Cataract surgery and shooting glasses

I had been following the thread on shooting glasses and was going to post this there. That thread is now locked so i will start a new one. I have cataracts in both eyes, I just turned 65. I have been shooting in a local bullseye league for over 10 years. I use a red dot (or as I see it a double star burst). Tomorrow I am having the cataract in my left eye removed, a lens put in and my astigmatism corrected. In two weeks I will have the same done to the right eye. They tell me that I shouldn't need glasses for distance. I have been wearing glasses since i was 10 or 12 years old. I would like to hear what others have experienced with having this done. I would also like to know what shooters recommend for good shooting safety glasses that are durable and don't distort your vision. I am not interested in the cheapest available. Thanks

I am 74, had dual cataract surgery in 2005.
I was 20/400 before, 20/15 after. Chose the distance script
Still use readers for close in work.

Many new fangled types available now but for shooting I’d recommend the distance ones.
Never looked back.

I'm 62. Both eyes done 3 years ago. Got distance focus in both eyes. 

Have been wearing readers with contacts for 50+ years, so this was an easy decision for me. (Other eye issues precluded the multifocal lenses, so I didn't consider them.) 

Now 20/20  20/30 and astigmatism is corrected.

Use progressive prescription readers for the computer and reading.

I shoot with prescription safety glasses from Amazon. $8-$10 a pair. 
I did a quick test at front site distance in the local target to find the right diopter. 
 For iron sights, I get a reader prescription similar to what's described in the ongoing threads. 
 For dots, I use bifocal safety. (No prescription in the center with a reader bifocal)

Have considered getting good prescription shooters, but am OK with these for now.

I'm 70 and had both eyes done 5 years ago.
The biggest change for me was going from near-sighted (20-400 or so) to far-sighted (20-15).
When I shoot with iron sights I wear shooting glasses with a +1.5 diopter to focus on the front sight.
With a red dot I wear glasses with a clear lens but have to put on "readers" to score the target.

Foundryratjim wrote:........I would like to hear what others have experienced with having this done. I would also like to know what shooters recommend for good shooting safety glasses that are durable and don't distort your vision. I am not interested in the cheapest available. Thanks

Suggestion #1 - avoid the "premium" (multi-focal) IOL lenses.  The people who design and manufacture these lenses told me that it's a choice of: 

• "best vision" (mono-focal lenses, and glasses as needed) 
  
• vs. 
  
• "convenience" (multi-focal IOL's, less need for glasses but vision is what I consider a "compromise").   A little bit of searching on the internet, and you'll quickly find  several draw-backs to multi-focal IOL lenses.
  

Suggestion #2 - make sure you discuss the choice of getting two similar IOL's, or possibly one for distance, and the other for close-up.  The image size appears different with IOL's of greatly different powers.  I followed the doctor's advice, and got both IOL's for "distance prescription", meaning I always need glasses to see up close.

Once you get used to them, progressive lenses in your eye glasses can make life much easier after the surgery.

(IOL's can also correct astigmatism when necessary - they cost a little more.  The doctor will discuss this if you need them.)


As far as where to buy shooting lenses, I found several sites that specialize in this.  However, I simply had two pair of regular glasses made up, with a "distant prescription" in one pair, and a "front sight prescription" in the other - for my shooting eye.  Both pair have a close-up prescription in the other lens, so I can more easily adjust my sights and similar close-up work.

If I can find it, I'll post a link to one of the better sources to buy shooting glasses.  I was all set to buy a pair, but got confused while trying to fill out the prescription form correctly.

I think this is the site where I expected to buy my prescription shooting glasses.  

    https://www.wileyx.com/prescription

I don't know enough to recommend them, or otherwise.  I almost bought them, but got confused filling out the prescription forms.  There were three or four other websites I reviewed, but I kept coming back to this one.

Others in this forum maybe can explain why they're worth getting, or not.

AS the above have written, both eyes done, both distance and 20/15 vision. Also had astigmatism corrected. I have an issue, finding shooting glasses that DO NOT have an astigmatism built into them. One would think that would be easy, not so much. 

If you get sun glasses or just a walk around pair where there is no prescription in the top and readers in the bottom, or when buying just safety glasses take a red dot with you and check for astigmatism.

Thanks for the replies!! 
What I am getting done to both eyes starting tomorrow is Laser Refractive Surgery with Customized Intraocular lens. Both eyes will be corrected for distance and astigmatism.

I have a pair of Wiley -x frames with prescription sunglasses in them for when i ride my Harley or mowing. They have been good frames

I will probably have my optometrist make me some good safety/shooting glasses with a good frame. I had heard about some off the shelf safety glasses and sunglasses having distortion.

Check the the lens the optometrist gives you. 

Computer glasses.
Check them out, they check all the boxes for every thing you need for pistol shooting glasses.  Made with your prescription, power and all other corrections, they focus at the end of your reach. Both rear and front sight are vivid and the bullseye is just a little fussy. 
I have fought the glasses war for over 25 years, from just needing a little help with focus to cataracts. Best solution I have ever tried.
Also when you order them you are not confusing the eye glass clerks, just say I want computer glasses. 
They're also great for desk computer use and bench work, we use to call then bench glasses.

What you want to do is get several months post-operation, to let the healing settle down, and get a new prescription for your resultant lenses.  This is what you want for red dot.  To shoot, I'd select a set of sturdy frames and get either polycarbonate or Trivex lenses, which are impact resistant.  You can add after-marker side shields if you want.  You do not necessarily need full safety glasses, as these also contain requirements that are not pertinent (ie no metal, so they will not conduct electricity).  You want single strength lenses (not progressives), and will want a discreet bifocal, so you can see up close to see your log book, or adjust your sights.

From there, for irons, you can calculate your shooting prescription by adding power to the sphere value of your shooting eye.  Again, single strength, or with a discreet bifocal - not progressive no-line lenses.  As you saw in the locked thread, there is back/forth discussion about how much to add - from about 0.75, to 1.00, to 1.25, you will have to decide what you like.  More power will bring your focus closer, sharpening the sight, and blurring the target.  Question is simply when you judge the target to be too blurry.  In having tested hundreds of shooters while I was at Camp Perry as a vendor, 0.75 is by far the most common choice, but You can experiment to see what you like.

shootingsight wrote:What you want to do is get several months post-operation, to let the healing settle down, and get a new prescription for your resultant lenses.  

Thanks for your reply. I will discuss this more with eye doctor using this info. I have a set of like new metal frame safety glasses with side shields from when I was working. My thoughts were to have them made into shooting glasses. My left eye surgery went without a hitch. I go for my post op checkup tomorrow. Right eye surgery is on the 13th. it will be interesting to see how, if I can shoot well with iron sights.

After my cataract surgery, even thou I could see great, there were changes to my eyesight for 5-6 months before things stabilized enough to settle on a lens for shooting. My Doctor told me too give it at least 3 months before spending $'s on custom lenses. I don't wear glasses for day to day activities but use a +.25 Knobloch lens for air pistol. I use a zero correction with a red dot but will be getting a lens with astigmatism correction after my next exam.
Scott

shootingsight wrote:What you want to do is get several months post-operation, to let the healing settle down, and get a new prescription for your resultant lenses. ...... 

That's what I experienced.  I didn't wait very long, and had glasses fitted to my old frame, so I could start shooting.  After a while, I needed to update them with new prescriptions.    My eyes still change over time, but my last set of shooting glasses from mid-2022 still work for me.

I like the frame that you have, with the side protection.  I bought side and top protectors from Amazon, just for added protection.

Eyeglass Protectors

Very reasonably priced, and you get extras for all your friends.

I am 52 years old and had cataract surgery about 1.5 years ago.  Before the surgery, the world became blurry beyond about 10 inches; after the surgery, my vision is blurry within 18 inches or so, but delightfully clear beyond.  I even discovered that trees have leaves!!  My pre-op eyes were so bad the doc did the surgeries only a week apart (instead of the usual two) because he didn't want to strain my eyes more than necessary.  The surgery did not correct my wicked astigmatism.  I got a single distance IOL.

My eye doc also had me wait a few months before getting new glasses so I acquired a collection of readers. If it weren't for the astigmatism, I would have waited a little longer because my eyes continued to settle for a few more months.  In other words, don't be in a hurry to shell out the big bucks for new lenses.  Sometimes there is some scarring from the surgery which can be corrected.  

I took up shooting in general and bullseye in particular after this surgery; I never would have been able to see the target without it.  I probably couldn't have even found the range....  Amazing how these things work out!

Good luck with the surgery -- see ya on the range!

Foundryratjim wrote:I had been following the thread on shooting glasses and was going to post this there. That thread is now locked so i will start a new one. I have cataracts in both eyes, I just turned 65. I have been shooting in a local bullseye league for over 10 years. I use a red dot (or as I see it a double star burst). Tomorrow I am having the cataract in my left eye removed, a lens put in and my astigmatism corrected. In two weeks I will have the same done to the right eye. They tell me that I shouldn't need glasses for distance. I have been wearing glasses since i was 10 or 12 years old. I would like to hear what others have experienced with having this done. I would also like to know what shooters recommend for good shooting safety glasses that are durable and don't distort your vision. I am not interested in the cheapest available. Thanks

I had cataract surgery two days ago (2/8/23).  I had severe astigmatism corrected with the latest multi-focal lens.  So far I am really pleased with the results.  I am told that my vision will keep getting better for awhile with most of the change taking place in the first week or so.  I am looking forward to shooting with a dot instead of a bloom that is as as big as the black on the target.  How long did your eye doctor say you had to wait before you resuming shooting?
Doug

I never asked about that specifically. I did ask today how long they have to heal before working on a prescription for shooting glasses. He said because of the way they do it with a laser about three weeks after the second eye surgery.

Modern medicine is a wonderful thing. Years ago cataract surgery spelled the end of shooting. There was no lens replacement. The "coke bottle" glasses were the lens. You could see but there was no way to go from 20/400 to 20/15 like there is now. 
I know this is a little off topic, but I'm glad all of you are doing so well afterwards.

Doing one lens, waiting a few weeks to do the other 'just in case' used to be the norm.  My sister in law (in England), had both eyes done at the same time!  Took less than an hour.

That may be , but I'm not in England and this is the way mine is being done. I have been meaning to update here but haven't got around to it. 
At my first week checkup they postponed my second eye surgery. My vision in my eye was not as good as they expected and evidently the cornea didn't react to the laser cuts like they thought it should. Today was a 2 week checkup and my vision in that eye is 20/25. They said it should be better. I still have astigmatism. It runs from 2pm to 7 pm in my eye. They tell me that they can correct this in an office visit but have to wait 6 weeks after surgery I think. I go back on March 2nd for more testing