Poor vision and sighting

1/18/2013

This afternoon an old friend of mine, who I knew to be an excellent shot in the Marine Corps, told me he had problems with sighting now that he wore glasses. I think that is a common complaint. The goal is a crystal clear front sight with a blurred rear sight and target for marksmanship. If you can't do that with your eye glasses, try a couple pairs of reading glasses at different magnifications. You can buy them in drug stores or dollar stores. You may otherwise need a "shooter's prescription" for eye glasses . I have noticed that an adjustment period with any type of glasses helps with sighting. Tell your eye doctor what you need to accomplish. Be patient, a lot of shooters with bad eye sight are able to sight very well.

2 Comments

billy spruiell

6/18/2013 04:36:16 pm

Thank you ..That is the question difficult to find an answer for , even by people in the shooting business .. I could see the target perfectly in the distance 20-50 yds , but as you get older one can't see up close (sights) . Q: Since the focus is on clear front sites and blurred distance , should one wear reading glasses when shooting targets at a reasonable distance ...

A. League link

6/19/2013 05:26:01 am

Thanks for the question, Bill. There's been some interest in this recently, and I suspect that a lot of people who got involved in the firearms boom back in the late 70"s are now experiencing the problem of diminished vision. In general, there is an advantage to using reading glasses (dimestore cheaters) to help with the front sight when the target is still visible but kept out of focus. It depends on the particular condition of your vision. Whatever lenses you choose, the goal is still a crystal clear front sight, and a blurred but visible rear sight and target. Also, try experimenting with colored safety glasses, and you may find a lighting combination that will reduce some of the glare and subsequent "double focus" that occurs with vision problems. Lighting becomes more important the older we get. I find natural light allows me to read much finer print, for instance, than is possible with any interior lighting. Try different tints in safety glasses if you can't close the deal with just your reading glasses.

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