I'm in the market for a new pair of glasses prior to my September safari. Are there any any particular qualities I should look for in a frame to be used for hunting?

Scott, I have lenses made with just my long distance vision in them from top to bottom and side to side...I also use one of those straps to hold in place...

Mike
3 days till the Selous

Check out www.sportglasses.com These are the Decot Hy-Wyd series.

I currently don't own them but have many friends who swear by them. I have tried their glasses on at SCI and will definitely buy them when my current Ray Ban and Zeiss prescription lenses need replacing.

Lots of good info on the website and they seem like good people as well.

RCG

I've got some Hy-Wyd's with both clear and medium target orange lenses. Sporty hype.

I prefer a titanium frame that is rugged and light, full edge enclosure of lenses, not "frameless." You will know it when you see it in the sporty men's section. Your choice of lens shape to give the field you need, do some practice sighting with imaginary rifle when trying samples at the shop.

I too prefer the "unifocal" for hunting. Take the bifocals or varilux as a spare.

Hunting spectacle prescription can give you better than 20/20 if you encourage the optometrist to not stop at 20/20.

My titanium and plastic hunting specs give me 20/10.

The newer plastic lenses are harder than ever, less scratch prone.

Clip-on polarizing shades are cool with this nerd.

I have the gift of near sightedness. Take off my multifocals and I read up close just fine, like in bed with my nose in a book. No Lasik for this professional small boy please.

I am sure I might have had my eye gouged or penetrated several times had not the lenses deflected that brush or missile crashing into my spectacles.

Far vision 20/10 with hunting specs. Go for it.

I've been cursed with eyeglasses for over 40 years. If you use a scope, you'll need your long range perscription. This isn't usually a problem with bifocals or trifocals as your head is bent forward and down so you'll automatically be looking through the long range area of your lenses.

If you use open sights, your midrange perscription is in order as you can't see the front sight with your reading or distance lenses.

quote:

Originally posted by DC300:
I've been cursed with eyeglasses for over 40 years. If you use a scope, you'll need your long range perscription. This isn't usually a problem with bifocals or trifocals as your head is bent forward and down so you'll automatically be looking through the long range area of your lenses.

If you use open sights, your midrange perscription is in order as you can't see the front sight with your reading or distance lenses.

38 years of the curse for me.

Why I like peeps and scopes with my huntin' specs, and will use the varilux with open express sights. The spare.

Your mileage will vary depending on how equipped.

RIP,
As an optometrist myself may I note you have some great "insights" .
Seriously, no optometrist should 'stop at 20/20' but should always correct you for BVA or what we call 'best visual acuity' be that 20/40 50 15 20 whatever. You are truly a fortunate individual to be able see BVA 20/10. For hunting lenses on my 2 safaris I used brown plastic photochromics. The color brown can contrast huntable critters quite well. Polaroid is too dark for me hunting but incomparable for the road. Hope this is helpful.

Scott,

I thought you settled on these? Having doubts?

quote:

Originally posted by kudu4u:
RIP,
As an optometrist myself may I note you have some great "insights" .
Seriously, no optometrist should 'stop at 20/20' but should always correct you for BVA or what we call 'best visual acuity' be that 20/40 50 15 20 whatever. You are truly a fortunate individual to be able see BVA 20/10. For hunting lenses on my 2 safaris I used brown plastic photochromics. The color brown can contrast huntable critters quite well. Polaroid is too dark for me hunting but incomparable for the road. Hope this is helpful.

I have been envious of a few pilots I have examined who had 20/10 in at least one eye without correction. I never met Chuck Yeager.

quote:

Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
Scott,

I thought you settled on these? Having doubts?

Perfect for Walter with matching bikini and sundowner. Skit material. (Cringe)

If your hunting leopard at or near dark dont get transition lenses as clear ones will give you a few more minutes of shooting light.

I wear contacts and I'm lucky enough that I can read the "copyright 19xx" on the bottom of the chart.

Blind as a bat without them. Use cheapo 150 or 200 reading glasses. No problem with open sights, but there is a longer learning curve learning how to look through them for those of us over 40.

JPK

My doc recommended some new Kodak lenses that came out -- I'm very happy w. them -- don't know the term, but there supposed to have a bigger area in the lense where the prescription is accurrate -- Zeiss may have made a similiar improvement -- I don't know, he was just more impressed w. the Kodaks when I had my current pair made.

No comments on the frames, but whatever you do, make sure that you get high-refractive index (i.e. thin) lenses. Lighter, more confortable, and as tough as most alternatives.

I can highly recommend the Zeiss high-refractive index lenses. I've tried about 4 other brands, but the Zeiss coatings are more scratch resistant, and don't show fingerprints as much.

I think they also fog less than other brands when you come inside during winter too, but I am not certain of this.

The Zeiss high-refractive index lenses I have also have a high rating as safety glasses, but I don't know how this compares to other brands -- they might all be great.

The Zeiss probably a bit more, but if so it is worth it.

John

My frames have a slideing piece in the centre. Just a pinch with thumb and forefinger raises the height so you don't look over or thru the top frame with your head down on the stock.
Also handy to set the best bi-focal height for reading etc.

Aglifter
I both wear and prescribe the Kodaks. The progressive lens from Kodak with that bigger reading area is called Kodak Precise. It is available in the brown photochromic I mentioned in an earlier post. They also have a NICE anti-reflective coating called Kodak Clear which can be added to the K. Precise.

Put a white cane in your Tuffpak. I have made arrangements for a German Shephard to greet you at the airstrip.

John

Scott,

I wear glasses everyday. I really can't add much on the lenses accept do not wear any progressive or tinted lenses in the lion machan. You'll need every minute of light for the lion and clear lenses are the only way to go. I highly recommend the titanium frames. They are expensive but are nearly indestructible and will last for years. I have 3 pairs now that are 5-6 years old and good as new.

Mark

Thanks for all the information. I'm in contact with the folks at Decot Hy-Wyd. Their glasses have removable lenses. I was leaning towards a clear pair of lenses and a bronze polarized pair. Neither with bi-focals. The sales person seemed to think yellow or a very light gold lenses would enhance my vision under low light conditions and the bronze was best for a sunglass.

I can't help but think clear would be best in the lion blind like Mark suggests. Any of you pros have advice? Any down side to the the Decot's other than fashion? The lenses are either CR-39 or polycaronate. How does that compare to the Zeiss or Kodak?

I am planning on wearing glasses with transition lens that will darken and lighten. That way I do not have to worry about toting sunglasses too. In my experience these lens do not so dark as to be problematic early in the morning or late in the evening.

SBT,
In a blind at late evening it would be nice to have anti-reflective coating (AR)on whatever you wear. It increases a thing called contrast sensitivity which increases the total light transmisabiliy of the lenses by a few %age points and cuts glare-type reflections.
MJines is correct that photochromics (PLASTICS HERE!!) won't be a problem at dawn/dusk. Glass photochromic tends to run darker especially one called Thin-and-Dark. This is a light(er) weight glass that changes quicker and darker than photogray extra. Glass actually is not used a whole lot anymore and is actually more expensive.
SBT: CR-39 is just old plain run-of-the-mill plastic lenses. Polycarbonate is way advanced of CR-39 in that it is higher index (thinner) and really impact resistant plus scratch coating is included. I prescribe that for all athletes and kids.

About one year ago I purchased "Transitions V Lenses with ESP". These replaced my Transitions purchased in 1998. The V lenses are MUCH better. They get darker in sunlight, lighter indoors and change faster. They get dark enough for bay and ocean fishing on the Florida Panhandle. They do NOT change behind the windshield of my SUV but clip-ons solve that problem.

I have the HY-WYD in a light amber tint. Works well in all light conditions. studdog

Those are truly excellent lenses. The reason photochromics don't change in a vehicle is that they are activated by UV and not by visible light itself. Vehicle windshields filter UV thus there is nothing to activate the tint. Therefore we need separate sunglasses in the vehicle. I like polarization for this and it comes in several colors/shades etc. and also in clipons. Most optometrists can get a custom made sunclip for any frame.

Two years ago my eyesight went to hell. I had developed cateracts in both eyes. I had ECCEIOL on both eyes and my vision was also corrected of is astygmatism. I tried to go without glasses for a while and only use reading glasses. That was a pain as I had to have a set of readers everywhere. I realised that everything I do one should have eye protection for anyway. It is mandated in surgery that we wear eye protection constantly. Before my cateract surgery, It was no problem as I have worn glasses since I was six years old.I finally decided to get non-prescription glases with no line bifocals. They work pretty good. My question is there a photo grey plastic lense that can have a bifocal? The glases I have now were given some kind of coating to protect the finish, however they are really prone to smudging and very hard to clean. I want two pairs one with and one without bifocals although progressive Bifocals in both would not be too bad.

lb404
Yes you may certainly have photochromic no-line bifocals. You mentioned photogray--that is in glass. I suggest plastic for the safety aspect and lighter weight. In our office I prescribe the Kodak Precise progressive lenses and they--and most all other progressives--can be had in photochromic material. The Kodaks come in changeable brown or gray. I love the brown for shooting/hunting. The coating you mention is antireflective coating. It is very particular as to it's cleaning. One must use a 100% cotton microfiber cloth but this can be used wet or dry. Otherwise AR will smudge and scratch. The early ARs were awful. The newer Kodak Clear AR and some others are tougher and really help out glare at night but still need that microfiber cleaning cloth. No more shirt tails! You need reading glasses as the plastic implants cannot accomodate (focus) at all as they are of a fixed power. Some research on accomodating intra-ocular lenses is taking place but they're a little glary at night at this time. Hope this helps and hope it's not too much!

Not too much at all. Thanks for your information.

kudu4u
Thanks for all the good info. I have been cleaning my ARs with soap and water and drying with Kleenex. Where do I buy 100% cotton microfiber and what is the brand name? One more question, what is the AR supposed to do in the daytime?

Thank you

You are most welcome! The soap part is fine if it is Dawn dishwashing stuff. That really cuts grease and film on AR coating and all lenses and even on those silicone nose pads on metal frames. Wouldn't use any soap but Dawn. Please ditch the kleenex as it is much too rough for AR. Your eye doc office should have plenty of those microfiber cloths as well as a good lens cleaning fluid. If not they are available commercially. Be sure to use microfiber cloths on scopes and binocs.
AR coating during the day cuts glare on computer screens lessening eye strain and overall increases the amount of light that transmits thru lenses thus increasing a thing called contrast sensitivity. This can occasionaly be noticed as a slight increase in sharpness all the way around.

Kudu4u has been correct on all of his reccomendations as far as I am concerned. AS an Optometrist also for xx years, a long time! the most important thing is tell your optometrist what you need to be able to do with your glasses. My patients routinely bring in their hand guns and rifles to show me the distance of their sights etc. to be fitted properly, I live in a rural area so this dosen't freak people put to bad but inquire with your doctor. The main thing is whatever you use, I personally shoot with Kodak progressive lenses, Trade names of Precise and Concise depending on the heighth of the bifocal and do well with them with my rifle , pistol and bow, is to shoot with them and make sure before you go that everythng works well. As reccommended byyour PH, shoot with them standing , sitting, and in a prone position, practice any shooting situation with your glasses that may come up.As Capstick would tell you,,,"Murphy" shows up at the worst possible times,, 17 days and counting to bow safari in Namibia!!

drwes
I love the idea of our patients bringing their guns to the office!! Wouldn't it be hilarious to have a waiting room full of patients all holding a bunch of guns and the liberal type walk in!!! I have pictures of my cape buff, kudu, and impala in my exam rooms and get terrific reponses from patients. Ain't TN and TX great!

Great info!

Let's see if I have this right...

I like Decot glasses .. have used them for years back when I was shooting competitive skeet. The Post 4's look super, too.

I have a very very slight correction for distance, but really don't need it. In fact, I'm better off using no glasses at all when I'm in the field. I hunt in some low-light conditions (don't we all?) but also in bright sun.

How about this:

A pair of Decot frames with a pair of light target orange or gold 15 lenses w/AR for low-light and a spare set of Bronze 2 polarized lenses for bright. Do I need the AR on the Bronze lens too? Wouldn't that be about all I'd need?

Would the extra cost for polycarbonate lenses be worth it? I'm already getting up there in cost with the above specs .

PostDriver this sounds very complete. I don't know much about Decots--yet--but this would seem good to go. Polycarb does not really enhance vision its just super safe.