Ok, so my eyes have gotten old enough for me to start wearing glasses to get 20/20 vision and here’s the dilemma. Do I setup the scope for glasses or not. I find it very difficult to shoot with glasses because I bury my cheek in the stock and that forces the glasses to ride up and now I’m not looking through the center of the lens making my vision worse. The only good thing about using glasses is it allows me to see the turret without lifting my head but since I don’t shoot comps anymore I don’t have the need to make rapid changes to the turret. It’s hell to get old but the alternative isn’t good either. Any advice?
Rifle Scopes To use or not to use glasses while shooting with optics
- Thread starter GrantB
- Start date
Of course adjust the diopter with your vision correction on. Do you want to be blind to everything around you except for the narrow FOV of your scope?
"Ranger Rick Safety Official" say that you need eye-pro on anyhow (I joke but it's not a bad idea), so you're left with adjusting the stock (if possible) or finding glasses that behave correctly.
A taller optic base/mount might be in order if you have to squeeze in there that tight.
"Ranger Rick Safety Official" say that you need eye-pro on anyhow (I joke but it's not a bad idea), so you're left with adjusting the stock (if possible) or finding glasses that behave correctly.
A taller optic base/mount might be in order if you have to squeeze in there that tight.
I adjust the ocular lens for the corrected diopter and wear plain shooting glasses with the "peel n' stick" bifocal up in the top right of the glasses. I can pull back from the ocular and see the turrets as necessary.
My eyes started really going bad in 2003 so I finally got glasses (swore I'd never wear contacts) because I started dropping birds in Trap league. I started using prescription sunglasses during the day and prescription glasses at night, but they weren't shooting appropriate. A few years ago I realized that that I needed a safer solution so I finally got contact lenses and wear them under Z87.1 shooting glasses with interchangeable lenses (Oakley Shocktube). As others have said, get contacts and find a good pair of non-prescription impact resistant shooting glasses.
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Glad this thread was started and glad this solution was recommended. Thanks.
This subject comes up once or twice every year. I think that I’ve seen all of the most creative solutions possible and so many of them involve special actions and often a good amount of money. Usually, it also involves some specialty eyewear too.
It’s actually not that complicated guys.
I’ve been wearing glasses since I was eight. I shoot with the same eyewear as I wear every day. It’s very convenient to be able to pick up a rifle or pistol at any time and be ready to engage as needed without having to remember my “special shooting glasses/contacts/stick-on-lenses/etc.”
It just doesn’t have to be that complicated.
It’s actually not that complicated guys.
I’ve been wearing glasses since I was eight. I shoot with the same eyewear as I wear every day. It’s very convenient to be able to pick up a rifle or pistol at any time and be ready to engage as needed without having to remember my “special shooting glasses/contacts/stick-on-lenses/etc.”
It just doesn’t have to be that complicated.
Same here. I shake my head at all the rube goldberg shit that people new to wearing glasses come up with when this topic is discussed......
Well, some of us had perfect vision until we got old and shit. Still trying to get used to being four-eyed. Things were going great before I had to decide which red dot to focus on because the way glasses sit on my face causes me to see double when engaging targets if my head position isn't quite right. It's a learning curve for some of us, and like most new things will only improve with time and training to get up to speed. Kinda sucks that I now find myself with astigmatism, and with my near sight diminishing, anything within a close distance to my eyes becomes very blurry. I now wear prescription no-line bifocals and when I'm behind the glass I can't see anything up close (scope adjustments) unless I cock my head back uncomfortably far enough to make out things since only the bottom half of my glasses allows me to see shit up close. While some of this might seem trivial to guys who have been four-eyed since youth, for some of us it poses a real challenge.
I'm new to glasses. I just got new rings to sit my scopes higher, from .83" to 1.5" so I can see more through the center of my lenses. It's also helping me achieve a more direct behind the rifle position.
The real PITA is my spotting binos are 16mm relief, so they contact my lenses, so I'm favoring my mk4 spotter instead with more eye relief.
#1stworldproblems
The real PITA is my spotting binos are 16mm relief, so they contact my lenses, so I'm favoring my mk4 spotter instead with more eye relief.
#1stworldproblems
There are risks and disadvantages to using standard prescription glasses:
First, standard prescription glasses are typically not going to provide Z87.1 levels of protection. They certainly are not typically going to provide sufficient wrap around protection. The greatest risk in wearing standard prescription glasses is side impacts and to a lesser extent shattering lenses. Side eye impacts from stray brass and lead shot do happen. I have personally witnessed two individuals wearing off-the-shelf sunglasses having side eye impacts from stray lead shot during Trap shooting. Thankfully neither instance resulted in severe injury. Regarding shattering lenses, polycarbonate lenses are shatterproof, but common less expensive CR-39 lenses are not. Be sure to know which you have if you use your standard prescription glasses for shooting since there is a real risk here with eye damage.
A significant advantage to dedicated shooting glasses is the ability to quickly change lens tint to adjust to current lighting and weather conditions. Different tints increase visibility under given circumstances and offer a competitive advantage by helping you to better visualize the target.
If you are not concerned about the risks and/or are not interested in taking advantage of the benefits, then you are correct that it is simple. Personally, I have come to the conclusion that I need a more robust solution.
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This is a good answer. I usually recommend to new glasses shooters to get their optic up a bit to allow a more straight on focal approach. It’s less stressful on your eyes, your neck and is a more natural position than that adopted by many. Contrary to what many believe, your optic does not have to be within 0.030” of contacting your barrel in order to shoot well. Quite the contrary in my experience.
I’m not talking about clay pigeons and trap shooting. I’m talking about long range rifle shooting, as I assume the OP also was doing considering his reference to rifle scopes. I figured that we were talking about long range rifle shooting since were posting on snipers hide in the snipers hide rifle scopes section.
Competitive trap shooting is another subject altogether.
This isn't just about Clay's shooting. If that is how you read my reply then you aren't reading closely enough. Notice I said "brass" too. Brass can shatter CR-39 lenses and impact from the side. And tint advantages apply for all types of shooting.
Mmmmm.....okaaayyyyy.
been wearing glasses for about 10 yrs solid now, can't read anything close , but have no problem seeing thru my scope. I wear my glasses anyway so when i'm done shooting i can see,, without looking to see where i laid my glasses.
I also shoot with glasses. I wear progressive lenses and one thing that I had an issue with, was I use to wear small sized lenses and when I did get behind the gun/scope, I would have to move my head a small amount to get the reticle/eye relief, just right. When I had my eyes checked this last time, I had my new glasses changed to a larger lens, so my no-line, progressive prescription, has more area between the three different powers (distance/mid-range/close-up). It sucks getting old, but this seemed to work for me, since using contacts, was out of the question, for me, anyways. Good luck. Mac
ETA: Forget to say, I also adjust my diopter with my glasses on, since I always shoot with them.
ETA: Forget to say, I also adjust my diopter with my glasses on, since I always shoot with them.
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I’ve had to pick small bits of carbon out of my forehead from neighboring shooters’ muzzle brakes. Safety glasses are a must, because you only get the one set of eyes (at least for the next couple decades).
Depending on how much eyepiece diopter adjustment your scope has, you may be able to get away with using distance vision for both eyes. Barring that, you can set up close vision with your shooting eye and diatant vision with your off eye. (For trap, I’d suggest the other way around.)
Depending on how much eyepiece diopter adjustment your scope has, you may be able to get away with using distance vision for both eyes. Barring that, you can set up close vision with your shooting eye and diatant vision with your off eye. (For trap, I’d suggest the other way around.)
Many people forget that gasses from even a bolt gun can and will vent backwards even if the action does not have a catastrophic failure.
if I was not wearing glasses at the time of my case failure, I would probably be blind today. Blood was passing out from hundreds ofholes except wear my glasses blocked the gases and unburnt powder.
Every little dot was a bleeding hole earlier in the day. There was a surprising amount of blood dripping off my face at the time.. oh ya, and it felt like I got kicked in the face
if I was not wearing glasses at the time of my case failure, I would probably be blind today. Blood was passing out from hundreds ofholes except wear my glasses blocked the gases and unburnt powder.
Every little dot was a bleeding hole earlier in the day. There was a surprising amount of blood dripping off my face at the time.. oh ya, and it felt like I got kicked in the face
Get a light pair with smaller frameless lenses that sit high on your face and tight to your eye brow. I am in the same boat as you. I got contacts 4-5 years ago, but started wearing glasses a bit more just recently. My first pair didn’t work at all without tilting my head way back. The new ones work great and I don’t modify my position much if any.
Damn, that is impressive.
Thanks. Will try that.
As someone mentioned above, I have no problem seeing through the glass once the diopter is properly set. It's coming off the glass to look at a DOPE card, the power ring, turret adjustments and even the scope level that reaffirms that my eyesight has gone to shit.
I just had an eye appointment. Mentioned bifocals on top. A look of interest came from doc. My grandfather had his glasses set up like this because if he was reading labels for items like switch gear and gauges it made it simple.
That said I officially need 0.25 readers. Or as the doc said. Don’t worry about it. However for long range I cannot see shit with my dominant eye which makes shotgunning more difficult. I shoot pistol now without prescription glasses.
Also found out the last doctor put astigmatism correction in when I didn’t need it. Thus I’ve always gone back to my old pair. So I at least have a good eye doctor now. Young but actually a degree in engineering.
That said I officially need 0.25 readers. Or as the doc said. Don’t worry about it. However for long range I cannot see shit with my dominant eye which makes shotgunning more difficult. I shoot pistol now without prescription glasses.
Also found out the last doctor put astigmatism correction in when I didn’t need it. Thus I’ve always gone back to my old pair. So I at least have a good eye doctor now. Young but actually a degree in engineering.
it does work as my glasses are progressive but are small frameless that sit tight to my face
You can certainly have your prescription glasses made out of ANSI Z71 compliant material. That's nothing new.
I have between -4.5 and -5.0 diopters of distance correction, progressive bifocals, and have mild astigmatism. Have been so since early high school (and I'm 53).
Using ONE pair of glasses I can shoot well enough to reach A class in sporting clays, Master in NRA Highpower (back when it was irons only), and closing in on A in USPSA production (again, iron sights only). And they are the same glasses I wear every waking moment of every day.
I shoot everything with both eyes open, from pistols, to shotguns, to carbines with 1-4X scopes, to precision rifles with 3-15X scopes. It's just not that hard.
Forgive me if I don't really understand why some of you have to overcomplicate the shit out of this.
I have between -4.5 and -5.0 diopters of distance correction, progressive bifocals, and have mild astigmatism. Have been so since early high school (and I'm 53).
Using ONE pair of glasses I can shoot well enough to reach A class in sporting clays, Master in NRA Highpower (back when it was irons only), and closing in on A in USPSA production (again, iron sights only). And they are the same glasses I wear every waking moment of every day.
I shoot everything with both eyes open, from pistols, to shotguns, to carbines with 1-4X scopes, to precision rifles with 3-15X scopes. It's just not that hard.
Forgive me if I don't really understand why some of you have to overcomplicate the shit out of this.
ANSI Z71 ain't a thing.
Either you are being flippant or you don't know WTF you are talking about. Nobody is over complicating safety by suggesting proper protective equipment.
Personally, anyone who doesn't use proper equipment is foolish...I don't give a shit how big their shooting dick is. In any event, it's your eyes...do what you want.
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I had a pair of shooting glasses made that I wore for a long time. Right lens close to see the sights, left side distance to see the target. It wasn't perfect but it was better than having to decide what you wanted to be in focus.
The drawback was everything looked a little wonky when you took them off and it took a couple of minutes for my eyes to acclimate to the change.
The drawback was everything looked a little wonky when you took them off and it took a couple of minutes for my eyes to acclimate to the change.
It’s ANSI Z87.1 for actual safety glasses.
Www.sportrx.com/blogspot/sport-safety-glasses-vs-work-safety-glasses
Does a nice job of summarizing.
Since my personal concern would be a bolt hitting my eye or the scope I’d be looking for ANSI STANDARD.
Excuse me asshole for mixing up some numbers.
I've been working in manufacturing environments for my entire adult life except for six years of military service. That entire time I've had at least one pair of prescription glasses made to comply with company (aka OSHA) safety eyewear standards. The fucking optical lab took care of the whole issue so I don't have to memorize the fucking ANSI standards. So the point stands.
So far you've added nothing of substance to this thread. Do you wear prescription glasses?
if not, please shut the fuck up and go away.
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