 in Short Range Cowboy Silhouette with an Enfield Rifle in .303 with cast boolits adn a Aperture Rear Sight.

It is REALLY as simple as that,,, however since you and me and everyone else grew up with young eyes shifting focus instantaneously and never being taught right, we developed a bad habit that is hard to break.

All I can say is to get a training gun like a SIRT Training Pistol and work on it until you get it. I shoot mine about every other night from my easy chair at various targets around the living room.

https://nextleveltraining.com/product/sirt-110-training-pistol-2/

For the rifle,,, I have Pellet Guns with Open and Peep Sights.

To get started try dry firing. then go to Front Sight and get trained. www.frontsight.com

Note the name of the facility?

Randy.