Prescription eyeware

R

Rob_F

Active member
I know we had an audio post awhile back.

Checking to see if anyone has invested in prescription shooting/field eye ware.

I'm of the age that my depth/range perception after 25 yards ain't what she used to be. Started wearing glasses on a "more than reading" basis this year. Still making it through the driver's eye test though!

Finding prescription doesn't seem to be the challenge. Finding bi-focal type so i can tie a fishing knot or read regulations appears to be the unicorn.... and have removable lenses so i can change out for activity/light condition.

I feel I'm becoming high maintenance.
 
Rob, I have needed correction since my early 20s. I wore glasses for years, but hated the sunglass choices, and peripheral view loss. I switched to contacts. I have bi-focal contacts, and also have mono-vision where one eye is distance, and one eye is close. I never had a strong dominate eye, so it was an easy change for me, and it has been gradual over the years. I do have a pair of cheaters I wear around my neck all the time because I often need very detailed inspection/work in my job, and hobbies. Contacts afford me all the options for shooting glasses, sunglasses, welding masks, motorcycle riding wear, etc.; without spending a small fortune.
 
Contacts.

After watching Clockwork Orange as a teenager I've had an anxiety regarding anything getting near my eyes.

Are the bifocal ones available in disposable? Trying to recall, but don't think I need a travel kit for contact maintenance with those...
 
My contacts are disposable, though they are monthly. Years ago, the bi-focal contacts were weighted, and moved a lot when you blinked, and were annoying I am told. I never had them. Mine are concentric, so are different when looking straight ahead, vs. looking down, which is why the cheaters are a help. I take them out nightly.
 
I've been wearing glasses since around 2000, after about 3 years of denying I really needed them.
My shooting immediately improved, greatly improved.
I have "regular" glasses and a pair of polarized prescription sunglasses. Pain in butt carrying two pair of glasses around al the time but that's life.
I probably need bifocals or "reading glasses" but I'm fighting that!
Prescription bifocal sunglasses are out there but they will not be cheap.

BTW, I have "dry eyes" and cant wear contacts, tried for one duck season and it just didn't work for me
 
back when i wore corrective lens - i had a lot of problems with soft contacts outdoors drying out, slipping (can't tell you how much fun that is downhill at 50mph+ on a road bike)

so- for hunting - I had prescription lenses put into good quality shooting glasses' frames ( Bausch and Lombs back then)- there are now some good brands that will take your rx and make you a set

they sat high on the bridge of the nose- so with the larger lens I was still in a good portion of the lens when my head was down on the stock

worked great

but eventually - I got lasic - next to asking my wife to marry me - the best decision ever made
 
Last edited:
My vision is still fine at anything but close range, but I find I can no longer tie on a fly small than size 12 without some kind of magnifying glass. Thank goodness this is not a problem in the duck blind--when I have trouble loading 3" 12's or picking up decoys, I'm in trouble.

I've tried the "clip on your hat brim" magnifiers, which I hated, and pocket reading glasses, which I kept losing or breaking. (Try to take off your polarized sun glasses, put on your reading glasses, and juggle a length of tippet, the fly you just clipped off, and the new fly you are putting on, all without dropping something. It's beyond me.)

My fishing buddies who are a bit older all tell me that Clics--glasses that hang around your neck and click together over your nose with little magnets--are the answer. They are next on my list to try--but a lot more expensive than reading glasses at the Dollar Store.

http://www.clicmagneticglasses.com/
 
Prescription high grade Polaroids, in a very good frame, have worked fine for me since the 1980's. Would not think of day time hunting, or fishing without them.

The bifocal is set lower, for fly fishing and other close up work.

Good eye glasses have saved my eyes more times than I can count, not just hunting and fishing.
 
Jeff

I must admit, when tying on a size 20, or even smaller fly. I lower my glasses, look over them, and do it without magnification. How I do not know? My buddy just shakes his head. I guess it just comes with lots of practice.[;)]
 
Vince Pagliaroli said:
Jeff

I must admit, when tying on a size 20, or even smaller fly. I lower my glasses, look over them, and do it without magnification. How I do not know? My buddy just shakes his head. I guess it just comes with lots of practice.[;)]
Click to expand...

It's official. I hate you. I could do that from age 12-40, struggled to admit I couldn't until late 40's, and have simply given up and carry granny glasses all the time now.
 
I wish I could wear either the monovision (one near and one far) or the bifocal contact lenses but neither was comfortable for me. I am jealous of those that can pull it off. I have transition type near to far regular glasses and the same in a pair of polarized Oakley's. Kind of spendy and a pain in the ass swapping out but it works for me.
 
It may have something to do with a couple of MI's, stents and heart disease meds. Circulation is a wonderful thing.

Problem is when I drop one of those little XXXXXXX flies, and I'm on my hands and knees trying to find em. Less than 50% shot at finding em and many times it makes my day when I do. Cuz I can't tie the little XXXXXX'S!

I've been wearing glasses for over 60 years, so it's a way of life for me.

Official hate is OK, everyone has gotta do something...
 
When I am in a bind I find that my 14 year old son solves the issue of tying on those small flies. The price is high in the follow up ribbing though.
 
Rob~

Two bits of advice:

1. With glasses, be sure to use a strap. I have lost several hundred dollars' worth of glasses in the past year or so without such a strap. Now both my "regular" and (polarized) sunglasses have straps. Much less likely to absentmindedly set them down - and easier to find, too.

2. I still use contacts for shooting - no sweat, no salt spray, et cetera. In my early years (maybe my first gunning season) wearing them, I vividly recall a hunt where I had plenty of activity from the birds but could not hit even the sucker shots. It finally dawned on me that just maybe I had switched the lenses left and right when "installing" them early that morning. On my next opportunity, I closed my left eye - which had probably been asserting dominance with the stronger lens all morning - and dropped a nice high-flying pair of Gadwall. Sure enough, my doctor confirmed the switcheroo the next day.

All the best,

SJS
 
The strap goes without question.

I can appreciate the benefits of the contacts. Will check into them for my prescription and see if I can be a "contact guy". I don't feel it in my nature as the glasses haven't been part of my life and I can function without them..... but that is changing and I'm confident enough to admit it.

One thing I'm thinking about as a potential transition, is getting a pair of the old Birth Control frames we had back before the Army styled everyone in berets...... functional, can take a beating, and the only value in a damaged pair is if the lenses get broken.

I did find that Oakley has released a moderately "hip" version with an interchange function that would allow for changing out lenses to conditions.

But as mentioned, the contact situation might just be that damn convenient I need to get over it.
 
Be careful of frame style you choose in glasses. To small a frame height wise may cause you to slightly pick your head up off stock when wingshooting. I myself ran into this problem couple seasond ago with brand new frames slightly smaller than my previous pair. Was catching top of frame in field of view when head was down on stock and naturaly raised slightly to eliminate that in field of vision. Was missing those sucker shots on crossing doves the day I realized what was going on. Hsad to change frame styles to eliminate problem. Perscription shooting glasses nose bridge keeps glasses higher on face and doesn,t cause a problem. Fortunately I had a pair a couple of perscriptions old that I could still shoot with till I could change my normal glasses frames.
 
Can't wear contacts due to a baseball injury (Tony Conigliaro retina). So I wear Hi Vis shooting glasses with the a small bi-focal on the bottom. The large frames keeps my head down and the Hi -vis helps me pick out birds at first light. A strap is a must.
 
Aviator frames work well for me and can be adjusted to fit high, or low. Plus they stay in place very well and are never loose, not to tight.
 
When I first hunted my 12 ft as a layout boat a couple of years ago,the boat was ready, the gun was ready, the decoys were ready, and I thought I was ready. However, I didn't think about looking out over the water through my bi-focals glasses. I quickly bought an aviator style without bi-focals for hunting, just need to take them off to see up close. Also have set of prescription polarized sunglasses in Ray-Ban "makes you look like your going 90 mph" frames. Contacts are great if you can wear them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top