Shooting With Bifocals

[Konk]

I took my new FNX-40 to the range last weekend for the first time. I was fairly pleased with the results since I don't have a lot of pistol experience. Anyway I was having a difficult time focusing on the front site because of my bifocals. I had to tip my head up to see through the bifocals which felt weird. I'm sure there are many of you that shoot with bifocal lens, what do you do? Or is it just a matter of time to get used to doing this? Any tips? Thanks...

[Grant D]

I just push my glasses farther up on my nose, so I don't have to tilt my head. Works for me. (the targets kinda fuzzy though lol)

[skeath]

Same problem with progressive lenses, but not nearly as much.

[eldermike]

Reading glasses that are too weak for reading but give you a fair look at the front sight solves the problem.

[shouldazagged]

Try it with trifocals like I have to wear. Interesting challenge.

[osbornk]

I've worn progressive lenses so long, I don't even notice since tilting my head has become automatic.

[Caliplinker]

I had the same issue in that my front sight is fuzzy. Rather than tilting my head, I bought these:

http://www.amazon.com/OPTX-20-Stick-...ef=pd_sim_hi_2

I placed them at the top of the lens on shooting glasses. They work great and allow me to use a natural shooting position where my eye looks out of the top portion of my glasses.

Hope this helps.

[BigJimP]

Yes, its a problem in my bifoculs as well.../ or progressive lenses....

So I wear shooting glasses....that allow me to see the front sight clearly. One lens is cut for the right focul length to see the front sight clearly - the other for distance so target isn't too fuzzy....

DeCot HyWyd is my preference for shooting glasses -- changeable lenses to allow for different light conditions ( at indoor ranges, I shoot a light gold, light yellow lens color).

http://sportglasses.com/

If you can't see the front sight clearly - you won't shoot your best.

[lamarw]

It maybe a personal, psychological thing, but I have found the shape and the size of my lens in my progressive/bifocals makes a difference both with shooting and everyday activites.

The more round my glasses (lens) as opposed to rectangular shape seem to help with the adjustment of the near up weapon sights and the distant target. Smaller glasses have been the rave in recent years and have been in style. It seems to be changing in the other direction and is better for our older eyes.

In the event you are nearing time for catarac eye surgery, your eye doc maybe able to help you. I just had the surgery this past year. The replacement lens for my eyeballs helped my farsighted vision with minor detriment to my up close vision. This also helps with my driving vision and should continue to help in later years.

[Konk]

Ok, it seems that short of using other glasses, it's something I'm going to have to adjust to...thanks for the replies.

[labhound]

I purchased some inexpensive reading glasses from a drug store and that works well for focusing on the front sight but no matter what you do the target is always out of focus. I wear progressive bi-focals and prefer to shoot in them and just get use to tilting the head back. I figure in any SD situation I'd probably have my bi-focals on so I might as well just wear them when practicing at the range.

[Kreyzhorse]

I had the same issue with my progressive lens. I no longer wear my glasses if I'm going to the range and that solved the issue. You of course might not be able to pull that off.

[kcub]

Has anyone tried Superfocus?
http://www.superfocus.com/?utm_sourc...FUho7AodjnEADg

[ricko]

My experience has been like Kreyzhorse's: with progressive lenses I can't see the sights at all, which does have an impact on accuracy. My eyes happen to be such that I can see them clearly if I peer just over the top edge of my glasses rather than through the lenses. Not quite according to Hoyle in terms of safety, though, so I've picked up a pair of non-corrective shooting glasses.

I have not tried Superfocus but it's an excellent idea & there's no reason why it wouldn't work unless you have a lot of astigmatism.

[Walt Sherrill]

There are opticians and opthamologists who work with shooters -- or if you can explain your needs, your current provider can work with you -- to fit you with lenses that really make a difference.

For a number of years, my optician gave me a pair of glasses that allowed me to use the left lens (my weak eye) to see distant things, and a right lens that was set to make the area near the front sight clear. Seeing the front sight clearly was better than seeing the target clearly, but artfully switching eyes gave me the desired results.

IT was great until I got a cataract in my left eye -- and it took a while for that to be resolved. Now I've got a pair of glasses that gives me a "middle view" that works pretty well: I can see the from sight fairly clearly, and see the target (but not crisply). It's not as good as having a 25 year old's vision, but it beats throwing the gun.

Talk to your optomotrist, optician or Opthamologist, and tell they what you want done. It doesn't have to be terribly expensive to get on target.

[pete2]

I recently had a pair of glasses made with the right eye focused on the sight and the left my distance prescription. Works fine with both eyes open, I didn't realize the target could be pretty much in focus without optics or a peep sight.
I've been told that everyone can't wear mono vision but it works for me. Only cost about 80.00 at Walmart. Laugh but this is the second pair of glasses from Wallys and both are very good. If they could make wide trifocals, I'd have the made at Wally's for my regular glasses.

[Ben Dover]

I found that with a bit of experimentation and practice, the progressive lenses worked out quite well.

Another option that worked for me is no glasses and XD Express "Big Dot" sights

[Munkster]

I work in an optical so I may have some input for you. First the bifocal or progressive is going to make shooting harder because you have a lenses that is segmented for different ranges of vision. You can try to have a pair of single vision only glasses made and that may help a lot as you have the entire lens dedicated for distance and you will find that from any position your eyes won't trip on the bifocal/progressive. The other option is to get contacts. There are 2 ways to go about contacts you can get them for distance only and have a pair of readers made to wear over them for close up or you can get multifocal contacts which function very much like a bifocal without the inconvenience. If you get multifocal contacts tell the Doctor that you want to get your dominant eye fitted for distance so that it is easier/more natural to line up your sights. Personally I think latter is the best option but the decision is up to you based on what your priorities and needs are.

[Dragline45]

I have the same problem and need to push my glasses farther up the bridge of my nose to see out of them. I have also had problems with my glasses fogging up on me. Typically when I shoot I wear contact lenses and anti-fog shooting glasses.

[57K]

I have to wear the over the counter glasses for reading because my distance vision is still pretty much intact. I have issues with some autopistol sights that have very little space on either side of the front sight when viewed through the rear. Three dot systems where the dots are all the same size are also a bit of a problem. Since I don't need a prescription for corrective lenses and I can't shoot with reading glasses on, it's been something of a problem until recently. I bought an SR9 directly from Ruger and liked it so much I ordered and bought an SR45. These pistols, for me anyway, have some of the best sights I've ever seen on a combat pistol and are adjustable for elevation and drift adjustable for windage to boot. The front sight slants forward toward the top at a 45 degree angle and the dot on it is a large elipse. It's more than double the size of the dots on the rear. When viewed from the rear the elipse appears round because of the 45 degree slant and it is so much easier for me to focus on the front dot. I think these pistols are the best bargain in polymer framed striker fired pistols, anyway, so these excellent sights are just a bonus and I shoot both pistols as accurate as I have ever shot any autopistol going back to when I had 20/18 vision in my right eye and 20/15 in my left.

[SgtLumpy]

labhound: I purchased some inexpensive reading glasses from a drug store and that works well for focusing on the front sight but no matter what you do the target is always out of focus.

Exactly. There's only one thing in focus when you shoot, that's the front sight. A $5 pair of reading glasses from DrugCo will allow that to happen. They come in all shapes and sizes and magnifications. Just try them on till you find one that allows you to "read the fine print" in the store at the distance you'd expect your front sight to be.


Lump

[NESHOOTER]

I had a pair of these made for me works great takes a few time to get use to one lens for far vision and the other for your pistol sights . Heres the link
http://www.gunblast.com/LT_SafeVision.htm

[Lost Sheep]

A gunsmith I know had his optometrist make his bifocals upside down. He had his lenses made focused for the distance from his eye to his front sight at the top of the lens and lenses focused for distance viewing in the lower part.

This has been mentioned before, in various configurations. It seems to me to be a good solution and turned out to be no more expensive than a regular pair of bifocals. Of course, the optometrist was also a shooter.

Lost Sheep

[chaim]

I just practice with my bifocals and got used to it. I have a separate pair of glasses without the reading lens for when I ride my motorcycle (with transitions lenses for both night and day riding) and they are great. I thought about it for shooting, and for just plinking or target shooting that would be fine, but when practicing with the HD or CCW pistols it isn't as good a solution since any self-defense situation will most likely happen while wearing my bifocals.

If it really bothers you, get a cheap 2nd pair of glasses without the bifocal reading lens. Many mall/shopping center based chains have "buy one get one" sales, and there are some decent online places now that are cheap. I'm going that way for a pair of prescription sunglasses for driving.

[lee n. field]

I've worn progressive lenses so long, I don't even notice since tilting my head has become automatic.

That right there.

I don't notice cocking my head to the right angle to see clearly. And no problem shooting handgun.