Handgun shooting – Readers / Bi-focal glasses

When looking at handguns to purchase, I noticed that I was having some issues being able to see the sights clear. I decided on a gun with a basic 3 dot white sight as its what I seemed to see the best. After finally getting my carry permit ( just a few days shy of the 30 day mark ) I was finally able to complete the purchase on my new gun. After shooting a few rounds thru it I noticed that I was still having some issues being able to see the sights well. When I got home I put on a pair of low power readers I sometimes need to use to read or tie knots. WOW what a difference. Much clearer sights. Jumped on the web to search for a pair of shooting glasses with readers built in. After some research I ran across a company that makes shooting glasses with the reader built into the top of the lense rather than in the bottom. This is supposed to prevent you from needing to tip you head back to see thru the reader portion of the lense ( makes sense to me ) You can order them with the readers only built into you dominate eye lense. They come with 3 different colored lenses. They had a video that showed how by using the dark lense in the non dominate eye and the reader in the dominate eye it will help train your eyes to be able to shoot with both eyes open. I’m going to go to wallgreens tonight after work to figure out what power I need. I guess its often different than what you normally use for reading

I curious of what other hear who need readers do when shooting. I’m interested to see if there are any better options prior to purchasing a pair.

Two words… Crimson Trace.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Two words… Crimson Trace.

When I posted a post on Lazer sights or not – You were one of the only people who replied in favor of them. I think I’m going to try the reader glasses as a first option. If that doesn’t work the Crimson trace may be the next option. Its not like I’m not shooting decent enough as is now for personal defense, Its just that I’d like to be more accurate when target shooting. I’m already looking at a .22 for my next handgun purchase and I’ve noticed that the sights on them seem to be even smaller and finer than what I’m using now. My poor old eyes would really struggle to make those fine dots out for sure.

I wouldn’t put a laser on a .22 or any “target” gun for sure.

The trouble with lasers is that a person has to use them to understand their value, much like the float tech inflatable PFD’s.

The average floor sales person doesn’t have a clue and training is ongoing for the sales staff. Yah, I’m bias. But there’s nothing in it for me if anyone does or doesn’t buy one.

Question – if readers help you see the sights what do they do to the target?

Here’s where I’m going. Even with young perfect eyes you can’t focus on both at the same time. If readers solve one problem do they make target focus so much worse that it’s not worth it?

patk wrote:

Question – if readers help you see the sights what do they do to the target?

Here’s where I’m going. Even with young perfect eyes you can’t focus on both at the same time. If readers solve one problem do they make target focus so much worse that it’s not worth it?

I thought about that as well. But it should be no different than what I see like now wesring readers. With readers on my eyes now I can see a object in the distance OK. Is the object as clear and crisp as without the readers – NO – But I think I should still see it good enough to shoot better. I guess I’ll have to try it to know for sure. I’m hoping that I can train myself to shoot with both eyes open at some point. That would be the best. Use the reader in the right eye to focus on the sights and use the non reader eye to focus on the target

I have the same issue on my carry I use the Crimson Trace built into the handle for my other handguns I use a Red Dot sight. Only way it works for me as I cannot focus well on the sights.

If your looking to improve your target shooting, take a pair of flip up sunglasses, remove your non-dominant lense, then using a pattern with a small hole in it to determine your best iris focus point. Then drill a hole in the sunglass lense using the pattern. This will give you both gunsight and target accqusistion. It’s like using a peek sight.

I don’t use reading glasses, but my eyesight is terrible w/o my regular glasses. I’ve found that I cannot use any sight setup that has any color on the rear sight. Has to be blacked out. serrated is even better. Just ordered a set of Truglo Hackthorns for my new G43. Have a similar front sight on a larger frame gun, hoping for similar results because I like the green dot with orange outline.

My father in law is in the process of having his G22 slide milled to accept a miniature red dot. After a demo shoot where we tried out 4 different MRDs on glocks and Sigs, he settled on the Leupold DP-PRO MRD. At the demo he was shooting pretty good w/o his reading glasses on for what it’s worth.

Buzz wrote:

If your looking to improve your target shooting, take a pair of flip up sunglasses, remove your non-dominant lense, then using a pattern with a small hole in it to determine your best iris focus point. Then drill a hole in the sunglass lense using the pattern. This will give you both gunsight and target accqusistion. It’s like using a peek sight.

That’s a interesting concept. I’m looking forward to Trying the idea of using the dark lense on the non dominant eye and the reader lense on the dominant eye. Hopefully I can learn to shoot and focus using both eyes open. That would be the ideal outcome

Take a piece of black tape, make a small hole in it, then you can keep repositioning it until you find the sweet spot.

fishthumper wrote:

Buzz wrote:
If your looking to improve your target shooting, take a pair of flip up sunglasses, remove your non-dominant lense, then using a pattern with a small hole in it to determine your best iris focus point. Then drill a hole in the sunglass lense using the pattern. This will give you both gunsight and target accqusistion. It’s like using a peek sight.

There’s a key word here that doesn’t translate. This might work great for “Target” shooting. If I’ve been following the last month’s of posts correctly, Fishthumper is about CCW. Different application and techniques where you don’t get to choose the time, place, etc.

What glasses will you have on a random Tuesday? Train with that or change what you wear each and every day.

Interesting ideas from tornadochaser, be curious on those.

PatK

I know as far as the Carry part of it I’m limited to what is on or in my eyes at the time something happens. Up till now all the range shooting I’ve done has been limited to just my normal contacts that I wear all the time. My accuracy for the most part had been rather decent. I say at least decent enough if needed in a real life situation. I would like to try and do something that would help me see my sights slightly better when shooting targets. I think having the shooting glasses with the readers built into the upper part of the lense should help with seeing the sights better. I would really like to train my eyes to learn to shoot with both eyes open. That way I can see both the sights and the target much better at the same time. I’m wearing a pair of reader with a 1.50 power as I type this. With them on I can still see object rather well all the way across the parking lot. They are not as clear as without the readers on but its not a real big difference.

What will help with shooting with both eyes open, if you have a scope around practice using it with both eyes open and acquisitioning targets. This will train your eye`s to go back and forth from looking thru the scope and picking up targets with the other eye or both.

Check out Tactical Rx at Tacticalrx.com
They did a pair of shooting glasses with my progressive bifocals prescription in them for when I am on the ground shooting prone with the rifle.

They specialize in shooting glasses for pistol shooters.

I have not came across anyone else that works with shooters and correction eyeware like these folks.

JH

Learn to shoot with out sighting point and shoot, find some soft ground throw out a can and go at it, From shoulder height to off the hip. It`s fun to run thru a few hundred rounds chasing a can and learning at the same time.

I was always told to focus on the target and not the sights. If you are focusing on the sights then the target is not clear and that could end badly.

I thought I would give a quick update and review on my new top focal shooting glasses by SSP eyewear. After several chances to try them out – Overall I will say I’m happy with them. Like a few of the other reviews that I read on them, I wish the reader part of the lense would extend down just a little in the lense. Having the reader as high in the lense as it is does force you to really lower your head to use the reader to focus on the sights. This is probably a good thing and gives you better overall shooting form. Like a few comments here had said, The reader lense does make the target a little less clear. This was far more noticeable the more the distance to the target. Overall I think it is a good trade off. I’m looking forward to doing some shooting with the dark lense in the non dominate eye. Hopefully by doing this I can over time train myself to shoot with both eyes open. This would be the best outcome. dominate eye with the reader for the sights and the non dominate eye for the distance vision on the target.

“I was always told to focus on the target and not the sights. If you are focusing on the sights then the target is not clear and that could end badly.”

Always focus on the front sight.

If this is a “carry gun” find a solution that works the best in a “carry situation” and learn to shoot it that way.

A lot of good suggestions for shooting a target gun at the range, but taking the time to put on special glasses, etc. is not an option for self defense…

I mostly wanted the Glasses for improving my Target shooting. I know in a carry situation the glasses are not a option. There is a world of difference between being accurate enough in a life situation and being accurate at a Target. I want to be good enough at both.

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. This Summer I had cataract surgery and can’t wait to see how that effects my vision at the Range. Thanks again.

fishthumper wrote:

I mostly wanted the Glasses for improving my Target shooting. I know in a carry situation the glasses are not a option. There is a world of difference between being accurate enough in a life situation and being accurate at a Target. I want to be good enough at both.

A Merit iris that attaches to your shooting glasses is a long-time staple of bullseye shooters. Hard to find now because production has ceased.