Older eyes and pistols

[padwan]

Over the years, my eyes have gone from bad to worse. My prescription is current but progressive lenses do not make it easy to acquire a sight picture rapidly. Some folks have recommended LASIK as an option but I'm not sure if that's a step I'm prepared to take right now.

In the past year, I've noticed that I seem to do better with handguns that have a shorter sight radius. While it is difficult for me to quickly acquire the front sight on a Gov't Model or even a Glock 17, I've discovered that the Ruger SP101, a snubbie, is manageable. I did have to paint the front sight orange though.

Has anyone here had to trade sight radius for sight visibility as well?

I'll be trying a friend's M&P Compact this weekend. I find the Compact's grip more agreeable than the Glock 26's. I'm hoping it works out for me, as the weight of 2 Rugers gets noticeable at the end of a 10 hour day. If not, I'll revisit the Glock 19.

[Bulldog7972]

Over the years, my eyes have gone from bad to worse. My prescription is current but progressive lenses do not make it easy to acquire a sight picture rapidly. Some folks have recommended LASIK as an option but I'm not sure if that's a step I'm prepared to take right now.

In the past year, I've noticed that I seem to do better with handguns that have a shorter sight radius. While it is difficult for me to quickly acquire the front sight on a Gov't Model or even a Glock 17, I've discovered that the Ruger SP101, a snubbie, is manageable. I did have to paint the front sight orange though.

Has anyone here had to trade sight radius for sight visibility as well?

I'll be trying a friend's M&P Compact this weekend. I find the Compact's grip more agreeable than the Glock 26's. I'm hoping it works out for me, as the weight of 2 Rugers gets noticeable at the end of a 10 hour day. If not, I'll revisit the Glock 19.

I had LASIK about fifteen years ago. At the time hey told me I might eventually need reading glasses as I aged. I too am finding it harder and harder to aquire the front sight as I grow older unless I wear reading glasses. I am thinking about trying the Big Dot sights.

[Doru]

I'm a big fan of Big Dots, for several reasons. Guys I work with with failing eyes are slowly moving to them.

I run them on my Glocks, and even have a standard dot with a 10-8 rear on a 1911.

When I first got them, I would bring my gun up on target and while I was looking for that notch and post to line up, I realized that the Dot and line were already lined up. In essence, the sights were faster than I was. Training with them caught me up.

The dot is easier, IMO, to pick up sooner as I go out to full extension.

Also, low light shooting becomes easier as I only really have one thing to look for, instead of 3 dots in the dark.

Finally, at this point, if I were to buy more I will likely just go with the non-Tritium version. Reason being is that in any low light situation, those sights pick up ambient light, and I'm not really finding the Tritium sights help much more.

Drew

[Beat Trash]

I find thinner front sights paired with rear sights with a wide notch helps, as does a dab of bright orange fingernail polish on the front sight.

[padwan]

I find thinner front sights paired with rear sights with a wide notch helps, as does a dab of bright orange fingernail polish on the front sight.

Tried that route with my full-size pistols. I still had difficulty picking up the front sight. The rear sight tended to be clearer than the front, despite focusing on the front sight.

It was only when the front sight was closer to the rear that I could pick it up.

The other option may be to try wearing a distance prescription instead of progressive lenses.

The ones who have gone before us were right all along. You spend thirty years working on trigger control, and just when you think you got it right, your eyes crap out on you.

[Doru]

10-8 and Warren rear sights are great for this reason.

Worth giving a try. I know guys who loved their Big Dots switch them out for a set of Warren sights.

Drew

[Sam]

Crimson Trace is your friend.

[JHC]

Getting "monovision" dialed in to my contact lens turned the clock back on my ability to focus on the front sight - at least 10 years and stays there will annual tweaks. When I got this figured out, I replaced my Big Dots with Warren/Sevigny notch sights.

[Hmac]

As my eyes have aged, I went with a relatively lower power stick-on lens for my shooting glasses for use only with my dominant eye. Normal shooting glasses with bifocal inserts are designed for reading so the lens is at the bottom on both eyes. I put this one up toward the top so my head position isn't too cockeyed.

I normally use +2.5 diopter lenses for reading, the stick on lens at 1.5 diopter allows me to focus well on the front sight of all my handguns.

[Mark/MO]

I find thinner front sights paired with rear sights with a wide notch helps, as does a dab of bright orange fingernail polish on the front sight.

+1. This summer I installed a Sevegny rear sight and a FO front on my G19. It has made a really big difference for my 50 year old eyes. The FO makes it jump out at me. I like it so well I'm planning to install a set on another Glock.