Tough day with my old eyes

[ScottieG59]

I planned a relaxed day at the range. I was going to zero my M4 sights and verify the alignment of a couple Glock with new sights.

I am starting to have problems seeing the front sight post. It is getting tough to focus and sometimes, it looks like there are two front sights. I can switch to non-prescription eye protection, which helps some.

The whole thing gets very frustrating. I guess I will have to see the eye doctor soon. I also have early cataracts.

Right now, I have an easier time with pistol sights than with rifle sights. I may go with red dot sights on the M4.

Have any shooters out there dealt with these issues with success?

[foxtrotx1]

I feel you man. I'm 23 and have been diagnosed with Keratoconus.

I can't use red dot's with my left eye.

[Hmac]

Problems can generally solved with a little creative optometry.

[PdxMotoxer]

I'm 43 with some diabetic "issues" mostly feet neuropathy but have
noticed my vision declining last few years.

I've had astigmatism since i was a teen and never needed glasses.
Because of my astigmatism i can't see EoTech's hologram as its just
a messy star-bursts. (even aimpoint is a tiny bit blurry but i just turn it way way down and that helps)

That's just a heads up if you do go with a RSD make sure you check it with your eyes.

As my distance vision is starting to suffer I just wish i could budget a 4x Acog.

Good Luck and hope you find what works for you.

[PD Sgt.]

Problems can generally solved with a little creative optometry.

I have also experienced a changing focal distance, especially with handgun sights. My prescription lenses no longer allow me to focus as quickly as standard lenses.

Since I usually find myself using Oakley Half Jackets (interchangeable lenses), I have started using a non-prescription lense on my dominant eye, and a prescription lens on the other. I have found this gives me the ability to see more clearly downrange, but still allows me the ability to pick up the front sight rapidly.

Surprisingly (to me at least) this did not result in any adverse effects, though I do not have an overly strong prescription to begin with.

[darr3239]

Scotty, if you have cataracts they are going to play hell with red dot sights. You won't see one round dot. I had mine taken care of and everything is good now.

As for the front sight, just get a cheap pair of drugstore readers and you will be good to go. You don't need that target to be in perfect focus anyway.

[Hmac]

I have also experienced a changing focal distance, especially with handgun sights. My prescription lenses no longer allow me to focus as quickly as standard lenses.

Since I usually find myself using Oakley Half Jackets (interchangeable lenses), I have started using a non-prescription lense on my dominant eye, and a prescription lens on the other. I have found this gives me the ability to see more clearly downrange, but still allows me the ability to pick up the front sight rapidly.

Surprisingly (to me at least) this did not result in any adverse effects, though I do not have an overly strong prescription to begin with.

There are many variables and no "one size fits all" solutions. Astigmatism, near-sightedness, far-sightedness, presbyopia, cataracts, retinopathy, all in various combinations and all superimposed on the necessity to be able to focus on the front sight of a pistol two feet from your eyes AND be able to see the target at infinity. And all of these variables become different when we're talking about iron sights vs red dot sights vs magnified optics. AND these variable can all change over time, especially when we get to about age 45.

My situation for shooting a pistol requires a monocular focusing arrangement too...either reading glasses (with different magnification than I use for reading) or a cheater lens attached to the dominant eye of my shooting glasses. And standard reader inserts on shooting glasses are designed for reading, so the lens is at the bottom of the eyeglass lens, exactly the opposite of what I need for shooting a pistol. And reading glasses are binocular, so the magnification requires a compromise between focusing on the front sight and focusing on the target.

And my situation is simple by comparison because all I have is presbyopia. I have 20-20 distance vision and no astigmatism, no cataracts, and a normal retina.

Tough, or impossible, to get good advice on the internet for these issues because there are so many variables.

[ennbeegunny15]

Try shooting with bifocals. I have to tilt my head so that the bifocal part doesn't kick in. Rifles are fine but pistols are a different story.

[cop1211]

Try an ACOG, or a 1-4 variable scope.

[Beat Trash]

My latest trip to the eye doctor left me with a prescription for progressive lens. A few years ago, it would have been called Tri-focals.

I have issues with pistol sights. Less issues with the front sight post of my AR's. but some.

About five years ago, I went to RDS on my carbines. The 2MOA dots on the Aimpoint T-1 and PRO make all the difference. If precision is needed, the red dot looks like a fuzzy red tennis ball. I found that by Loking through the smaller appatur of my BUIS (Troy Battlesight), my fuzzy red blob now turns into a red circle again.

I'd start with a trip to the eye do for, and explain your issues.

[FloridaWoodsman]

With my old eyes and glasses, I am pretty much being driven towards red-dot for moving targets. It might be a little fuzzy, but I can still center it.

[markm]

I found that by Loking through the smaller appatur of my BUIS (Troy Battlesight), my fuzzy red blob now turns into a red circle again.


Same here. It's a nice option for hitting stuff out at 300 yards and beyond.