Seeing the front sight clearly...

topspin43 · April 9, 2005, 05:06 PM

I am a fairly new shooter... love the sport, took lessons and have been practicing dilligently. As a 50 year old, I have 20/20 vision but need reading glasses to see up close. I own a Beretta 92 FS Stainless with red dot sights. My problem is... I cannot see that front sight perfectly --- I NEED LONGER ARMS!!
Should I use my reading glasses while shooting? Then I'll have problem seeing down range. Any thoughts?

BTW love this forum... everyone is so patient with us rookies!

Boynton Beach, FL

Russ5924 · April 9, 2005, 05:37 PM

I have been going thru the samething i'm still getting by on the pistols but had to put scopes on my rifles.Lot of the guys are going to Reddots on the pistols ugly but they do work.Been thinking about trying to get a special pair of glasses, guess there is always the Tri focal.Friend uses them and does real well but have never heard anything good about them in normal wear.

J.D.B. · April 9, 2005, 08:46 PM

An optemetrist can make you a pair of glasses with the focal point wherever you want. Bring the gun you shoot (if allowed) or a device that will show the place the sight would be when you hold it out in shooting position. Then they can use that point to adjust to and ask "does this look better?" "or this?".
Josh

Lycanthrope · April 10, 2005, 01:21 AM

Get a BIG front sight with a fiber insert.

If you can't focus at 2 feet, your prescription is wanting.......

Quantrill · April 10, 2005, 11:21 AM

I have the same problem. My eye doctor prescribed blending trifocal lenses and if I hold my head just right, that works. BUT, what works better (at least for me) is the cheapie glasses at the local dollar store. I try them out by holding something the size of a pistol (Jersey is not the state to take in the real thing) at arms length and try the different powers until it is crystal clear. Then buy that pair. One's head does not have to be that exact and the front sight will always be sharp. Quantrill

armedandsafe · April 10, 2005, 12:59 PM

I wear the blended tri-focals, and have the middle section cut a little high. I went to the optician with both a pistol and a rifle and he found where I look when sight ing a pistol. That is the top of the mid-range cut. Then, he had me sight a rifle, while he used the trial lenses to find the best power for the rifle's front sight. I buy the stick-on bi-focal lenses for sunglasses and cut out a small dot to stick on the upper, inside (nose) corner of my glasses lens, which gives me a clear picture of my front sight through the peep.

Works for me.

Pops

Old Shooter · April 13, 2005, 10:32 AM

Boy are we a bunch of old timers or is it just me? I wear tri-focals and to see the front sight I need to be looking through the tiny center section. That's OK for some types of shooting but not combat type (IDPA ETC).

I had a pair made just for shooting. Since I didn't need the reading part, I eliminated that section. I then had the middle (front sight viewer) made as large as they could make it and had it placed as high on the glass as they legally can. To see the target as I move around the course, I have to lower my head but to see the front sight, I hold my head normally. I only put them on when I'm on the firing line.

Works for me!

Don Worsham · April 14, 2005, 09:16 AM

I second what Quantrill said. Try reading glasses with the lowest power factor of +1.0.

Ozzieman · April 14, 2005, 08:14 PM

BUt I am 20-20 with out them close up.
I went to my eye doctor, a woman, and told her my problem. She was so nice she actualy told me to bring in a plastic toy gun with sights and she would try to help me.
What I found out was that with your head pointed straight ahead your glasses are ground for the sweet spot to be exactaly in front of your eye balls or the center of your eyes.
If you stand like I do when you shoot two handed with a hand gun (right handed) your body is slightly pointed to the right, also your head and you look through the right glass (strong side) but through the left lower corner of that glass.
What she did for me was to have the lens ground for the sweet spot where I look through the lens when I am shooting a hand gun.
All I can say is that it did wonders for me.
It was expencive but I dont care.

Rotnguns · April 16, 2005, 01:17 AM

Agree with Quantrill. Clarity of front sight is most critical and reading glasses work the best for me. Target will be a bit fuzzy but that will happen anyway if you focus on the front sight, glasses or not.

topspin43 · April 16, 2005, 11:26 AM

I'm gonna try it today.

Metal Head · April 20, 2005, 02:21 PM

I've had cateract surgury on both eyes and I find it hard to focus on the front and rear sight and still keep the target in focus, @ 50 feet it's all I can do to keep within the center 2 rings on a target with my rifle. I also don't see real well in the dark and the indoor range I go to is dark except for the light on the target. I just bought a scope for my 30-30 and I haven't had a chance to try it out. I'm going shopping for a handgun at the gun show in May. Anyone in my situation that know what I can do to improve things let me know.

bubbygator · April 20, 2005, 07:27 PM

I found a solution (for SD at least) with Crimson Trace lasergrips. I only have to focus in one plane - the spot that is on the bad guy (or bulls-eye). It's made shooting fun again.

MX5 · April 20, 2005, 08:10 PM

If you are really serious about your pistol shooting, there are many solutions for aging eyes. Unfortunately, presbyopia does make it slower to focus from target to sights.

I have my left lens for distance and the right lens is set for the front sight. The bottom portion is the smallest bifocal they will make and I use it for scoring. To eliminate the side by side ghosting of the sights I have a vertical prism to make the sights converge. I also have a horizontal prism to make the sights converge up and down. It's amazing what can be done to improve vision.

topspin43 · April 20, 2005, 09:07 PM

with my reading glasses... fired 50 rounds. The 50 without 'em. Did better without them. But gonna keep trying different solutions you guys suggested.
thanks for all your input.

Harlie · April 20, 2005, 09:28 PM

Eye only Lasik, now use a +1.25 for rt eye and a plano for left. Use monovision for every day, no glasses at 66. +1.25 allows good front sight focus and a reasonably clear target, can use left eye uncorrected to shoot for street work. Walgreens has a optical static cling product under $20 that works and can be placed to suit. Awful to get old, but hey it sure beats the other option.

Gunfyter · April 26, 2005, 11:10 AM

I have the same problem and got a pair of shooting glasses from Hansen Eagle Eye in California. Jim Scoutten featured them on his website and they really work. The bifocal is placed at the top of the lens of the master eye. I can see my sights and the target about as well as you could hope to. Well worth the cost.

8ring · April 26, 2005, 09:44 PM

Ask your eye doctor to fit you with monovision corrective lenses or contact lenses. Monovision undercorrects your non-dominant eye and dramatically increases your ability to focus on close (18" to 36") objects while keeping your distance vision reasonably clear.

I had monovision contact lenses and now monovision Lasix and am very happy with the results at home, in the office, and at the range.

If you look around, you may be able to get prescription shooting glasses.

Chris

April 9, 2005, 05:06 PM	#1
topspin43 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2005 Location: Palm Beach Posts: 761	Seeing the front sight clearly... I am a fairly new shooter... love the sport, took lessons and have been practicing dilligently. As a 50 year old, I have 20/20 vision but need reading glasses to see up close. I own a Beretta 92 FS Stainless with red dot sights. My problem is... I cannot see that front sight perfectly --- I NEED LONGER ARMS!! Should I use my reading glasses while shooting? Then I'll have problem seeing down range. Any thoughts? BTW love this forum... everyone is so patient with us rookies! Boynton Beach, FL

April 9, 2005, 05:37 PM	#2
Russ5924 Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2005 Posts: 1,874	I have been going thru the samething i'm still getting by on the pistols but had to put scopes on my rifles.Lot of the guys are going to Reddots on the pistols ugly but they do work.Been thinking about trying to get a special pair of glasses, guess there is always the Tri focal.Friend uses them and does real well but have never heard anything good about them in normal wear. __________________ Russ5924

April 9, 2005, 08:46 PM	#3
J.D.B. Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2005 Posts: 242	An optemetrist can make you a pair of glasses with the focal point wherever you want. Bring the gun you shoot (if allowed) or a device that will show the place the sight would be when you hold it out in shooting position. Then they can use that point to adjust to and ask "does this look better?" "or this?". Josh __________________ "It's not the arrow, it's the indian!"

April 10, 2005, 12:59 PM	#6
armedandsafe Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2005 Location: Moses Lake WA Posts: 1,001	I wear the blended tri-focals, and have the middle section cut a little high. I went to the optician with both a pistol and a rifle and he found where I look when sight ing a pistol. That is the top of the mid-range cut. Then, he had me sight a rifle, while he used the trial lenses to find the best power for the rifle's front sight. I buy the stick-on bi-focal lenses for sunglasses and cut out a small dot to stick on the upper, inside (nose) corner of my glasses lens, which gives me a clear picture of my front sight through the peep. Works for me. Pops __________________ Armed and Safe: Not just a theory If it time to bury them, it is time to dig them up. Remember, "Behind every blade of grass."

April 13, 2005, 10:32 AM	#7
Old Shooter Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2005 Location: Greenville/Anderson area of SC Posts: 281	Boy are we a bunch of old timers or is it just me? I wear tri-focals and to see the front sight I need to be looking through the tiny center section. That's OK for some types of shooting but not combat type (IDPA ETC). I had a pair made just for shooting. Since I didn't need the reading part, I eliminated that section. I then had the middle (front sight viewer) made as large as they could make it and had it placed as high on the glass as they legally can. To see the target as I move around the course, I have to lower my head but to see the front sight, I hold my head normally. I only put them on when I'm on the firing line. Works for me! __________________ My life is based on a true story .... Sometimes I wish I could sit back and watch the things I do.

April 10, 2005, 01:21 AM	#4
Lycanthrope Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2001 Location: PA Posts: 1,752	Get a BIG front sight with a fiber insert. If you can't focus at 2 feet, your prescription is wanting.......

April 10, 2005, 11:21 AM	#5
Quantrill Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 1999 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 725	I have the same problem. My eye doctor prescribed blending trifocal lenses and if I hold my head just right, that works. BUT, what works better (at least for me) is the cheapie glasses at the local dollar store. I try them out by holding something the size of a pistol (Jersey is not the state to take in the real thing) at arms length and try the different powers until it is crystal clear. Then buy that pair. One's head does not have to be that exact and the front sight will always be sharp. Quantrill

April 14, 2005, 09:16 AM	#8
Don Worsham Junior Member Join Date: March 23, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 3	I second what Quantrill said. Try reading glasses with the lowest power factor of +1.0.

April 14, 2005, 08:14 PM	#9
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	I had a simular problem only I do wear them all the time BUt I am 20-20 with out them close up. I went to my eye doctor, a woman, and told her my problem. She was so nice she actualy told me to bring in a plastic toy gun with sights and she would try to help me. What I found out was that with your head pointed straight ahead your glasses are ground for the sweet spot to be exactaly in front of your eye balls or the center of your eyes. If you stand like I do when you shoot two handed with a hand gun (right handed) your body is slightly pointed to the right, also your head and you look through the right glass (strong side) but through the left lower corner of that glass. What she did for me was to have the lens ground for the sweet spot where I look through the lens when I am shooting a hand gun. All I can say is that it did wonders for me. It was expencive but I dont care.

April 16, 2005, 01:17 AM	#10
Rotnguns Member Join Date: August 7, 2004 Location: Idaho Posts: 33	Agree with Quantrill. Clarity of front sight is most critical and reading glasses work the best for me. Target will be a bit fuzzy but that will happen anyway if you focus on the front sight, glasses or not.

April 16, 2005, 11:26 AM	#11
topspin43 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2005 Location: Palm Beach Posts: 761	Good point Rotn... I'm gonna try it today. __________________ Be careful out there.

April 20, 2005, 02:21 PM	#12
Metal Head Senior Member Join Date: March 27, 2005 Posts: 121	I've had cateract surgury on both eyes and I find it hard to focus on the front and rear sight and still keep the target in focus, @ 50 feet it's all I can do to keep within the center 2 rings on a target with my rifle. I also don't see real well in the dark and the indoor range I go to is dark except for the light on the target. I just bought a scope for my 30-30 and I haven't had a chance to try it out. I'm going shopping for a handgun at the gun show in May. Anyone in my situation that know what I can do to improve things let me know.

April 20, 2005, 07:27 PM	#13
bubbygator Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2004 Location: Sarasota Posts: 130	I found a solution (for SD at least) with Crimson Trace lasergrips. I only have to focus in one plane - the spot that is on the bad guy (or bulls-eye). It's made shooting fun again.

April 20, 2005, 08:10 PM	#14
MX5 Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Posts: 70	If you are really serious about your pistol shooting, there are many solutions for aging eyes. Unfortunately, presbyopia does make it slower to focus from target to sights. I have my left lens for distance and the right lens is set for the front sight. The bottom portion is the smallest bifocal they will make and I use it for scoring. To eliminate the side by side ghosting of the sights I have a vertical prism to make the sights converge. I also have a horizontal prism to make the sights converge up and down. It's amazing what can be done to improve vision.

April 20, 2005, 09:07 PM	#15
topspin43 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2005 Location: Palm Beach Posts: 761	I went to the range... with my reading glasses... fired 50 rounds. The 50 without 'em. Did better without them. But gonna keep trying different solutions you guys suggested. thanks for all your input. __________________ Be careful out there.

April 20, 2005, 09:28 PM	#16
Harlie Member Join Date: March 1, 2005 Posts: 41	After Rt Eye only Lasik, now use a +1.25 for rt eye and a plano for left. Use monovision for every day, no glasses at 66. +1.25 allows good front sight focus and a reasonably clear target, can use left eye uncorrected to shoot for street work. Walgreens has a optical static cling product under $20 that works and can be placed to suit. Awful to get old, but hey it sure beats the other option.

April 26, 2005, 11:10 AM	#17
Gunfyter Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2005 Posts: 3	I have the same problem and got a pair of shooting glasses from Hansen Eagle Eye in California. Jim Scoutten featured them on his website and they really work. The bifocal is placed at the top of the lens of the master eye. I can see my sights and the target about as well as you could hope to. Well worth the cost.

April 26, 2005, 09:44 PM	#18
8ring Member Join Date: October 26, 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 84	Ask your eye doctor to fit you with monovision corrective lenses or contact lenses. Monovision undercorrects your non-dominant eye and dramatically increases your ability to focus on close (18" to 36") objects while keeping your distance vision reasonably clear. I had monovision contact lenses and now monovision Lasix and am very happy with the results at home, in the office, and at the range. If you look around, you may be able to get prescription shooting glasses. Chris