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Rifle Scopes Glasses vs. contacts

lennyo3034

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 18, 2010
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So after using contacts exclusively for the last ten years, today I bought a pair of glasses. I figure it would be prudent to have a pair for backup.

My question is: in regards to shooting, which is better? I'd imagine it would be different for irons vs a scope, and I shoot both. I plan on trying out myself regardless, but any inputs are welcome.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

I prefer shooting with contacts mainly because I hate it when my glasses slide down my nose while I'm shooting, sometimes it's distracting. Eye pro is also a heck of a lot cheaper without having to buy prescription sets too. That being said I usually take a pair of eye glasses with me to the range as a back up incase I get something in my eye or lose a contact.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Trigger Monkey</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I prefer shooting with contacts mainly because I hate it when my glasses slide down my nose while I'm shooting, sometimes it's distracting. Eye pro is also a heck of a lot cheaper without having to buy prescription sets too. That being said I usually take a pair of eye glasses with me to the range as a back up incase I get something in my eye or lose a contact.</div></div>


this
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

Contacts were always easier for me to use when shooting.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

Contacts much better than glasses, but as mentioned above I always care a set of old glasses in my bag in case the need arises. Besides prescription eye protection is very expensive and I find my shooting glasses tend to get easily scratched.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

As an eye doctor, I would recommend contacts with safety glasses. The contacts give you better vision in any angle of view. The glasses have some distortion if you look anywhere but dead center. When shooting rifles, you rarely look dead center.

Just my 2 cents...

Stewart
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

Although not an eye doc myself, the doc above echos my expereince. Glasses plain suck for shooting. They fog up...the optic center of the lens is in the wrong location for looking down a rifle...they get dirty...rain is a bitch...
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably shoot with the glasses to try them out anyways, but your points make a lot of sense and I will most likely stick with contacts.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

Lasers. Ditch the glasses and contacts. Best decision you will ever make.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

I guess I'll be the dissenting opinion. After 30 years of wearing glasses I tried contacts for about a year. Total PIA. Went back to glasses. Yes it is a hassle keeping them in line but its better than messing with contacts. As for laser, at my age I'll need glasses either way, regular or reading. Right now I don't need glasses for reading and close up. But with laser I would.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

I have to agree with pinzman, my eyes rejected all of the contacts that I tried and laser has been a non-op. I currently am using Rudy Project sun/safety/shooting glasses with a prescription insert. For me, it has worked well through all of my shooting sports, hunting and work. I am considering a set of Docotts(sp), but the Rudy's are doing the job for me along with being ANSI Certified.

One thing that does help is having an optometrist who shoots and understands the head positions and focus points that we use.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

Glasses are problematic, since you will get signification distortion when looking through the lens off-axis. When shooting rifles from "practical" positions, I'm almost always looking through my glasses off-axis; if I go too far, then reticles start becoming bent in funny directions. It's also a PITA to keep glasses in the right position.

Contacts are problematic since they offer less flexibility with correcting astigmatism (using the weighted/"ballasted" lenses becomes an issue when head position changes from vertical), and my experience with contacts in dry/dusty/pollinated conditions was less than satisfactory.

Laser is fine for shooting, but for real life, it leaves much to be desired when dealing with presbyopia (aged-related farsightedness) for those of us who are presently near-sighted. I imagine one approach for long-range shooters would be to provide "full" correction to the dominant eye and leave the other eye slightly near-sighted.

I presently utilize glasses as the least-worst solution for my life.

As a side note, the type of optic that you are using may factor into the appropriate amount of correction. With scopes, the reticle is on the same focal plane as the target (assuming proper adjustment), so your eye does not need to focus on any near objects. If shooting irons, you need to focus on a nearby object (the front sight) more so than the target, and that may call for a different prescription.

I've personally found that worrying about minor difference in scope glass is silly if I can't get my eyeballs to work properly with my corrective lenses, so spend a bit less time and money worrying about the rifle's optics and put that instead into getting the ol' eyeballs sorted out.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

I'm pretty sure I already know the answer but I have to ask. What about letting the scope do the correcting of the vision and wearing regular shooting glasses? I know that it would not work with irons but it is worth considering depending on the type of shooting being done. I don't know enough about vision problems and would appreciate some education in the form of explaining if and when this would be a feasible solution.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RidgeAve. Rifleman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm pretty sure I already know the answer but I have to ask. What about letting the scope do the correcting of the vision and wearing regular shooting glasses? I know that it would not work with irons but it is worth considering depending on the type of shooting being done. I don't know enough about vision problems and would appreciate some education in the form of explaining if and when this would be a feasible solution.</div></div>

I used to do this, but it makes it harder to visually find targets, not to mention it's just plain inconvenient. I suppose you could pull off your glasses every time you look through a scope, but I just try my best to keep my head position the same every time.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

Contacts. Tried my glasses once because I could, and it was nasty.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ddavis</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lasers. Ditch the glasses and contacts. Best decision you will ever make. </div></div>

I'm planning to do this exact thing. Tired of dealing with foggy glasses and I can't wear contacts. Not sure if anyone who wears glasses or contacts has tried this or not, but last hunting season I pulled my glasses off just to see what it was like without them and I couldn't see squat out past 25 yards or so. Everything blended together. Not a good situation to be in if your glasses break or contacts get messed up.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

If you have a good pair of glasses, I find them more comfortable and consistent for me than contacts. After a long day, my eyes fatigue more and get blurry with contacts, but with glasses, I have no problem. Just my experience though.
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

Since getting new eyeglasses I've all but quit shooting my national match rifle in NRA events because I can't use the iron sights anymore. The target disappears while trying to develop my sight picture and strange distortions occur while trying to do so. Here I believe I would be better with contacts.

...but my glasses have literally saved my eyes at work...
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

I have better view in glasses than in contacts.
So I am using contacts in occasions where glasses is annoying like hunting when it's raining or when I am moving a lot so I get sweaty.
But if I am hunting from a stand I always use glasses as the difference is so big.

Håkan
 
Re: Glasses vs. contacts

My near vision is perfect, but far vision is crappy (20/200). My solution was contacts, but since starting shooting 4-5 months ago have found the best solution is NO contact in right eye (dominate) and contact in left. Scope works great with safety glasses and my son can shoot rifle also, since he still has good near vision. This combination does not work well with iron sights or pistols without scopes, since you cannot focus on sight and target at the same time. Have not come up with a solution for that yet except for laser sighting as mentioned above.