View Full Version : Prescription Shooting Glasses
A combination of age, expiration of vanity, and laziness has me wearing my glasses full time now in lieu of my contacts. I'm interested in options for eye protection with interchangeable outer lenses with some kind of prescription inner lens.
I have a pair of Oakley SI Ballistic M Frame Strike 2.0 (http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/ok-11-140.html), but I don't know if there's a prescription kit available for them. If there is, that would be ideal.
Gunfighter13
11-10-07, 20:03
A combination of age, expiration of vanity, and laziness has me wearing my glasses full time now in lieu of my contacts. I'm interested in options for eye protection with interchangeable outer lenses with some kind of prescription inner lens.
I have a pair of Oakley SI Ballistic M Frame Strike 2.0 (http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/ok-11-140.html), but I don't know if there's a prescription kit available for them. If there is, that would be ideal.
Yes Oakley sell them in a few different styles and configurations. Here's the link.
https://usstandardissue.com/catalog/prescriptioneyewear.aspx
https://usstandardissue.com/prescriptions.aspx
Don Robison
11-10-07, 20:29
Rob,
The Oakleys are nice, but have you looked at your local optical shops? I had a pair of glasses made for me. Nike wrap around frames, polycarb lenses, with UV/scratch coatings and extra dark photo gray. I wear them everyday and they've held up great through two 6 day classes at BW, a 2 day SI class and multiple team training events. The photo grey unlike the old stuff changes pretty fast and adjusts the darkness to the current conditions. Total price was $234 and if my scrip changes this year they have held up well enough I'm just going to have new lenses put into the same frames.
Just a suggestion.
KintlaLake
11-10-07, 20:34
I'm very interested in what comes out of this thread. My eyes require a relatively complex, compound prescription that doesn't play nice with the curved lenses popular these days.
For shooting I wear glasses that I had made for especially for riding and driving at night -- slightly stronger than my prescription. I'm curious if anyone else uses "plus" lenses for shooting.
Best advice is to find a good optometrist and optics shop. Explain your needs, especially the issue of focusing on the front sight. A good one will work with you to get you what you need.
This article has some useful information for shooters with less than 20/20, written by an eye doctor - Dr. Normon Wong, who is a shooter himself.
BULLSEYE SHOOTERS' GUIDE FOR THE EYECARE PROFESSIONAL (http://starreloaders.com/edhall/nwongarts.html#eyeguide)
Topics include:
# ABBE Values
# Inaccuracies with Eyeglass Prescriptions
# Eye Exam with Eyechart at 20 feet vs. 50 yards or 1,000 yards
# Red Dot Focusing Position
# Use of Obsolete Prescription Eyeglasses as Shooting Glasses [very interesting!]
# Keeping Focused
# Shooters' Eye Dominance and Suppression, Sighting with Dot Scopes
# Sight Fading, Troxler Effect and Oxygen Deprivation
# To Occlude or not to Occlude
# The Ideal Pupil
# Suspicious Pupils
# Shooters with Ocular Migraines
# Lutein
# Amblyopia (Lazy Eye), Our Future Bullseye Shooters
# (Doc Wong's) Non Glare, Concentric Ring, Anti-Parallax Red Dot Scope Enhancer
# Health Warning, Protect Your Eyes
# Target Image Size Through The Red Dot Scope
# Results of the Red Dot Position Survey
# An Insight to "20/20"
Robb Jensen
11-10-07, 21:37
Rudy Project makes prescription inserts for their eyewear.
baffle Stack
11-10-07, 21:45
A few years ago i was working for Luxottica retail and i looked into getting Rx Oakley shooting glasses. I Found Inserts for M frames were available at that time but only for relatively weak scripts, (less than 3 diopters) This meant I was SOL because i need about a -4 correction in each eye. I did however have LensCrafters make me some Rx safetys, Ugly as sin but hell they work. So if you don't need the CID factor, that is a good alternative.
Seeing as how Oakley was recently acquired by Luxottica ,(owner of LensCrafters, Ray Ban, etc) it may be worth looking into Rx Oaks again. But don't get your hopes up, from my experience, anything wrap around is going to be a bitch to get your script in unless you don't need a lot of correction. And almost all Oakeys have a base curve of 6 or more making Rx lenses very difficult to fit the frames.
Ants
They don't HAVE to be Oakleys, I have just been really happy with the 2.0s.
What they do have to have is the ability to change the lenses. Whether it be two sets of prescription lenses that fit in the same frame, or a frame with prescription inserts that allow me to use non-prescription tints.
Nathan_Bell
11-11-07, 09:08
A few years ago i was working for Luxottica retail and i looked into getting Rx Oakley shooting glasses. I Found Inserts for M frames were available at that time but only for relatively weak scripts, (less than 3 diopters) This meant I was SOL because i need about a -4 correction in each eye. I did however have LensCrafters make me some Rx safetys, Ugly as sin but hell they work. So if you don't need the CID factor, that is a good alternative.
Seeing as how Oakley was recently acquired by Luxottica ,(owner of LensCrafters, Ray Ban, etc) it may be worth looking into Rx Oaks again. But don't get your hopes up, from my experience, anything wrap around is going to be a bitch to get your script in unless you don't need a lot of correction. And almost all Oakeys have a base curve of 6 or more making Rx lenses very difficult to fit the frames.
Ants
I went with photoreactive tinting lenses and when they can't darken the sun enough, I squint. My prescription is so AFU that no-one is making a set of glasses like Rob is looking for that I can use.
I had considered going with a set of safety goggle type glasses, and then realized that they would never get worn, as they were heavy as heck and had poor air movement.
I am hoping, that as more folks who are active outdoors age, the companies will catch up and give us semi blind folk a hand.
Yes Oakley sell them in a few different styles and configurations. Here's the link.
https://usstandardissue.com/catalog/prescriptioneyewear.aspx
https://usstandardissue.com/prescriptions.aspx
You'll have to order them from Oakley.com. Usstandardissue.com is LEO and Military only.
Went to the WileyX website today and found a local retailer. Went to the retailer and asked about WileyX shooting glasses and they looked at me like I had C4 strapped to my chest. :(
Of course, they had nothing.
I'm going to try to call them tomorrow. I need to see a pair of these (http://www.wileyx.com/EcommSuite/PrescriptionPackageOptions.aspx?ItemCode=PTR-1SCRX) in person before I order.
This is an issue that I have struggled with myself, as I require corrective lenses and can no longer tolerate contacts and am too chicken for surgery...
Like rob_s, I wanted an array with dark/clear lenses and a prescription insert. I got some pretty mixed reviews when I queried about such a combo on another forum. The common recommendation in my research has been Oakley, so when I found out that I qualified for their government pricing (https://usstandardissue.com/)I went that route and have been well pleased.
Prior to the Oakley purchase, I considered Revision Sawfly (http://www.revisioneyewear.com/sawfly.html), Rudy Project (http://www.rudyprojectusa.com/), and ESS Ice (http://www.essgoggles.com/ICE-2X_146_detail.html). It is my understanding that ESS has been purchased by Oakley, who has since been purchased by Luxotica.
Gunners' Alley (http://www.gunnersalley.com/category/accessories.shootingglasses/) has some good info on the prescription ESS glasses.
militarymoron
11-11-07, 20:56
i'm pretty much as blind as a bat, and wear glasses - i don't have contacts. for shooting i've been very happy with revision eyewear. i reviewed the sawflys about halfway down this page:
http://www.militarymorons.com/equipment/headwear.html
the prescription inserts also work in their locust goggles.
Rob-
I'll send you a PM. I have a set of Sawfly's for sale.
Now to slit my own throat so to speak. I had a problem with the reflection/glare between the inner prescription and outer protective lenses. Maybe I am over sensitive. The big plus is you can have one set of glasses and just change the lenses in the RX carrier.
I decided to go with the Oakley prescription SI Fives through the Govt. sales program.
losbronces
11-12-07, 10:57
I'm very interested in what comes out of this thread. My eyes require a relatively complex, compound prescription that doesn't play nice with the curved lenses popular these days.
For shooting I wear glasses that I had made for especially for riding and driving at night -- slightly stronger than my prescription. I'm curious if anyone else uses "plus" lenses for shooting.
I have prescription sunglasses made here: http://www.sportsoptical.com/store/prescription_sunglasses.html
I use the Rudy Project Ketyum style. This place makes the lenses to your prescription, so no inserts that add extra weight. I have yellow lenses for indoors and a variety of lenses for outside. The lenses snap in and out. They do a good job, but it takes some type and they are not cheap.
I did have a minus prescription (less strong) made once for contact lenses that made the front sight clear for pistol shooting. I don't use those anymore though since I'm not likely to have them in when I need to use a pistol. I am seriously thinking about a red dot for pistol shooting as that would solve the dual focal plane problem. Like most people over 50, I've lost some ability to refocus.
I have a pair of Wiley x SG-1s with prescription lenses I wear almost everyday.
I have a pair of Wiley x SG-1s with prescription lenses I wear almost everyday.
Is the lens itself prescription? In other words, if you want one clear and one tinted, do they both have to be prescription?
losbronces
11-12-07, 12:19
Is the lens itself prescription? In other words, if you want one clear and one tinted, do they both have to be prescription?
Yes, they would both have to be ground to your prescription. So it does cost more than for the insert system, but for me its worth it.
I have like 6 pairs ( of just lenses) So you can mix and match however you want them I got mine here (http://www.opticsplanet.net/wileyx-sunglasses-sg-1.html)
militarymoron
11-12-07, 14:48
here's something to consider about an insert vs. non-insert glasses if you're buying this for protection while shooting. make sure that the prescription lenses ground for the frame provide you with same ballistic protection as the original lenses, if that's the way you choose to go.
if you use an insert, you still have all the ballistic protection provided by the outer lens. just because you can get a prescription lens ground to fit the frames doesn't mean it provides the same level of protection against fragments, unless it's guarranteed by the manufacturer like wiley-X.
i've a nice gouge on my sawfly lens from a jacket fragment that came back. i replaced it with a new lens, which is much cheaper than replacing a prescription lens.
All mine are safety stamped
i've a nice gouge on my sawfly lens from a jacket fragment that came back. i replaced it with a new lens, which is much cheaper than replacing a prescription lens.
So the sawfly is one prescription subframe that mounts in the regular frame, and the tinted lenses change out independent of this?
militarymoron
11-12-07, 18:56
So the sawfly is one prescription subframe that mounts in the regular frame, and the tinted lenses change out independent of this?
yes - you have a prescription insert that attaches behind the main lens. go to this page and scroll halfway down for a full description and lots of pics:
http://www.militarymorons.com/equipment/headwear.html
Rob-
The prescription insert mounts to a stud on the nosepiece. When switching protective lens colors, it is easier to put the new color into the glasses frame and switch the entire nosepiece with RX insert attached.
You guys running the sawflys, you just take the carriers to your local optician and have them put the lenses in, right?
You guys running the sawflys, you just take the carriers to your local optician and have them put the lenses in, right?
That's right. I did basic plastic lenses and it wasn't too expensive if I recall correctly.
militarymoron
11-13-07, 19:02
yes, that's what i did as well.
rob-
I just looked at the military order page for Oakley. They have the following information about prescription lenses for the M frame.
**YOUR TOTAL RANGE FOR THIS MODEL MUST BE BETWEEN +2.00 TO -4.00. YOUR TOTAL RANGE IS (SPHERE + CYLINDER = TOTAL RANGE). TOTAL RANGE MUST BE CALCULATED SEPARATELY FOR BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT EYE.***CYLINDER MUST NOT EXCEED -2.00***
PLEASE NOTE THAT PRESCRIPTION M FRAMES HAVE A VISIBLE PRESCRIPTION LINING ON LENS - NOT ENTIRE LENS IS PRESCRIPTION
Prescription Version
Shatterproof, scratch-resistant Plutonite® polycarbonate lenses can be replaced with other colors and shapes, sold separately
Polar Ellipsoid™ lens shape eliminates distortion
Hammerfang™ ear stems provide a 3-point fit to comfortably accommodate various head sizes
Patented hydrophilic silicone earsocks and nosepieces become tacky when wet, so they won't slip down when you perspire
Strike lenses are the middle size in the M-Frame line
I have found hints that there are companies that offer prescription M lenses, but I'll be darned if I can find anywhere that quotes a price. It is a little weird.
Point- you may be able to get prescription lenses for your existing glasses.
rob-
I just looked at the military order page for Oakley. They have the following information about prescription lenses for the M frame.
I have found hints that there are companies that offer prescription M lenses, but I'll be darned if I can find anywhere that quotes a price. It is a little weird.
Point- you may be able to get prescription lenses for your existing glasses.
Thanks for the heads up. I went ahead and ordered a set of the Sawflys that will hopefully be here today or Monday.
I'm still going to call Oakley though to talk prescriptions. At least now with the info you provided I can take a look at my prescription and figure out if it's within the range. Thanks.
Prescription shooting eyewear has been a hot topic around the office this week. Several of us took advantage of Oakley's LE discount. I am trying to get the agency to go with either ESS ICE or Sawflys for everyone and purchase RX carriers for those who need them.
Got the Sawflys. Not gonna cut it. Reached painful levels of discomfort wearing them with my Sordins within 5 minutes.
Guess I have to try to call Oakley.
militarymoron
11-21-07, 09:22
surprised to hear that - i wear my sawflys with sordins and haven't noticed any discomfort. different heads though.
however, i do have the gel replacement pads on my sordins - i find them more comfortable especially over eyeglass temples.
Found out my prescription is no good for the Oakleys, AND that only the military can do the lenses anyway.
So, I found this (http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_gear_eyewear.php) list that looks pretty good.
I've been working on contacting most of these vendors to find locals. Some are goggles and some are glasses. I found a vendor in my county that carries the ESS so I'm going to try to go check them out this weekend.
* Arena FlakJak Goggles
* Ballistic Optical Armor
* Body Specs PISTOL Spectacles
* Eye Safety Systems Inc. (ESS)
o ESS Flight Deck Goggles
o ESS ICE 2 Spectacles
o ESS Land Ops Goggle
o ESS Profile NVG Goggles
o ESS Vehicle Ops Goggles
* Oakley SI M Frame (Military)
* Pyramex Venture II
* Revision Sawfly Military Eyewear
* Uvex XC
* Wiley-X
o Wiley-X SG-1 Spectacle System
o Wiley-X PT-1 Spectacles
The quest continues.
rob_s,
Check with your local cycling shops. I believe Bolle and Rudy Project offer
glasses with prescription inserts.
Kenny
Outlander Systems
11-08-09, 14:08
Sorry for resurrecting a dead thread, but I've found myself in the same boat.
Rob, what did you eventually decide on?
I've looked into Rec-Specs/F8, but I can't determine if the provide ballistic protection.
I don't care if I look like a chode, it's better than being fuzzy.
I've got 20/20 out to about 20', then it starts dropping off to about 20/60. It's not bad, and I can still hit what I'm aiming for, but it's finally gotten annoying enough to necessitate some sort of corrective action.
I won't do LASIK or Contacts, so it's glasses only.
Belmont31R
11-08-09, 14:22
Just another option but I wore Decot's for years shooting competition trap.
Lots of color choices, well made, and of course you can get RX lenses. Most serious trap shooters were using these... Looks like they have a few different versions too.
http://www.sportglasses.com/
The poster above me beat me to it. I've used DECOT's for many years.
+1 on the Decots.
FN in MT
FromMyColdDeadHand
11-08-09, 14:58
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=34479&highlight=rudy%27s
Try this thread. I really like my Rudy's Rydons. They are my EDC glasses too, and I nver notice the insert. I'm a big sweaty guy and I have no fogging issues with all those surfaces.
Outlander Systems
11-08-09, 15:06
CDH: The EKYNOX SX TACTICAL look totally bitchin'. I may give those another look in my quest.
Rob,
The Oakleys are nice, but have you looked at your local optical shops? I had a pair of glasses made for me. Nike wrap around frames, polycarb lenses, with UV/scratch coatings and extra dark photo gray. I wear them everyday and they've held up great through two 6 day classes at BW, a 2 day SI class and multiple team training events. The photo grey unlike the old stuff changes pretty fast and adjusts the darkness to the current conditions. Total price was $234 and if my scrip changes this year they have held up well enough I'm just going to have new lenses put into the same frames.
Just a suggestion.
I'll add a bit to this. Since at my age, presbyopia has become a problem, I had my optometrist invert a single bifocal in the right lens (ie bifocal on top of the lens) Its set for a focal length about 6" past my extended arm. Good for focusing on the front sight.
Have you looked into Bolle? I don't have any experience with these, but have had some acquaintances who really enjoyed them.
http://www.gosportsspex.co.uk/BolleVigillanteSunglass.asp
Rob I wear SG1s and have had good results with them. They have prescription inserts that can be interchanged with regular inserts. If you have access to military exchanges I believe you can get a pair for around $80. http://www.wileyx.com/EcommSuite/ProductDetail.aspx?ActivityCode=TACTICAL&SeriesCode=175&ProductLine=200,SG1&ItemCode=77
I would definately recommend Bolle's! I've owned a pair now for 5 years, and I love them.
You have the outer lens, which you can get in a variety of colors, that just snaps in and out of place. you push them up into the frame.
the actual prescription lens snaps into place over the two nose tabs, between your eyes and the outer lens. Has been more than good for me, cost about 150 i believe, well worth the money.
seacoastnh
11-11-09, 07:31
I ordered a pair of perscription Wiley X Romer II's from these guys last week. They sent me the frames in advance and I took them to my eye doctor for the various measurements.
http://www.safevision.net/shooting/index.html
I should have them by next week. They asked for my perscription first, then gave me a number of options.
Jumping in to the mix.
I got an Oakley Half Jacket 2.0 prescription sunglasses. Not sure if these are safe for shooting. So, I'm inquiring if anyone has ordered ballistic/safety/ shooting prescription glasses.
Where did you order?
Ballpark on how much?
Any recommendations on upgrade or features that are unnecessary and costly.
Can I order online (I have my prescription ) or just go thru local eyeglass store?
Thanks
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