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Aging Eyes

5K views 16 replies 13 participants last post by  polycoat 
#1 ·
I noticed in my early 40's that my previously great eyesight was becoming not so great. Now, I am almost 50 and I find I need to wear my 1.25 power reading glasses for a lot of fine work including aiming a pistol. I am regretting waiting until I was 49 to start to learn shooting; I should have done this in my 20's :(

If I don't wear glasses, I can barely see the 3 dot sight (think of faint stars on a hazy night). I can get a clear picture of the front sight with my reading glasses on (although I might need to go to 1.5 mag power soon), but I can't really tell after each shot where I am hitting on the target. This has some self-defense implications as well -- scenario: someone breaks in at night, its dark, can't find or drop my glasses. You can imagine.

How do you other aging shooters dealing with your decline in eyesight?

I hoped that one day that I might be able to shoot on target 2" groups at 15-20 yards. Maybe it is too late for that. I am thinking that maybe I should get one of these:

http://www.laserlyte.com/Laser_Training_System/LT-9_LT-40_LT-45/LT-9_LT-40_LT-45.html#

and learn to point shoot. I think I'll get the laser training aid anyway, so the real question is for the shooter with aging eyes, should I learn point shooting or some other method of being able to place rounds accurately (or accurately enough) on a target. Thanks for any advice.
 
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#2 ·
Hi TK hear i am 66 years and i feel for you my answer to you is go to your eye doc. and get your self a pair of glasses .I use one for long and one for short dic, i keep a tac. flash light next to my hi power for night use , I hope this helps TK
 
G
#3 ·
Old age ain't for sissies. I am 57 and I routinely use a "peep hole" device called a Merritt Optical Sighter on my glasses in PPC league. You need shooting glasses with distance scrip in the left eye and close scrip in the right (sighting) eye. You also need to accept the fact you are not going to be able to shoot as good as you used to with iron sights....

As for defense shooting: IMHO, everyone should learn what Plaxco referred to as "indirect sighting" in his book "Shooting From Within", but the rest of us just call it "Target Focus". You keep both eyes wide open and locked on target and raise the gun in line with the dominant eye. You will see a fuzzy sight picture which is more than adequate to shoot at ranges of 15 yards or less.

I also agree point and shoot training with a laser is the best defense training tool available.
 
#4 ·
polycoat, when I was young and flying each day my eye acuity was excellent. Then, I did not require vision aids for shooting. But, as I aged, astigmatism required that I employ opticals for reading as well as distance vision.

I have tired using bifocals for shooting thinking I could focus through my sights with the reading bifocal and then lift my eyes to focus with the distance lens of the optical glasses. Ha, this did not work. I shot very poorly doing this.

Today at seventy-nine years of age, I shoot using my regular distance vision eyeware. For defensive distances of eight feet (or so) or less, I point shoot. For father distances, I focus my aiming point on target through the rear sight with the front sight crossing the T of the rear sight.

Using my regular vision eyewear, I can see and focus using my sights and hit the targets to about 25 yards out. Anything farther, I need a rifle.

Although my accuracy has diminished over time, it still remains quite good at the distances I practice. Without my eyeglasses, I could not hit an elephant standing right in front of me.

The previous suggestion that you see an eye doctor is a good one. The doctor should be able to fit you with the precise opticals to make your shooting experience rewarding.
 
#6 ·
I did not wear glasses until I was 45. In my 20's I had greater than 20/20 vision and was the envy of all my pilot pals. Since then not so much.

As an active IDPA shooter, I have begun to have bad problems being able to focus on the front sight. I discussed this with my optometrist and he recommended something called Double D's or occupational glasses. This places the sweet spot for reading, shooting or doing work above my head on top instead of the bottom of the lens. La voila, now I can see the front sight again. They don't make them in progressive lenses so getting used to the idea of changing glasses takes some powerful remembering. But the damn things work and I have learned to live with the line.
 
#7 ·
For my eyes I use a mixture of things, but really want the sight to stand out.

Thus I like a light mounted on my gun, as it provides enough illumination to give me a sharp sight picture using traditional iron sights if shooting in dim light. Lasers are really good at night, and indoors, as well.

For rifles I find myself going more and more for the red dot EOTech type eyepieces.

I hope that helps.

Biker
 
#8 ·
First I would suggest you go see an Optometric Physician, an OD, not the mall or Costco variety optomitrist. Get a real eye exam and then go from there. Doesn't make much sense to use reading glasses. Have you tried aiming with both eyes open or trying different eyes to aim? I amlucky that my cataracts got so bad they did the implant thing and wow. I too used to have under 20/20 eyes,now happy with what I have. Good luck but get those mark ones checked by a pro. Bill
 
#9 ·
spad,

Yes, I think an eye exam is in order. I didn't start shooting until after my employer's health insurance period ended. Our benefits had just be cut to not include eye coverage (additional insurance now needs to be bought and enrolled separately). I either wait a year or pay out of pocket. I'll probably pay out of pocket. Plans to purchase a BUG will need to go on hold.

I appreciate everyone's feedback.
 
#11 ·
Advice about seeing a good opthamologist is sound. You usually only get one pair of eyes per lifetime... take care of them.
As for sighting. You may need to let go of the 'three-dot' sighting system in favor of a much brighter front sight. Even using Plaxco's system, the fuzzy frontsight blur will be brighter.
I have stopped using the 3-dot, bar-dot and all other such sights since I was 60yrs old. I now use a very bright front sight.. standing rectangle in an un-natural green... can't miss it so I always focus on the correct thing while sighting. It's fast too. Painted all my carry guns front sights, back-up guns too. I did the same for a much younger man's gun in one of my defensive classes and his hit ratio went up drastically. He is 41 yrs old but has poor vision, so he is in the same boat as you and I.
The green color works for competition because one never looses the front sight in the dark target. For defensive use, the green is something only a circus clown might wear so it contrasts well with most clothing and helps in quick sighting. Of course, I am generally very careful whe the circus is in town...lol.
Just my two cents.
 
#12 ·
[color=#000080 said:
oberstlt[/color]]I did not wear glasses until I was 45. In my 20's I had greater than 20/20 vision and was the envy of all my pilot pals. Since then not so much.

As an active IDPA shooter, I have begun to have bad problems being able to focus on the front sight. I discussed this with my optometrist and he recommended something called Double D's or occupational glasses. This places the sweet spot for reading, shooting or doing work above my head on top instead of the bottom of the lens. La voila, now I can see the front sight again. They don't make them in progressive lenses so getting used to the idea of changing glasses takes some powerful remembering. But the damn things work and I have learned to live with the line.
oberstlt,

Crash here--never heard of the Double D's before, but I'm going to talk to my Doc about them. Thanks for the info...

Cheers,

Crash
 
#13 ·
[color=#000080 said:
antares[/color]]Advice about seeing a good opthamologist is sound. You usually only get one pair of eyes per lifetime... take care of them.
As for sighting. You may need to let go of the 'three-dot' sighting system in favor of a much brighter front sight. Even using Plaxco's system, the fuzzy frontsight blur will be brighter.
I have stopped using the 3-dot, bar-dot and all other such sights since I was 60yrs old. I now use a very bright front sight.. standing rectangle in an un-natural green... can't miss it so I always focus on the correct thing while sighting. It's fast too. Painted all my carry guns front sights, back-up guns too. I did the same for a much younger man's gun in one of my defensive classes and his hit ratio went up drastically. He is 41 yrs old but has poor vision, so he is in the same boat as you and I.
The green color works for competition because one never looses the front sight in the dark target. For defensive use, the green is something only a circus clown might wear so it contrasts well with most clothing and helps in quick sighting. Of course, I am generally very careful whe the circus is in town...lol.
Just my two cents.
antares,

You didn't mention what kind, if any, back sight you use. Is it something special, too?

Crash
 
#14 ·
Aimtrue said, "polycoat, when I was young and flying each day my eye acuity was excellent. "

I could have said that!

Then Aimtrue said, "Today at seventy-nine years of age, I shoot using my regular distance vision eyeware."

I could have said that too!! Nice to find another true geezer on this site. So, to the point. I have Crimson Trace laser grips on three handguns. I am so sold on them I will not buy a handgun that CT does not provide laser grips for. Some complain about the price; I can afford them. Others sniff at them as crutches. Well, I need crutches. I shoot two of my handguns more or less weekly at my range, 5-10 yards, fifty rounds each. Eighty percent of my rounds are fired with the laser sights, and I am lethal with most of them. I am also lethal with most of the twenty percent I shoot with iron front sight, but I am much slower at it.

Do not count on having your glasses on in a SD/HD situation. If, as you said, you are having problems with your iron sights (my problems started about the same age as yours did), then think about laser sights. And don't let price be the deciding factor. Let the deciding factor be the answer to this question: "Am I worth it?"

If you decide to get laser sights (any label), do not start by using them at the range. Start in your house, dry firing at door knobs or such. The laser dot will wander furiously at first, a humiliating experience that has driven many away from using them. Learn to control what you are doing in private.

Cordially, Jack
 
#15 ·
Hello and thanks to all for the fine comments displayed in this thread. I cannot express how genuinely heartening it is to read reasoned, mature responses rather than the "in your face" type stuff I read on some (not all, but too many) sites.

As for myself, so long as the range is 15 yards or less, I can get by without glasses. With mine on, the front sight is a sad blur, but I can lower my head and look over them. I might do better with bifocals (as well as hearing aids; too many years on too many firing lines, I reckon!) but so far I am still resisting.

In short, we are all similar but still uniquely individual; do what works best for you.

Best.
 
#16 ·
If money is an issue, medical schools often provide free care to the community either in the form of research programs that provide free care/screening as part of the research or through community clinics.

Duke has a great eye program.

Wednesday, Mar. 9, 2011

Time
2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Organization
Duke Eye Center
Description
Duke doctors will perform free vision screening and glaucoma tests. First come, first served basis.

Registration status
No registration required - 919-361-0629
Location
3825 South Roxboro Road, Durham, NC 27713


UNC has a charitable care program.
Financial Assistance Programs

http://www.unchealthcare.org/site/healthpatientcare/patient/other/financial.htm

It is the policy of UNC Health Care to provide medically necessary health care to the citizens of North Carolina, regardless of their ability to pay.They provide care at discount and sometimes only for a modest copay.

If you do not have insurance, or are concerned about paying for your medical bill, please call our Charitable Care Coordinator Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at (919) 966-3425.
 
#17 ·
Thanks for all the replies gentlemen (I hope I didn't leave out any lady respondents). I did take the advice and got a complete eye exam from an ophthalmologist. The doc said my eyes are healthy, and my distance vision will always be good, but I will need reading glasses for close work. He and I talked for a little while and I explained that I enjoy shooting pistols. It turns out he is a shooter as well. Although, he said he wasn't doing much shooting these days. So, he was sympathetic, but thought that I could make due with reading glasses. He did write a prescription for progressive lenses. But the cost is pretty high (but I might check out the Duke or UNC program as I live pretty close to both of them -- thanks or the tip Nelson).

I decided to approach my eye issue from a different angle. I've started reading Andy Stanford's book, "Surgical Speed Shooting". This author contends that for SD shooting, focusing on the front sight is too slow. As an experiment during my dry fire practice at home, I've decided to ditch the reading glasses and just not worry too much about the blurry sight picture. I am focusing on the target, and just let the sights be blurry. To augment my dry-fire practice I bought a Laserlyte LT-9 training device, which is a huge help. I have to say, I am able to hit within the 3" circle at ranges from 5 yards a fair part of the time. I think my goal for (which is oriented toward SD/HD) would be able to get 4-6" groups at 7-10 yards. I think that is a doable goal. If I end up being able to do better than that, than all the better.

In any case, I am grateful for all the thoughtful replies.
 
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