[Geezer]

My age requires the use of tri-focal corrective lenses. Problem is, there is no way to focus while shooting. The top portion allows target focus, but the front and rear sights are badly out of focus. The mid-range portion covers the sights, but the target is blurred. The bottom is only good for the rear sight. Same problem with rifles/shotguns. My optomertist was no help at all, he must be a klintonite. Has anybody else faced this problem ? What's the recommended solution ?

 

[Betty]

How about using the top portion of your glasses to see the target clearly, and get some XS Sights Big Dots? The front sight is big and white; I've got a set on my USPc, and I really like them.

 

[The Tourist]

Geezer,

I seem to remember opthomologists that can make glasses expressly for target shooting. In fact, I thought I saw a pair on Elmer Keith in a related story. You might google the concept and see if you can find a guy in your area.

Of course, beware. I knew a lens grinder once that fell into his machinery and made a spectacle of himself.

 

[QKShooter]

Many Solutions

We'll start here.
The first thing I would do is look for another optometrist.

Different Things Work For Different People. Don't stop searching until you find a workable system that will allow you to shoot perfectly!

If you have hard line trifocals then you honestly need to just get another pair of plain shooting glasses that will allow to perfectly focus on your front site. I sure would buy a pair of single prescription new glasses that will just keep your front sight in sharp focus.
Preferably buy them with a contrast increasing yellow tint.
Then get a Merit "Stick On" adjustable iris aperture for those glasses. That's the only brand I gan think of "off hand" BUT, there are also other various styles of Iris Diaphrams available for shooting glasses.

Here is a link for Merit.
Merit Sight Focuser
Then you should be good to go for target shooting!
For actual "real life" self~defense shooting with your regular eyeglasses just look at your front sight & allow the intended target to blur...then put your front sight COM "center of mass" at your blurred adversary.
Let me know if you need any other suggestions.

 

[Bumper]

How about using the top portion of your glasses to see the target clearly, and get some XS Sights Big Dots? The front sight is big and white; I've got a set on my USPc, and I really like them.

A gunsmith here showed me those sights mounted on a blue gun so you could target around the store. I really like them and want a set for my Nighthawk Enforcer. My vision problems are exactly as you described (except I wear bifocals) and the Big Dot makes it much easier to target, though I haven't had the opportunity to try them on a range.

 

[P95Carry]

Geezer - I have a thread on this matter over on THR - go peek, to save me copying it over.

My search is similar. I have a Merit but do not find it much help with fast moving comp shooting - just benchrest etc. I am after having my puter script added to top portion of my current progressives. Seems it may be all but impossible. First attempt they made was a total wash-out - got it all wrong. i now await their second attempt - hoping like crazy it'll work or at least help.

See what you think - I'll post feedback when I eventually get the second try glasses - I hope soon.

 

[Tom357]

We'll start here.
...For actual "real life" self~defense shooting with your regular eyeglasses just look at your front sight & allow the intended target to blur...then put your front sight COM "center of mass" at your blurred adversary.
Let me know if you need any other suggestions.

I was going to point out that, if you are focusing on the front sight, as often recommended, then the target is out of focus, anyway. I know I have the described focus problems with my unifocal lenses. If I focus on the target, the sights are out of focus. If I focus on the front sight, the target is out of focus. I focus on my target until I bring my pistol to bear, at which time my focus is shifting to the front sight.

I'm giving serious consideration to the XS Big Dots to replace my SIG standard sights. The sight picture is similar and that big dot looks like it would make target acquisition quicker.

My wife tried tri-focals and they nearly drove her nuts (I finished the job).

 

[acparmed]

A gunsmith here showed me those sights mounted on a blue gun so you could target around the store. I really like them and want a set for my Nighthawk Enforcer. My vision problems are exactly as you described (except I wear bifocals) and the Big Dot makes it much easier to target, though I haven't had the opportunity to try them on a range.

I have the 27/7 XS sights on my Rock River and am about to put them on my Kimber. They are great. I am very pleased with them. They aren't the best bullseye target sights but for combat-defensive work they are outstanding.

 

[Betty]

Laser sights might also be good in this situation.

 

[rstickle]

Have you thought about progressive lenses instead of tri-focals?

 

[P95Carry]

Betty - re my own attempt at a solution - I have fitted CT's to my 226 - awesome combination and, unless caught in an SD sitation in bright sun - they are gonna do the business!

My real wish to get focus sharper on foresight is, IDPA - when of course laser has to be off (darn it!). Plus I guess too - a reduction in any reliance on something containing batteries - where Murphy might well wanna step in at worst time! :smile:

 

[QKShooter]

Anybody Try Yet ????????????

The new contact bi-focal lenses with both "near & far" prescriptions built into each lens?
I still can't figure out how they would work.
I don't need bi's so...I don't know much about them.

 

[Bumper]

Get some XS Sights Big Dots? The front sight is big and white; I've got a set on my USPc, and I really like them.

After thinking about this thread for awhile, at lunch today, Nighthawk and I went to the local gunsmith and I had an XS Big Dot front sight put on my Nighthawk Enforcer. It's big, it's bright white and the tritium vial is more like a jar. It glows in daylight with just a hand cupped over the sight. It is easily 2-3x the size of the old dot and vial. $109 installed and that included re-sizing the front dovetail, refinishing that area and lock-titing the thing in. It still looks original. :smile:

 

[TAPS CCW]

A good friend of mine did a study on this. Go to Walgreens and pick up a pair of reading glasses that are half your reading prescription. Hold your thumb out as far as you can, if can see all the wrinkles on the knuckle you're real close to right. You should be able to focus on front sight and target will be blurry. XS sights work, I have them on all my combat blasters, and the laser is working for added tools on your gun. Always cheat and always win is what Clint would say. I never had good eyes so this an important topic for me. Bright color on the front sight (even on my XS sight helps me for faster pick-up. Lastly change eye doctors there are a lot of doctors out there who are willing to help.

 

[Bumper]

Well, after my trip to the range today, I really like the Big Dot. Only problem is I don't like the way the gun shoots with it. The sight is taller because of the bigger dot which makes me shoot low (of course) and only when I am consciously thinking about it can I shoot acceptably. Since I refuse to use an adjustable rear sight I may have to look for a rear that is designed a bit high. I was disappointed. :frown:

 

[nighthawk]

I wear the lined trifocals and trust me it just takes time. I focus on the sights and the target is blurry I quickly hit the top lens and point sight the target. then let her fly. It is just a split second with some practice. Also get a good white ring or big dot front sight. It helps a-lot.

 

[TAPS CCW]

Bumper call Bo at XS, he probably has a higher rear sight ready to go in. Could be as simple as a trade. I know for 1911 depending on the barrel length they have different heights. Same thing with the Glock. Who put your sights on, maybe they didn't get the right one.

 

[Bumper]

Will do, TAPS, I trust the guy that did the work and he warned me that it might present a problem by not changing out the back. I will call XS on Monday and see what they say. I was thinking their fronts and back would be matched as far as height went......

 

[Moondoggie]

Here's my solution:

My vision is 20/40 uncorrected...very close to the same for both eyes. I wear no-line trifocals, but the center portion has no prescription since I'm OK uncorrected out to about 8 ft...I can see the front sight just fine with naked eyes.

I have contacts, but only wear one in my right eye aka "Monovision". It works OK, but I don't wear them much...too much hassle.

Since the consensus seems to be that you need to shoot IPSC with both eyes open (a new concept for me that I'm struggling to master) I just switch the contact lens in my left eye for distance (tgt focus) and I can see the front sight perfectly with my right eye uncorrected. Add a pair of the cheapo shooting/safety glasses and I'm good to go. I don't know if this might work for anybody else, but it seems to help me.

For bullseye shooting I'll continue to use the glasses.

 

[TAPS CCW]

Bumper - I'm sorry I thought you had their rear sight. Yes they are a matched set. What you could do is have your guy mill the existing rear where the big dot sets into it, the notch will be almost rounded. This is similar to the Novak ghost rear sight. I really like express rear. The only problem I've encountered is sometimes the white dot disappears, I put "hot pink" nail polish on mine. It works! I talked to them trying to get them to either make the big dot fiber optic or gold, with a tritium insert for the dark. Now that would be perfect for my tried old eyes. Hope this helps.