Correction Advice for Old Man Eyes, Glasses or Contacts?

Get Off My Lawn

Get Off My Lawn

Artist formerly known as Pink Vapor
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I used to have great vision, got my first glasses 3 years ago and they’re trifocals.
Insurance covers more for contacts, I need shooting glasses, my company pays $100+ for Rx safety glasses. The eye doc was useless for a suggestion.
Im looking at Hy-Wyd safety glasses.
What’s worked best for you:
- Bifocal shooting glasses (the top being non-corrective) and contacts?
- Trifocals safety glasses?
- Some other set up?
Thanks!
 
August of 2016 I had my first eye exam and got contacts. It's a learning curve (steep in my case) getting them in and out but if I want to see I have to do it. The reason I wanted contacts was so I didn't have to replace my sunglasses (4 to 5 pair) or my shooting glasses (3 pair) So far, so good. I have monthly wear types and replace them on the first of every month.

Recently I decided I wanted a pair of glasses to wear when I wasn't wearing my contacts. They made them in tri-focal and they have been a disaster!! I can't seem to adjust to them no matter what I do, but I've only had them about a month.

As to your shooting glasses, give Wayne Morgan (Morgan Optical) a call 800-694-0175 and he can fix you up with whatever style you want, prescription or not. Wayne understands because he's a shooter as well as an ophthalmologist.

Any questions I can help with just holler....
 
Bailey Boat said:
August of 2016 I had my first eye exam and got contacts. It's a learning curve (steep in my case) getting them in and out but if I want to see I have to do it. The reason I wanted contacts was so I didn't have to replace my sunglasses (4 to 5 pair) or my shooting glasses (3 pair) So far, so good. I have monthly wear types and replace them on the first of every month.
Recently I decided I wanted a pair of glasses to wear when I wasn't wearing my contacts. They made them in tri-focal and they have been a disaster!! I can't seem to adjust to them no matter what I do, but I've only had them about a month.
As to your shooting glasses, give Wayne Morgan (Morgan Optical) a call 800-694-0175 and he can fix you up with whatever style you want, prescription or not. Wayne understands because he's a shooter as well as an ophthalmologist.
Any questions I can help with just holler....
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input Bailey, I need sunglasses as well. I tried the glasses without lines, it was like looking through a fish bowl and caused nausea. I almost caused a couple wrecks due to no peripheral vision.
The lines SUCK but I have a lot more situational awareness.
 
I've been wearing prescription safety glasses for about 20 years. I've tried bi-focals, tri-focals, and progressive lens.
The progressive lens have worked out the best for me. With bi-focals, or tri-focals, there is always a sharp change when
you move your head just a bit to go from distant vision to close vision. Many, many times neither is right. But with the
progressive lens I can always find a "sweet spot" in between that works. It takes a couple weeks to "learn", but after
that you do it without even thinking about it. Does that make sense?

As for the sunglasses thing, I highly recommend Transitions X-attractive.

https://www.transitions.com/en-us/products/transitions-xtractive/

I tried the other Transitions a few years back, and they were "OK" unless you were in a car with ultra-violet film on the windshield.
(which most cars have now) Then, you might as well have no tint in your glasses.

Transitions X-attractive solves that problem. Google it.

They work GREAT !!! Indoors, outdoors, in car, out of car. It doesn't matter.

I never wear sunglasses any more.

The combination of progressive lenses with Transitions X-attractive tint is about the best thing since sliced bread.

Check them out. Most eye care places can take care of it for you.

Duane
 
I also wear the progressives with Transition coating and have for some years now.
I started out with photo gray way back in the day.
 
I tried bifocal shooting glasses but couldn't make the transition back and forth quick enough, my wife bought me some shooting glasses where the entire lens is .5 magnification, enough magnification to bring the front sight into sharp focus, and still see the target. I love them
 
I've been wearing progressive lenses for 15 years now, I get safety glass and frames Z81 rated, single vison before that.
I like Photo Grey Extra, PGX, the eyeglass shop don't like me, they like to push plastic on me.
The newer progressives are even better with digital mapping of your eyes.
 
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Can’t help with the Hy-wyd options since no experience with them but ...

Shooting Sight LLC makes full lens magnification shooting glasses in .5, .75, and 1.0 diopter for $25. I use these when I’m shooting iron sights pistol and rifle - which diopter works best in which application is described on his page - it’s all about focal length. I recommend them if you suffer from the “getting older and just need readers sometimes” syndrome and having trouble focusing on front sights. https://shootingsight.com/product/safety-shooting-glasses/

I also took a pistol to an eye doc to show him exactly what problem I was trying to solve (bullseye shooting and rifle iron sights) and he was very helpful and said they could put the bi-focal part wherever I wanted and also on only one side. I never did it because I found the shooting sight glasses and they work for me.

If you need bi-focal magnification for focusing on front sights you probably don’t want classic bifocal placement. Rifle for example you’re looking through upper left corner to middle area of the lens. Pistol with bifocal you’d have your head cocked way back all the time to get on the sights through the lower part of the lens. You could test this by taping the non bifocal part of your glasses and then look at sights through them to see what you’d have to do to actually shoot through them.

There’s a guy named Dr. Wong I think who has written about eyes and shooting bullseye - should be able to find him via google but if not Let me know and I can probably track it dow tomorrow. Also, there’s a bullseye shooting eye doc in VA who does glasses for shooters and even sends a lens test kit so you can tell him what you need and send the test kit back. I may also have that info if you don’t get any love from the google.

Here a link to discussion with the VA eye doc - Dr Toler : http://www.bullseyeforum.net/t4729-any-recommendations-for-an-optometrist

And put this in google for Dr Wong articles - dr wong bullseye shoot
 
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The progressive lens glasses I wore for a month SUCKED, mostly because there was a thin line in the middle that was in focus. When reading a laptop screen, only 2" was in focus. I looked like I was watching a tennis game just reading an email.
Duane said:
As for the sunglasses thing, I highly recommend Transitions X-attractive.
https://www.transitions.com/en-us/products/transitions-xtractive/
Duane
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Thanks, this looks interesting! I thought about transitions, I didn't like the clearest they got indoors and at night was still grey.
This new tech being brown, not grey, quick transition and working in a car looks great!
BTW Duane, WTH did you do to that cat?
 
It's a personal thing, honestly.

When you get up into the bifocal and trifocal range, your options shift a bit. When you get older, you develop "presbyopia", which is a loss of elasticity in the lens of the eye. You'll start to notice its effects at around the age of 40.

What it means is you'll gradually lose the ability to focus on objects close up. If you're near sighted like me, you'd think that wouldn't be much of a problem. And it isn't...unless you're wearing glasses or contacts to correct your vision...then you can see in the distance, but your eyes can't focus up close.

So now you've entered the age of bifocals and trifocals...glasses which have different regions cut to different prescriptions so you can see up close from one angle (typically through the lower portion of the lenses, like for reading) and at a distance (typically through the upper portion of the lenses). (You can have these reversed, too...for example, if you work construction/carpentry and you look up a lot, you can have your glasses made so that you can see close up through the upper portion of the lenses.)

How does this affect your options for eye surgery or contacts?

Interestingly, these two options dovetail a bit.

You can have your eyes surgically corrected and have perfect distance vision for the rest of your life. However, you'll need reading glasses for up close.

You can also have your eyes surgically corrected to have both far and near vision correction...but the way they do this is to correct one eye for distance and the other for close up. Not everybody can handle this.

So, to see if you can handle this, the eye doc will typically prescribe contacts (or glasses) which correct your vision in each eye to the way they would be for this type of surgery and see if you can adapt. If you can, then this surgical option is for you. If not...then surgery will mean you'll have to have reading glasses.


Me? I stick with bifocals. I can't handle both my eyes at a different prescription because I'll get massive headaches. If I opt for eye surgery...then I'll still have to wear reading glasses and I figure "what's the difference, I might as well just wear bifocals!"
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
It's a personal thing, honestly.
When you get up into the bifocal and trifocal range, your options shift a bit. When you get older, you develop "presbyopia", which is a loss of elasticity in the lens of the eye. You'll start to notice its effects at around the age of 40.
What it means is you'll gradually lose the ability to focus on objects close up. If you're near sighted like me, you'd think that wouldn't be much of a problem. And it isn't...unless you're wearing glasses or contacts to correct your vision...then you can see in the distance, but your eye can't focus up close.
So now you've entered the age of bifocals and trifocals...glasses which have different regions cut to different prescriptions so you can see up close from one angle (typically through the lower portion of the lenses, like for reading) and at a distance (typically through the upper portion of the lenses). (You can have these reversed, too...for example, if you work construction/carpentry and you look up a lot, you can have your glasses made so that you can see close up through the upper portion of the lenses.)
How does this affect your options for eye surgery or contacts?
Interestingly, these two options dovetail a bit.
You can have your eye surgically corrected and have perfect distance vision for the rest of your life. However, you'll need reading glasses for up close.
You can also have your eyes surgically corrected to have both far and near vision correction...but the way they do this is to correct one eye for distance and the other for close up. Not everybody can handle this.
So, to see if you can handle this, the eye doc will typically prescribe contacts (or glasses) which correct your vision in each eye to the way they would be for this type of surgery and see if you can adapt. If you can, then this surgical option is for you. If not...then surgery will mean you'll have to have reading glasses.
Me? I stick with bifocals. I can't handle both my eyes at a different prescription because I'll get massive headaches. If I opt for eye surgery...then I'll still have to wear reading glasses and I figure "what's the difference, I might as well just wear bifocals!"
Click to expand...
I'm 52 and appreciate the input. Thanks
 
Pink_Vapor said:
What’s worked best for you:
- Bifocal shooting glasses (the top being non-corrective) and contacts?
- Trifocals safety glasses?
- Some other set up?
Click to expand...
I'm nearsighted
Shooting rifle or using a scope:
1) NO Prescription glasses or contacts. Adjust the reticle to the eye you use. Now concerning glasses for safety, good quality shooting safety glasses, because you will notice imperfections in the safety plastic lens/cover. The clearer the the lens the better.

2) Single lens only , No Bi or Tri lenses, and adjust the reticle to your shooting eye.

3) Iron Sights, Pistol, I use Single Lens only and while I have other Multi-Lens prescription glasses, I don't use them in shooting. It is a challenge at times but I find I can still hit POA, if needed.
 
I'm not sure which would be better for you when you're shooting but I switch back and forth between glasses and contacts.
I'm nearsighted and only wear a contact lens in one eye. It's weird but it works for me.
I have the scope focused to the contact and have to change it when I'm wearing glasses.
 
Pink_Vapor said:
The progressive lens glasses I wore for a month SUCKED, mostly because there was a thin line in the middle that was in focus. When reading a laptop screen, only 2" was in focus. I looked like I was watching a tennis game just reading an email.

Thanks, this looks interesting! I thought about transitions, I didn't like the clearest they got indoors and at night was still grey.
This new tech being brown, not grey, quick transition and working in a car looks great!
BTW Duane, WTH did you do to that cat?
Click to expand...

What did "I" do to the cat? :)

503


Wusn't me. The cat volunteered for the duty. :p

That's how them mid-eastern cats think...
 
I’ve been struggling with similar issues. I’m far-sighted, and have lost accommodation in both eyes. I have 20/20 distance vision, but can’t read without glasses, or focus on the pistol front sight. I’ve tried progressive lenses. While they work fine for computer/office work, they have a limited field of view. I’m looking for glasses I can wear every day, especially when I’m armed and may need to focus on the pistol front sight at any time.
After talking to my optometrist last week, I settled on bifocals, but with the line higher - at the trifocal position - instead of at the lower bifocal position. Then I will only have to tilt my head back a tad to see the front sight. That’s the plan, anyway. The new glasses are coming in on Fri.
I had the optometrist set the bifocal focus distance to 24” which is where my pistol front sight is located when I’m standing. I will have to read my phone at arms length, but that’s not a problem. In the rare cases that I need to do close-in detail work, I’ll wear readers or a magnifier headset.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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I'm nearsighted and struggle with my current bifocals- shooting rifle sometimes I tend to look over/around my glasses using uncorrected vision to aim. ( iron sights) For optics for sure no glasses. Handgun lately I think I need a different diopter for the front sight. Something I clearly haven't perfected as some days I'm cross dominant and others not- I'm just a mess visually and haven't settled on a one size fits all solution. And now I look at my choice of avatar and have to say at the time it had nothing to do with vision- and yet...nevermind :)
 
S4f said:
I tried bifocal shooting glasses but couldn't make the transition back and forth quick enough, my wife bought me some shooting glasses where the entire lens is .5 magnification, enough magnification to bring the front sight into sharp focus, and still see the target. I love them
Click to expand...
Where'd she find those? Sounds interesting to me.
 
Longrange said:
I’ve been struggling with similar issues. I’m far-sighted, and have lost accommodation in both eyes. I have 20/20 distance vision, but can’t read without glasses, or focus on the pistol front sight. I’ve tried progressive lenses. While they work fine for computer/office work, they have a limited field of view. I’m looking for glasses I can wear every day, especially when I’m armed and may need to focus on the pistol front sight at any time.
After talking to my optometrist last week, I settled on bifocals, but with the line higher - at the trifocal position - instead of at the lower bifocal position. Then I will only have to tilt my head back a tad to see the front sight. That’s the plan, anyway. The new glasses are coming in on Fri.
I had the optometrist set the bifocal focus distance to 24” which is where my pistol front sight is located when I’m standing. I will have to read my phone at arms length, but that’s not a problem. In the rare cases that I need to do close-in detail work, I’ll wear readers or a magnifier headset.
Click to expand...
Please post feedback after you've used them a couple weeks!
Thanks
 
Jeppo said:
Where'd she find those? Sounds interesting to me.
Click to expand...
I think pack 72 has already answered this, but I'll confirm that she.got them off Amazon,
 
Thanks to you both. I'll give 'em a try. :)
 
Distance vision only (for me) for shooting glasses. I buy cheap Zenni's as my prescription changes a little each year. Decott HiWyd is the bomb but I can't afford/justify them even though I shoot every other day. They are mostly for shotgun shooting sports.
 
I feel your pain on this one. I used to have 20/10 till about 30. Then through the 30s it fell off to about 20/20. In my 40s. presbyopia struck. Started having to wear 1.25 readers. Now in my late 50s, I'm 20/30 in one eye and 20/35 in the other with astigmatism. Red dot sights look like a red smudge. Couple that with the minor issue that the competition I shoot in does not allow optics (North South Skirmish). I've tried the special glasses option with my optometrist but the available lens options don't do much for iron sight shooting on long guns. (No correction in the part of the lens I have to look through).

So what I've stumbled on for my purposes, 1.00 readers work wonders seeing the sights, especially the front post, much much better. I'm also working with a diopter like a Merritt in addition to the 1.00 readers. So far, just the readers have helped quite a bit. I'm thinking the Merritt will get me a bit more clear. No prescription lens I've seen will help with shooting irons on a long gun.
 
Jeppo said:
Where'd she find those? Sounds interesting to me.
Click to expand...

From my post above ....

Shooting Sight LLC makes full lens magnification shooting glasses in .5, .75, and 1.0 diopter for $25. I use these when I’m shooting iron sights pistol and rifle - which diopter works best in which application is described on his page - it’s all about focal length. I recommend them if you suffer from the “getting older and just need readers sometimes” syndrome and having trouble focusing on front sights.https://shootingsight.com/product/safety-shooting-glasses/

Happy to show them to anyone around the raleigh area.
 
I'll have to check those out. So far I've been using Dollar store readers and they've helped. Was also going to look at a Merritt.
 
Dave951 said:
I'll have to check those out. So far I've been using Dollar store readers and they've helped. Was also going to look at a Merritt.
Click to expand...

I've never used the merit aperture (assuming that's what you're talking about) but when I was finding my way I was going to check them out also. I met a guy who uses it and he likes it and that it works well for him when shooting bullseye with iron sights. The theory about how they work is a good one and they are popular in the bullseye world. It's also the same theory used with aperture sights and camera lenses (aperture f stops). You can test the theory of them by poking a hole in a piece of electrical tape, put your glasses on, and then stick the tape on your classes so it's in front of your eye and then check your sight picture.

Good luck. If you do get/try them report back and let us know how it works for you.
 
mike59 said:
From my post above ....

Shooting Sight LLC makes full lens magnification shooting glasses in .5, .75, and 1.0 diopter for $25. I use these when I’m shooting iron sights pistol and rifle - which diopter works best in which application is described on his page - it’s all about focal length. I recommend them if you suffer from the “getting older and just need readers sometimes” syndrome and having trouble focusing on front sights.https://shootingsight.com/product/safety-shooting-glasses/

Happy to show them to anyone around the raleigh area.
Click to expand...

Man, I looked high and low for something like these. I believe I bought the exact same thing on Amazon for under 10$. They look identical.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013XSD156/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Edit: These are the .5 but they have other mags if you scroll down.
 
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@NKD - nice find. I also looked all over when I first bought mine and couldn’t find anything until I found Shooting Sights. I was even about to buy some stick ons to figure out what diopter was right before paying for prescription glasses.

The shooting sight glasses are total diopter lens I think - meaning I can’t see any “magnifier” insert/area but it certainly looks to cover the entire area of sight needed in the ones you found so I can’t see why that would matter.

Can’t beat $10 - nice and thanks for the link!
 
A little off topic....has anyone blue taped their red dot and shot a course? I was shocked too but that it was what one instructor did in a class I took....lol....and it worked! Im still better with a magnified optic and have been fighting "vision correction" for about a decade.

Rooster
 
cjcullom said:
A little off topic....has anyone blue taped their red dot and shot a course? I was shocked too but that it was what one instructor did in a class I took....lol....and it worked! Im still better with a magnified optic and have been fighting "vision correction" for about a decade.

Rooster
Click to expand...

I left the scope cap on the front of mine when I was trying to learn better both eyes open shooting. It helped!
 
Pack72 said:
Glad to help. I hope they work for you.
Click to expand...
Neither pair did anything for me. :(

I left them on the table when I packed my range bag. :mad:
 
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Jeppo said:
Neither pair did anything for me. :(

I left them on the table when I packed my range bag. :mad:
Click to expand...

Doesn’t seem right to “like” this - would feel like I was liking your misfortune - but damn I laughed hard when I read this!!! :D
 
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