Texas Hunting Forum

Being nearsighted and shooting with open sights

Posted By: Texas Dan

Being nearsighted and shooting with open sights - 11/18/14 06:40 PM

After making a couple of trips to the range, I've come to the conclusion that my range with open sights is perhaps a little more than 50 yards. Being nearsighted, I simply cannot focus on the sights well enough while using my glasses (which I take off for closer viewing) to shoot accurately at longer distances. When I take my glasses off, I can see the gun sights perfectly.

With my nearsightedness not being too bad, I'm thinking I might be able to get an extra 25 yards or so by shooting without corrective lenses.

Comments from those who are nearsighted and dealt with the issue?
Posted By: 505ed

Re: Being nearsighted and shooting with open sights - 11/18/14 07:35 PM

I find a ghost ring is helpful
Posted By: Texas Dan

Re: Being nearsighted and shooting with open sights - 11/18/14 07:47 PM

Originally Posted By: 505ed
I find a ghost ring is helpful


My Marlin 336 has a covered sight at the end of the barrel that seems to help.

My problem is that corrective lenses blurs my view of the sights too much to get a clear distinction between the front and rear sights. It makes taking close aim at greater distances more difficult.

Again, because the nearsightedness isn't that bad, I'm thinking I might do better not using my glasses for more distant shots, those beyond 75 yards to a max of 100. I can still see a deer well enough at 100 yards without corrective lenses to clearly see the front shoulder area. Also, 100 yards seems to be where most guys draw the line with open sights.
Posted By: Texas buckeye

Re: Being nearsighted and shooting with open sights - 11/18/14 08:49 PM

just get lasik and call it a day...best Christmas present you can give yourself
Posted By: Texas Dan

Re: Being nearsighted and shooting with open sights - 11/18/14 09:42 PM

Originally Posted By: Texas buckeye
just get lasik and call it a day...best Christmas present you can give yourself


I've been told more than once that LASIK would eliminate my nearsightedness, but make me farsighted and require glasses for reading and close work, which I don't have now.
Posted By: WileyCoyote

Re: Being nearsighted and shooting with open sights - 11/18/14 10:50 PM

Or you could do like my wife did, initially with contacts and later with cataract replacement lenses.

She had been a Personal Legal Assistant, along with another woman, that supported the 4 In House Corp Attorneys at a Corp HQ in Addison...spending tons of time on a computer, and editing every written document for content, layout & spelling that left the Dept, in addition to doing the quarterly Board of Director books and the SEC filings....in addition to her other duties, so she HAD to be 1000% accurate.

When she developed headaches from the strained vision requirements, her Contact Lense Doc suggested 2 different focal length lenses...One in a Long Range 'scrip to drive with, and the other in a Short Range or reading/computer length focal point.

When it came time to do her eyes for the Cataracts, her Sherman eye doc was amazed, thought about it and sez, I need to do the same thing, for the same reasons, and I understand he has.

Takes a little Brain Training to sort out the change, but she's been doing this now for 20-25+ years successfully, and can read the newspaper in her lap and read the scroll at the bottom of the screen on the TV with equal ease, switching back and forth instantly when she picks her head up to look at the TV.

With tradional single focal length hard lenses I cannot do either very well....but I have useable short range "reading" vision in my "good eye" I shoot with - hope the new Cornea will give me vision in my damaged eye again - and had the Scrip for my glasses done as a Long Range Lense...but cannot read the radio dial setting or dash Compass & Temp digital numbers with my glasses on...and I have to use a scope to shoot a rifle with, since I have Zero depth perception with just the single functioning eye.
Ron
Posted By: TDK

Re: Being nearsighted and shooting with open sights - 11/18/14 11:57 PM

A subdued ghost ring or peep type sight on the rear and a hi-viz sight up front is what I would recommend. Most people would argue with me but I'm a believer that even iron rifle sights should only be in your peripheral vision while your focus is on the target, much like a shotgun. A peep type sight matched with a gun that fits properly is the ticket. We're just talking 100yds and under.
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