Eyeglasses & Scopes

[Wrecktech]

I am running into a bit of a problem and am wondering if it is more related to the fact that I now wear (no line) bifocals or it's a combination of glasses with a scope. My switch to more precision type shooting has come with achy knees and changing vision. I never needed prescription eyeglasses until about ten years ago when it started off with reading glasses and finally full-blown bifocals. While my vision seems to be starting to remain more constant from year to year, I still like to shoot. I have noticed when I try to shoot with the bifocals, I get something of a double image of the reticle (one above the other) and a real problem getting a proper cheek weld. I've gotten single vision inserts for my shooting glasses and for the most part the double image is no longer noticeable.

Clearly, I make a concerted effort to shoot with the single vision glasses as much as possible but it doesn't always work out that way. Is there something I can do for/with the bifocals to reduce the problem? Is this something I can use the diopter adjustment on the rear of the scope to adjust? What's the likelihood of getting a lens to attach to the rear of the scope so I can just use shooting glasses with no correction?

I am interested in all thoughts and ideas to help me out with this.

Thanks,

[noone]

I have worn no line bifocals for years, teach, and shoot competition rifle. Both practical rifle with either iron sights, or ACOG, or tactical precision rifle matches. I have never had any of the problems you are writing about.

It may be the adjustment of your scope focus (the ocular lens, not parallax) with your glasses. A friend of mine who does not wear glasses finds my scopes reticle isn't focused properly for his eyes, and when he borrows one of my rifles, he adjusts the ocular lens for his eyes, and returns the scope to where I had it before returning it to me (I like his consideration in being this considerate..part of why I'll still let him borrow them).

In any case, I would look at focus of the ocular lens, and if this doesn't help, maybe talk with your eye doctor and see if he/she has any ideas. I haven't heard of any of the other fellows I shoot with that wear glasses having the problems you write about either, so I think it is probably rare, and will be an easy fix.

It makes sense that going from a focusing your scope with no glasses, to using glasses will effect the way the scope is focused, and so the way you see the reticle. Glasses are supposed to change things, and the more lenses we put between our eye (scope and glasses), and what we are looking at, the more ways there are for things to get "out of focus".

[jkingrph]

You might consider trying the bifocals with lines. I once wore the no lines and found there are some areas in the lenses, where transitions occur that causes some strange focus problems. I was in a USAF Reserve medical unit and had a good friend who was an optometrist, who convinced me I needed the kind with lines. I went one step further and went trifocals and would not go back to no lines.

[subzero]

You might consider trying the bifocals with lines. I once wore the no lines and found there are some areas in the lenses, where transitions occur that causes some strange focus problems. I was in a USAF Reserve medical unit and had a good friend who was an optometrist, who convinced me I needed the kind with lines. I went one step further and went trifocals and would not go back to no lines.

I had a similar problem with no-lines, after trying to switch from lined bifocals after ~10 years. The transition area made things look distorted and wore my eyes out quickly.

[JHC]

I'm waiting on delivery of my first set of bifocals from Wiley X (impressive only $203 for the Blink frame and prescription glasses with line bifocal) and I will be on the watch for these phenoms. Primarily I do contacts using mono-vision approach to see front sights sharply.

My eye guy told me the no-line bifocals sacrifice prescription correction around the outside (right and left) part of the lens so I didn't consider them.

[Wrecktech]

I talked with my eye doc yesterday. He explained that my no-line lenses have the same same magnification at the top portion of the lens (~1/3) and the middle area is for for closer distance like in the same room with people and the bottom is for reading. Apparently what I have been doing is trying to look through the center area of the glasses while behind the scope. Now I know I should be trying to look out the top of my eyeglasses. I'll check and report back later.

[91Bravo]

Consider taking the glasses completely off and focussing the scope without them. I even put marks on the scope focus ring itself for glasses on and off.

[dogloose]

I wear progressive lenses needing both distance and close-up correction. I too have run into the eyeglasses/scope/cheek-weld problem. My solution was to obtain a pair of custom shooting glasses with the following characteristics: The upper portion of the glasses are ground to a prescription that optimizes focus with my cheek in the optimal position... sort of a mid-range prescription between reading and distance. With my co-witness sight I have no problem focusing on the red dot or the front sight post while maintaining nose to the charging handle. On my other guns, with scope magnification, the prescription also enables me to comfortably position my cheek and sight in. For reading there is a small bifocal area at the bottom inside edge that is not in my field of vision during fire. No problem switching to a spotting scope as well... However... this is ONLY good for target practice... my distance vision needs are NOT met with this system. I have to keep my regular glasses handy and switch when needed. I also have a pair of TRI-FOCAL shooting glasses with the lines... with the middle section set to the optimal prescription for shooting... these are not as comfortable because I must tilt my head slightly and change my cheek-weld to see through the middle section... It's tough getting old...

[uwe1]

First, let me qualify my opinion: I am an eye doc.

Your progressive lenses are going to give you problems depending on where you are looking through them while looking through the scope. Keep in mind, these lenses are a "blend" of optics. The top center 1/3 is for distance. The middle center 1/3 is generally more for intermediate (only a small channel in the middle). The bottom third is for near. To eliminate the line and to make all this changing of focus seamless to you, the wearer, the peripheral left and right of each lens is distorted.

Look in the mirror at yourself and take note of the position your eye is looking through on the lens. That will generally correspond with the distance center axis of your glasses. If you are wearing your glasses while shooting, you're going to want to look through the glasses as close to center of that sweet spot in the upper 1/3 of the lens as possible. It will also help if you can get the progressives as close to your eye as possible to give you a wider field of view.

The other members gave you good advice in that lined bifocals or single vision glasses are better for this, but this will still yield some focus issues because any time you look outside of the lens center, you will either induce a prismatic shift in focus or blur if you're too off center axis. This is made much worse if your prescription is high or if you have a lot of astigmatism.

If you're down to try them, I would suggest contact lenses. I hate shooting with my glasses on and much prefer contacts.