When I first began wearing bifocal eyeglasses about 15 years ago, the prescription was such that I was able to shot a rifle or handgun with iron sights while looking through the upper (distant) lens which gave me an excellent focus on the target, and only "blurred" the sights to a small degree.

With the prescriptions I now use, if I continue to look through the upper lens, the sights are now quite blurred with the target well focused.

I probably looks silly but the only workaround I have found is to wear the bifocals upsidedown and view through the lower bifocal reading lens which gives me a mediocre focus on both target and sights. I do most of shooting using a scope and can focus well at all distances without any glasses by adjusting the ocular.

Any other bifocal shooters out there, and what's the best "fix" for this problem. It looks like the best I'm going to be able to do is find a pair of non-presciption glasses that give me less than perfect focus at all distances, but it's a heck of a lot better than what I'm strugling with now.

F. Prefect

Two years ago, I had new lenses installed in each eye. I can now use iron sights again, after 35 years of not being able to do so.
Do what you have to do to use iron sights as I love using them. But, I had to resort to scopes exclusively till I got the new lenses in my eyes.
I'm 75.

Edit to add: One more possibility for you I just remembered. About 10 years ago I bought an FWB Olympic Air Rifle with a Diopter front shight on it. I was able to use that set up for iron sight shooting without my glasses on. So, a possibility would be to explore Diopter sights, available at Champion's Choice, Champion Shooter's Supply and Sinclair, I believe. Not sure about Sinclair though. Possibly Norm Johnson has them too.

Don

These diopter devices (which are designed to be attached to shooting glasses) really do work:

Diopters for Shooting Glasses

quote:

Originally posted by fprefect:

Any other bifocal shooters out there, and what's the best "fix" for this problem. It looks like the best I'm going to be able to do is find a pair of non-presciption glasses that give me less than perfect focus at all distances, but it's a heck of a lot better than what I'm strugling with now.

F. Prefect

I had the same problem, and it was "fixed" by my optomiterist who is also a shooter. He said that the reading part of the lenses are focused at about 12 inches and what he did was to make up a pair of glases ( single focused) with the focal point at about three feet. This allowed the clear vision of the sights while the target was just a little blured, but not enough to be a bother. I was able to leave them on for the time it took to run through a round of competition (Cowboy Action, although I don,t compete any more)) Actually the solution for me was to use the prescription from a previous set of my glasses ( third back from present) and it worked out well. Whenever I get a new prescription now I always get a pair of shooting glasses as well and they are good for iron sights. Have to say that I went to apertures for my irons on my hunting rifles and the need for special glasses has gone, although for target work I still use them.

Von Gruff.

I've always enjoyed shooting with iron sights and although it might be s struggle I've got both and air rifle and pistol and I'll give all your advice some trials. Just probably going to take a lot of practice and getting used to using different technigue. I'm "only" 56 and not ready to give up shooting iron sights, particulary with a rifle, without a fight. Thanks again for ideas and techniques and with enough practice hopefully something will work.

The small aperture that attaches to you glasses is the way to go.It allows both front and rear sights,and the target,to be sharp and in focus.
As a side note,if I look at my sights with the bifocal,my sights are in perfect focus,but the target is just a blur.

Getting old is hell, isn't it? I'm 58, visited my optometrist on Monday, and know just exactly what you're talking about.

Dispite what JB says about the use of the diopter allowing all three planes -- rear sight, front sight, and target -- to be in simultaneous focus, it is a physical impossibility.

Even young shooters with "athletic" eyes cannot focus on all three (but find it easier to see all three sufficiently plainly to shoot without optical correction). The proper focus is on the front sight/target. The rear sight is always going to be out of focus; you must align the front sight in the rear notch naturally despite the lack of clear focus. The best optical correction for you is a lens that places the front sight in reasonable focus and allows good focus on the target. The proper shooting diopter can do this for you, or you can simply get a corrective single-vision lens which provides a good compromise (which is the same thing that the diopter does.)

Even my flintlock rifles have tang sights now. Problem solved for me.