Astigmatism which optic helps you the most?

[usmcvet]

I have an astigmatism and recently bought my first pair of glasses. It had been seven years between eye exams and I suspect I have been dealing with it for years. The clear tip of the front sight post is something I have not seen in YEARS. I asked the doc about surgery and was told my eyes needed to be thirty times worse before I would be a candidate. I was told I needed the glasses for computer work and driving at night. There is a huge difference in the clarity of the things I read on my computer screen with my new glasses. I never knew how out of focus the details were for me.

I just traded one of my H1's and some other loot towards a TR24G. I am hopeful this will help me. I wanted to see what has worked for some of the other older eyes out there. I also think I have been closing my left eye in an attempt to get a clear front sight picture on my aimpoint dot. I know I need to work on both eyes open shooting the way the red dot was designed to be used.

[rob_s]

Compact ACOGs worked best for my uncorrected astigmatism.

[arptsprt]

Like Rob, I have had good luck with the compact ACOG with the green reticle. Red dots sights are one big blob for me...

[mattj]

I'm in your same situation -- I solve the problem with a pair of prescription Oakleys.

[usmcvet]

Thanks guys. I have thought about prescription glasses while shooting but I do not wear them so I don't want to use them yet. It might be the easiest answer.

I did not know I had an issue. I brought my seven year old in for his first eye exam a few months ago. He laughed his but off because I could not read half o what he could.

The ACOG sounds like a popular choice. I hope the TR24G works for me. I have played with one at my local gun shop and liked what I saw. I put a pair of XS big dot sights on my Glock and they have worked well for about two hundred rounds.

[usmcvet]

Are the compact ACOG's pretty much the same with different reticles and different colored reticles/fiber optics?

Any of you guys tried the TR24 out? Im going to re read a few of the stickies under optics. I know the differences are covered pretty well.

[MadDog]

I have astigmatisms in both eyes and even with glasses anything that has an electronic dot or electronic reticle doesn't look like it should. I see halos, commets and sometimes what looks like a cluster of grapes. I have found the electronic dot of Insight's MRDS to be the best of the bunch even though I own 4 Aimpoints. People will tell you to turn the intensity down but that does not work for me.

The absolute clearest reticle for me comes from anything Trijicon as they are non-electronic. The dots and chevrons are very clear and crisp in all light conditions. I currently have 2 ACOG's, 2 dual illumination RMR's, 1 Accupoint, and 1 RX30 reflex and all of them are very clear with my astigmatisms.

JMHO,
MadDog

[usmcvet]

Mad Dog

Grapes that is it. I could not articulate it that is what I see instead of a dot I see a bunch of little dots. Looks like I am moving in the right direction.

[shootist~]

Red Dots have slowly become less usable for me at distance over the last 10-15 years, but I don't have issues with magnified optics.

[caporider]

Are the compact ACOG's pretty much the same with different reticles and different colored reticles/fiber optics?

Any of you guys tried the TR24 out? Im going to re read a few of the stickies under optics. I know the differences are covered pretty well.

I have astigmatism that is not completely corrected, even when wearing my prescription Oakleys. Nonmagnified red dots are OK, but magnified red dots are a problem. I have done tests to figure out which dot out of the constellation of dots is the actual aimpoint (ha ha), but overall it's a pain in the ass.

I use a TR24G on my LMT 308MWS, and it really works well. The post and triangle reticle is crystal clear, and I can adjust the diopter to work with or without my glasses. The 1x is basically a true 1x out past 10 feet or so and the ability to adjust the amount of light coming in through the fiberoptic allows you to have a very sharp lighted triangle in just about every lighting condition. And even if the lit triangle washes out, the post remains very visible. Plus, at 1x the eye box is quite large, so your cheekweld isn't as critical as it might be with other variable optics.

The TR24G isn't as fast or easy to use as a red dot up close or in odd shooting positions and it is much heavier and bigger, but it brings its own compelling set of advantages to the table. And with a 50yd zero, you can pretty much shoot from 0-300 yards using point of aim for combat accuracy (that's for 5.56). Past that, you can dial your DOPE or use the base of the triangle for holdovers. I also dig the dials' tool-less zero adjustments (once you dial your zero, you just lift up on the outside of the dial to disengage it and spin it to the number zero without moving your elevation or windage).

The TR isn't perfect, of course, but it is very capable and useful at a very reasonable price point. I also LOVE not having to worry about battery life!