Best Red Dot for Astigmatism

[TF82]

Just got off the phone with an old acquaintance who is now an optometrist. He confirms what I've thought and said for years....
IF you are having issues with astigmatism and an RDS - simply get your prescription updated. Corrective lenses - whether contacts or glasses - will solve the problem 98% of the time. I am both profoundly nearsighted and have severe astigmatism - and my Aimpoints are nice, discrete circles as they were designed. Others who have looked through my sights have complained of the previously mentioned distortion, i.e., their astigmatism was not corrected properly. Forgot to ask him if Lasik type corrections will do the same.

john

I've found this to be the case with my Eotech as well. The difference from when I'm wearing my glasses to when I'm not is profound.

[SteveL]

Time in Possession:
Beginning of July

Use:
Formal outdoor range including off hand, bench and prone positions.
Paper targets from 5-200 yards and gongs every 100 yards from 300-1000 yards.

Informal outdoor course including off hand, kneeling and prone positions.
Paper targets ranging from 5-20 yards with a few 50, 100 and 150 yards shots (gongs) mixed in.

Round Count:
420 round can of Fed Am Eagle XM855
Around a half a case of PMC X-TAC M855 clone
160 rounds of Fed Fusion (non MSR)

Environment:
Western USA, between the Rockies and Sierra Nevadas, Martian sagebrush landscape.

Actual known rough use:
Eating it getting up from a kneeling 50yd shot to transition to the 10yard shot. Feet stopped on rock and became fulcrum as rest of body with rifle went right into the ground.

Eating it attempting to lean against the truck when not near enough to the truck. No, I had not been drinking.

Eating it off the bench onto concrete. I roll deep when I do get to go shoot, and if at the actual range, the bench gets crowded quick.

Otherwise, normal use and 'abuse'.

Comparisons:
I would Compare it to an FX3 Leupold in clarity and fantastic eye relief.

Likes:
Eye relief is pretty damned good. Thick donut makes CQB distance shots a snap. Center dot very suitable for accuracy and precision. As best as I can tell, I have been able to get rid of the dreaded 'fish-eye' through constant adjustment and then witness marking ocular diopter. Two color reticle choices. Green works pretty well during the day and red for low light/night for me as well as black etched reticle 'always on'. No buttons. Adjustment caps are tethered.

Dislikes:
Skinny outer most circle is pretty pointless to me. Not particularly fond of the factory base, it requires at least some damned good torque to stay put.

Wow, thanks for the detailed response.

[TinyCrumb]

For my astigmatism, all LED based red dots like Aimpoint look like a comma, even with my glasses on and I've had my prescription checked a few times. EOTech reticles however look super sharp. Even weirder, throwing a 3x magnifier behind the EOTech makes it look even sharper and more defined. But both unmagnified and magnified the EOTech wins for me, both with glasses on and off.

[JackFanToM]

I have found that the dot on my MRO is better than the eotech was, and my H1 by a ton. I'm not gonna say it is perfectly clear, but there are no tails or blobs...the dot has a mild starburst effect.

[FiReBRETHa]

astigmatism here too, Eotech's definitely had the sharpest out of all

[TomMcC]

Aren't RDS's with reticles like the Vortex Spitfire much better for astigmatism?

[SteveL]

Aren't RDS's with reticles like the Vortex Spitfire much better for astigmatism?

I would have to say yes. I recently received a Spitfire and it's 100% crystal clear, whereas an Aimpoint is a no-go for me. Now I just hope it proves to be durable.

[ColtSeavers]

Aren't RDS's with reticles like the Vortex Spitfire much better for astigmatism?

I would say yes, for two reasons.

First, you have the exceedingly well defined edges of the etched reticle itself, not a reflected image or straight light to focus on.

Second, the ocular diopter adjuster (focus ring) on the sight allows you to 'fine tune' the sight and reticle to your specific eyesight.

This is not just limited to prism sights, it's pretty much a standard on all scopes.


Red dot sights can be hit or miss with how well defined their image is (to you) as well as lack the ocular diopter adjustment to make up for any missmatch between your eyesight and the optic.

[TomMcC]

That's what I thought.

[WS6]

Most people I know with astigmatism go to the LPV's, and find that everything is better, in part, because of the clarity of the glass, and ability to dial diopter.