Progressive Lenses SUCK - and need advice on upgraded sights

behindyou

behindyou

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Got new glasses- progressives - and they are worthless for shooting. "Close-up" zone is near the bottom of the frame. When I try to focus on the front site - I need to tilt my head way back - which causes issues with balance. Yipee. Picked up a set of +3.0 cheater glasses for the range - will see if that works.

Current CCW is a Sig P229 with dim night sights. Any recommendations on a LARGER set of sights to provide easier viewing? And a gunsmith in the Charlotte area to install?

Thanks for any help.
 
Amazon sells safety glasses with reading correction for $10 or so. If you go for them, be sure the entire lens is ā€œcorrectedā€ as opposed to a spot at the bottom of each side.
 
NCFubar said:
Find a ophthalmologist who understands how to make proper shooting glasses and understand what correction areas need to be for shooting.
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Go to your opthamologist... Tell them you want glasses that focus at a certain distance, then show them the distance you are looking for.

Extend your arms out... Make 2 fists and press your thumbs together. Tell them you want your glasses to "focus" from 2" - 4" in front of your fists and out further.
They should be able to get you squared away..
 
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...you could visit my wife, who sets up glasses and contacts for chooters, including some champion competitors, but she is only an optometrist. She's been in Jamestown for three decades. 336-454-5151 Dr. De-Allen.

Take your firearm in with you, discretely, for accurate measurements.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
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Thanks for all the great advice. I'm gonna try the cheaters at Amazon and see how that works - for the short run.
 
I shoot with progressives myself, and a RDS on my Glock. Took a decent amount of drawing again and learning where to look from non progressives, but I figured it out. I reckoned that I always have my glasses on, so I needed to figure out how to shoot best with them. I did tell my optometrist that I wanted the distance/focal points a little different with my second set I ordered to try and make it a little better. They can get you squared away, it will just take you figuring out where that focal point is best. Good luck.

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I made sure my doc knew shooting both with magnified optics (rifles) and irons/rds (pistols) was an important consideration. As well as being able to see well enought to replace springs, plungers, pins, extractors, and other small parts in guns. My progressives work just fine for all of it.
 
behindyou said:
Got new glasses- progressives - and they are worthless for shooting. "Close-up" zone is near the bottom of the frame. When I try to focus on the front site - I need to tilt my head way back - which causes issues with balance. Yipee. Picked up a set of +3.0 cheater glasses for the range - will see if that works.

Current CCW is a Sig P229 with dim night sights. Any recommendations on a LARGER set of sights to provide easier viewing? And a gunsmith in the Charlotte area to install?

Thanks for any help.
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"Computer" progressives are cool for that. Larger arms length focal region in the middle. Reading at the bottom. Distance at the top.
I use these for work. Love them. Need to try them shooting. I have used single vision computer (arms length) glasses in the past for shooting.
 
I thought 'red dot' route, but I'm a 'husky' sized lunk and the RDS on my P320 Carry dug into my flesh. The P229 is a breeze to carry, just need to identify replacement sights to aide the eyes.
 
behindyou said:
Got new glasses- progressives - and they are worthless for shooting. "Close-up" zone is near the bottom of the frame. When I try to focus on the front site - I need to tilt my head way back - which causes issues with balance. Yipee. Picked up a set of +3.0 cheater glasses for the range - will see if that works.

Current CCW is a Sig P229 with dim night sights. Any recommendations on a LARGER set of sights to provide easier viewing? And a gunsmith in the Charlotte area to install?

Thanks for any help.
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I wear bifocals (progressive) and have two pairs of glasses. One is for normal every day wearing, the other for use at my desk at work where the majority of my computer work is done.

Talk to your eye doctor about this. They can adjust your prescription based on how you need to use the glasses. Contrary to popular belief, bifocals (progressive or otherwise) need not all be made the same way.
 
Brawny said:
I'm glad I came across this thread. I had no idea there were options as to how glasses were set up and I just scheduled an eye appointment just this morning.
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I'm a bit fortunate. My insurance covers eyeglasses every year. If I want to buy two in one year, it gets expensive.

However, work provides me with prescription safety glasses at no cost because PPE is kind of important. I can bring my current prescription in and they'll make me safety glasses for both uses.

Another option is, if your prescription doesn't change much from year to year, you can continue using your old glasses for normal use and have a new pair made to your new needs for shooting under your insurance.
 
An aside. One thing I donā€™t hear mentioned much when discussing shooting with an optic (i.e. red dot) on a hangun. You need to shoot with both eyes open to realize the full potential.

I have a torn, but repaired, retina in my non-dominant eye so my dominant eye is really the only ā€œgoodā€ one, so optics donā€™t work well for me. I shoot faster with open sights.
 
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Is anybody will full blown old guy eyes using a single vision RX for distance and just using target focus for iron sights?

This is workable at the moment for me but think I haven't lost all of the focus in my eyes yet. Just curious if I am wasting time.

I am pretty sure I won't go the route of progressives, dots on my carry guns, or carrying two glasses around.
 
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Progressives work best in larger lenses, I get the largest that my eye center has. for shooting you can also use a piece of moleskin on the nose pad to help raise the glasses
 
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behindyou said:
Got new glasses- progressives - and they are worthless for shooting. "Close-up" zone is near the bottom of the frame. When I try to focus on the front site - I need to tilt my head way back - which causes issues with balance. Yipee. Picked up a set of +3.0 cheater glasses for the range - will see if that works.

Current CCW is a Sig P229 with dim night sights. Any recommendations on a LARGER set of sights to provide easier viewing? And a gunsmith in the Charlotte area to install?

Thanks for any help.
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Go to Dilworth Eye, make an appointment with Dr. Bunich. He's one of us, and he knows how to make glasses work with firearms. Bring an airsoft with you to the appointment to use during the fitting.
 
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Otis said:
Is anybody will full blown old guy eyes using a single vision RX for distance and just using target focus for iron sights?

This is workable at the moment for me but think I haven't lost all of the focus in my eyes yet. Just curious if I am wasting time.

I am pretty sure I won't go the route of progressives, dots on my carry guns, or carrying two glasses around.
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That's what I do. And guess a bit.
 
I appreciate all the input. Ordered new sights (light pipe) for the gun to replace the dim siglites. Ill try those before I look at other glasses/options.
 
behindyou said:
I appreciate all the input. Ordered new sights (light pipe) for the gun to replace the dim siglites. Ill try those before I look at other glasses/options.
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I wear trifocals. Have found that the tritium with the red outline front sight work best for me. Ameriglo, Night Fission and Trijicon HD's are what I have used. You can get front sight only from Night Fission. The HD's are tall, snaggy, and a bit pricey.
 
Call Decot Hy-wyde in AZ; they will fix you up with dedicated pistol glasses for range work.
But better learn to manage with the everyday lenses you will be wearing during EDC.

I use progressives and feel your pain, also astigmatism that messes with my red dot. Still can shoot just fine - adapt and practice.
 
Replaced the siglight with a X-ray 3 sight and made a huge difference. Thanks for all the feedback.

have a blessed Memorial Day.
 
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