Aging eyes and hunting scopes...

[Anonymous]

I debated about putting this in the Optics section, but this seems to get a bit more traffic. Also I'm only concerned with hunting scopes- target scopes aren't really my thing.

As my eyes have aged, my vision just isn't what it was and it's never been great. I've worn glasses for farsightedness since I was too young to remember...I also ended up with bifocals a couple years ago.

That said- this year I noticed my shooting is notably worse this year than in years previous. I'm willing to chalk it up to just plain bad shooting, especially since some of it happened as a follow up. I'm also using a VX3 2.5-8x scope this year, a model that I've used for years and years now, but I'm wondering if this scope isn't as forgiving to bifocals as my Zeiss Conquest I used last year? Could the position of my head behind the scope result in a different sight picture since I'm looking through different parts of the progressive bifocal lens? I also had a struggle with this scope getting knocked out of zero so I've got that playing on my mind as well.

Maybe I'm thinking too hard about this... but I shot the same animals with the same rifle at the same ranges as I have for a decade, but this year was far sloppier. I managed to knock everything over in short order but I'm big enough to realize a couple of them were pure good fortune. If there's something I can do better- I'm all ears.

Anyone with any similar experiences? On this one I really need to hear from the voice of experience in dealing with aging eyesight.

 

[salmonchaser]

Yes, if you're looking through the edge of your bifocal that will cause some sight picture confusion. I don't wear mine when shooting anything.


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[Kodiak]

When I had my last yellow shooting-glasses made, I went to a local eye dr. that also shoots. His whole family is shooters and hunters. Several years before, I had cataracts removed and replacement lenses in both eyes. Now, no glasses needed 'cept for reading very small print. It changed my whole world of viewing thru the scope.

Not saying this will help anyone with problems seeing thru a scope.

The best, Jim

 

[rodell]

I found I hav shot for so long I was getting sloppy at shooting from field positions. More trigger time someplace besides the bench helps tremendously.

My largest problem was not properly (and consistently) securing the forearm. I was shooting much higher than I wanted to. It was just a lack of practice and my own ego.

 

[Dwh7271]

Every time my prescription changes it messes me up.
I wear no line bifocals and have noticed that I had to experiment with my cheek weld. I shot 3 in one position, 3 w my head slightly higher etc until I found what worked.
I spoke w a competitive shooter that has his bifocals reversed (normal bottom part now on top) and he said it was more consistent for him. Probably wouldn't work in the field but works for him from the bench. :grin:

 

[Europe]

hodgeman,

I took my favorite hunting rifle/scope to the optomotrist and he made me a pair of shooting glasses with the script that was perfect for my eyes to the scope. The lens were ground to the proper script, taking into account the position of my head ( the frames must also fit ) and the distance to the optic. I was somewhat lucky as my optomistrist was also a hunter so bringing a rifle to the eye doctor did not scare anyone. Secondly I found upgrading my scopes helped as well as illumination, but the "shooting glasses" were the most important, as better glass is true whether our eyes are old or young, but now I had a legitimate reason to buy a scope with better glass. Illumination is also something that some like and some don't.

 

[DrMike]

Waaaaay too sensible, April. Carry a rifle to the optometrist here in Canada, and you could anticipate a lengthy stay in the Crowbar Hotel.

 

[Thebear_78]

Just take the scope or the scope mounted to a stock.


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[Europe]

Excellent point Dr Mike !!!!

I did leave the bolt at home and like I said he was a hunter himself which of course helps. Plus this was a few years back and I was still in Arizona, which is an open carry state, so that helps.

I do not know but would think Hodgeman would be o.k. in Alaska, but who knows these days.

The "pc" police have gone waaaay to far in this old woman's opinion

 

[truck driver]

Unfortunately my optometrist passed away recently and I used to take my pistols to his office so he could measure my sight radius and he would have lens custom made for me so I could get a clear focus on my sights. I don't need my glasses for distances so I hunt with out them but the new scopes have a fast adjustable rear eye piece and I can't wear my glasses when I shoot because when the cross hairs are in focus the target isn't. I adjust the rear eye piece so the cross hairs are in focus and the target is slightly out of focus. You can't hit the target if you can't see the sights. I also have less problem with low powered scope settings than high powered settings

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Hodgeman,

Like you, I've worn glasses longer than I can remember, but mine are for nearsightedness... So I'm not sure if what I'm about to say will work for you.

I need bifocals, sort of (but do not have them, never have).... With my glasses on I cannot see up close, from the end of my nose out to about 2 feet or so, blurry as hell.

But, due to the way my eyes are, I can see perfect up close.... Without glasses.

I'm backwards to most, instead of needing glasses to read....I have to take mine off, or raise them up and look under them....

Like you, I read a lot....2 books this week... "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer and "The Climb" by Anatoli Boukreev.... That really crappy movie (Everest) got me started on that subject.

Shooting....
I do fine with single vision lenses.... But I wouldn't dream of trying bifocals, don't see the point since single vision works... If I ever do get bifocals, I'll still have a pair of single vision glasses for shooting.

The only time my vision, with my glasses on, really bothers me is when I'm reading or eating... At which times I just take my glasses off.

Being farsighted as you are, if you can focus on crosshairs without bifocals.... Don't use them for shooting, just get a 2nd pair with single vision to hunt with.

If you have to have them to focus on crosshairs... You may need to invert the lenses... That is, have the lens ground with the "up close" part on top, instead of the bottom....

I know a couple of gentleman who have had that done for the specific purpose of shooting... It enables them to focus on the crosshairs while maintaining a good and proper cheek weld.

Size and fit of glasses is also an important consideration... The current trend towards smaller lenses is counterproductive to what you are trying to accomplish.

 

[Thankful Otter]

Hodgeman, speak up man, everyone is waiting to see what your eye doctor ( I can not spell optometrist --oh maybe I just did ) said when you told him you were coming in to see him and bringing a rifle ?

 

[Muldoon]

I tried progressive lenses and they just didn't work for me! Why? With progressive lenses if I'm deer hunting if game appears from off to the side....one has to TURN THE ENTIRE HEAD.....to be able to get a clear view! Game picks up the smallest movements and gets the boogers! With regular lenses....one can keep the head in one place and move the eye-balls and still get clear vision!

I've trained hundreds of shooters over 50 years and most DO NOT use their eyes correctly and by that I mean that if they're scope shooters.....at shot break their vision is fixated on the game or the target and that is not correct! At shot break the vision needs to be concentrated on the apex of the cross-wires and not the game or the target! The target should be seen in the secondary vision!

For what it's worth!

 

[Dwh7271]

Good advice there

 

[alaska100]

Hodgeman, you might also check with Safevision and TacticalRX. My grandmother has used them and speaks well of them. Brooke

 

[truck driver]

I know I've commented on this earlier but would like to add that though I wear progressive lens glasses my scopes range from 1 1/5 - 5X on my 30-06 to 4-14X on the 7RM I prefer the lower power adjustable scopes for hunting and have them set on the lowest power when doing so and this allows me to see my cross hairs and the game with in reasonable distances. Having shot a lot of hand gun competition and having had to carry a hand gun for a living I have learned to shoot with both eyes open and do so when hunting thus having the scope set on the lowest power. I actually started doing this before I had to wear glasses to read and my Doctor set the prescription so I could do this and still get 110% out of my vision. I focus the scope so the cross hairs are clear and bold so that with the power on the lowest setting it is like shooting with no magnification. If I plan on taking long range shots I still leave the focus alone and don't worry about the target being blurry. You can't hit anything if you can't see the cross hairs.
Just to let you know I'm well over 60 and have cataracts starting to form in my right eye which is my dominate eye and can still shoot some decent groups with my rifles on paper. Most of the problems with poor shooting is with poor trigger control which we all are guilty of once in a while.

 

[BretN]

20 years after starting to wear glasses I finally tried contacts and what a difference it made while hunting and fishing. Then a few years ago I needed bifocals, and got bifocal contacts too. Don't ask me to explain how they work, just know that they do. They are seamless. I have different prescriptions for each eye, so I have bifocal lenses in each eye. Some people can get by with one lens for distance and one for close up work. The brain compensates and somehow that works out well for people too.

Go see your eye Dr. and at least ask about contacts. Pay the extra $40-50 for the contact fitting where they actually send you home with contacts and see if you like them. If that pair doesn't work, they will usually try a different brand or prescription until they get it right for you. If you find you don't like contacts, don't buy any and you are only out the fitting fee.

With my bifocal contacts, I never have a problem using any of my scopes.

 

[308 Ragin Cajun]

Hodgeman,
I have some what the same problem, only maybe magnified. I have to wear graduated lenses, basically tri-focals without lines. At the range,. I find that I have to concentrate on making sure that my eye position is the same every time. If i cant my head just a little bit, I get a different sight picture. With graduated lenses, there is no line to judge by. And I just got a new pair of glasses so I have to go try to work this out allover again!

 

[waveslayer]

I would buy a Swarovski Scope, adjust the focus based upon you not wearing glasses and then adjust the parallax. I had to get my dad a Swarovski and man, there's a difference for sure! I'm selling two scopes now. PM if your interested. Both are Z6i scopes 5-30x50. Illuminated

My wife thinks I only have 3 guns

 

[Anonymous]

I pulled the Leupold 2.5-8x off and stuck my 3-9x Zeiss back on it.

Seems a whole lot easier to get along with.