Glasses? Do you 'maintain'' them?

[P95Carry]

I expect any of us who wear glasses have practiced shooting without them but - do you ever check those tiny screws on the frame?

I had a lens fall out yesterday, appropos nothing in particular... just fell out!! Fortunately, tho the screww had loosened right out, it was not lost and it took moments to do it all up - with thread lock!

If however (per Murphy) such a thing occurred at a most inconvenient time - IMO it sure ain't gonna help! Therefore I reckon a routine inspection of glasses is a worthwhile move.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[rstickle]

I expect any of us who wear glasses have practiced shooting without them but - do you ever check those tiny screws on the frame?

I haven't......... You got to be able to see the target!! I do try and maintain them, and keep a reasonable spare pair around.

[FortyFive]

Years ago my glasses would fall apart because of the screw coming out, my fix is to get a paper clip and thread it through the hole where the screw was, cut it to size and bend sharpley. I got tired of trying to deal with it now they never part.
I never shot without my glasses on but it would be different. if it were a defensive situation I am sure one would not even know they were missing.

[Euclidean]

I must confess something. I'm a patently unsafe shooter.

I'm a bad boy. I shoot with my prescription glasses on most of the time. I've tried the "fits over your glasses" goggles. None of them do. Part of it is my huge nose.

So when I had to take the qualifying test some months ago, I tried it without my glasses on and safety goggles instead in case I had to shoot that way.

On my qualifying test, where it turns out I did get to use my glasses, I shot a 240/250. I was also the lowest score in the group FYI. I felt so outclassed.

But I did it a week beforehand and got something like 198/250. I found that at 15 yards, if I fired at any sort of speed, accuracy was terrible. The bulk of the shots were in the 3 point zone and I had an awful lot of them just outside the silhoutte where I'd tried a head shot. I found out aiming for the trunk of the body was about a 70% proposition and the head was worthless. One shot would have taken the guy's ear off and another would have given him a haircut, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

The thing is, I was actually surprised at how well I did at that distance. I didn't think I'd hit any of them at all because the target was just a fuzzy blue spot I was aiming at the center of.

At 7 yards they were all on the silhouette minus about 3 or 4 flyers. I had no grouping whatsoever. It was just all over the place. I was pleased that roughly 60%-70% were inside the 4 or 5 point zones however.

At 3 yards I was a little sloppier than normal, but it wasn't too bad. I had a flyer that missed the outline by about an inch when I was attempting 5 shots in 5 seconds.

The main thing I realized though was that even at 3 yards, I can see colors but I can't discern facial features very well. If I'm not wearing corrective lenses I best be very careful about who I'm considering shooting to say the least.

My solution to this, thinking long term, was that when I got new glasses, I got Flexon frames which are very sturdy. I get a new pair of glasses once a year and my prescription doesn't change significantly, so next year I'll keep this as my spare, and so on and so on. I've just got to spring a couple hundred dollars for good frames from now on.

[older gunner]

I wear glasses and I've tried with and without. For pistol shooting, I usually stick to 21 feet. I actually do as well without the glasses as I do with them Without, I can focus well on the front sight, (I'm near sighted)and I can see the target well enough to put the sight on it. If I wear my glasses, I can see the target real well, but the front sight is fuzzy. However, for close defensive shooting, I'm OK either way.

[Miggy]

I shoot with my everyday glasses. However, I did ask to have the lenses made in the thickest polycarboante available so they could also be safe to use shooting.

BTW, about those pesky little screws: if you put a drop of clear nail polish on them, they will hold longer. Check every month and refresh the polish as necessary.

[acparmed]

I guess I'm lucky so far. I need reading glasses for most close-up work, like most 50+ year-olds. If I wear my glasses shooting, the front sight is crystal clear but the target is so blurry it's hard to define the A-Zone, if I shoot with just clear lenses the front sight is a little blurry but not bad enough to be of consequence.

And yes, I too have lost lenses due to the little screws. Problem is I need my damn glasses to fix my glasses!

[Hask12]

I've had people tell me I had a screw loose, I didn't realise they were referring to my glasses.

[P95Carry]

Problem is I need my damn glasses to fix my glasses!

That Bob is where the last useful pair come in - or in my case my special computer ones.

[Jim_Linch]

Blind as a bat without them. First thing I do with a new pair is locktight the screws. They ALWAYS LOSSEN. I also save my old ones for backups, better blurry vision than none!

Don't forget a backup for the BOB! :)

[Jim_Linch]

On the otherhand you could always take advantage of the situation and practice POINT SHOOTING! yuk! yuk! yuk! :)

[gunthorp]

My right (master) eye started to go first, and as things decrepitad further, the left started to go. The close up stuff, like sights, are frustration. But being in total denial about long in the tooth issues, I thought I could excersise the muscles of the lens to make it squeeze harder for the close ups. (EYE CHI) Well, that seemed to help, but I drifted off the regimen through laziness because I foud some really ugly black plastic nerd magnifiers for $3/pr. Buddy Holley glasses. And since they're only for reading and writing, I just know I won't have them on when TSHTF. So I shoot without, and 25 yd lucky cloverleafs aren't going to happen anymore. But I still have the confidence to succeed at "normal" defensive distance. Hopefully, if the problem requires longer range precision, I'll be able to slip a pair on from behind cover.

Confidence, no matter what disabilities or obstacles, and the will to succeed, will shield and lead, you who keep the faith.

[gunthorp]

Oh I forgot to invite you in celebraing my good fortune. I just acquired 800-900 lbs of wheel weights to add to my stash in the woods somewhere (I know they'll make it taboo sooner or later.) I dont have the words (like EUC) to describe how much better I'll feel after I point shoot it all.

[FortyFive]

gunthorp-to be fair if your in the same room as the bad guy you should tell him of your vision problem and advise him that you intend to open fire, its up to him to get out of the way.

[gunthorp]

I'll do it after I've perfected my SOUND shooting when my eyes have failed altogether:) Until then, try to use the sights, but don't let that stop you getting off the first effective hit.