Focusing on front sight?

Lately while trying to focus on the front sight I came to the conclusion that some help might be needed.  I usually shoot with prescription sunglasses that are corrected for distance.  Actually, they're sunglasses designed for playing tennis.  Regardless, as hard as I try to focus on the front sight my eyes have a problem bringing it in clear focus.  The target instead always remains clear and focused.  A while ago I ran across an article online talking about inexpensive shooting glasses that were made to focus on the front sight.  Unfortunately I can't find that article now.  Does anyone else run across the same article?  Any suggestions for prescription shooting glasses.

If they're corrected for distance and you don't have correction for astigmatism, try shooting with uncorrected sunglasses or plain shooting glasses.

Do you wear reading or computer glasses?  If so, try those. If not, just wear standard shooting glasses.

Wile E Coyote wrote:If they're corrected for distance and you don't have correction for astigmatism, try shooting with uncorrected sunglasses or plain shooting glasses.

Well then it looks like my terminology is messed up.  What I do know for sure is my optometrist says I have astigmatism and the prescription given resulted in my optician providing me a pair of single vision prescription lenses from Bolle specifically for playing tennis.  They're only special for playing tennis because of the tinting.  I wear them most of the time when outdoors regardless whether I'm playing tennis or not.  I also have a pair of glasses with progressive lenses for reading, using the computer and driving at night sometimes.  I tried using the progressive lenses for shooting but it seemed just as difficult focusing on the front sights.  I haven't tried using a standard pair of uncorrected shooting or sunglasses yet but will give that a try next time.  Maybe focusing only on the front sights is something I just have to learn to do.

Bees
You have to approach a lens for seeing the front sight as if it was for reading glasses at the front sight distance.  Most of us with glasses have read Dr Norman Wong's words here: 
http://www.starreloaders.com/edhall/nwongarts.html

I would try Dewey's advice first. With no astigmatism some mild readers (+.75 or so over any distance prescription could work). If you do have astigmatism (mine started around age 45) get that taken care of and then fix the shooting side.  I shoot the same glasses for Service Rifle and for pistol although I could probably go a little higher for pistol. 

Many people I have worked with over the years for the rifle benefitted from mild readers and computer glasses. 

I would also suggest reading the Wong articles. 

I have spent the past 3 years fighting my eyes for service rifle (starting SR at the age of 47 was not the best idea I ever had. I've done alot of reading and tried a number of things before settling on a solution that is working).

Jack H wrote:Bees
You have to approach a lens for seeing the front sight as if it was for reading glasses at the front sight distance.  Most of us with glasses have read Dr Norman Wong's words here: 
http://www.starreloaders.com/edhall/nwongarts.html

Wow, that's a heap of reading but I'll go through it.  The picture shown is about the exact opposite of what I see.  The front sight is blurry and target is crystal clear despite trying to only focus only on the former.  Most of the articles in The Pistol Shooter's Treasury mention the importance of good front sighting, which is the reason why I'm spending so much attention on it now.  Just another incremental thing to learn.

I know with myself that if I wear polycarbonate glasses it makes my astigmatism worse and will not correct it. I had a heck of a time after cataract surgery seeing double bullseyes on targets like they were in a figure "8". Finally I had a tech tell me about polycarbonate and how for some it makes things worse. Went to regular plastic and lost the double bullseye problem. YMMV


Virgil

Simply put blurry target sharp sight= tight groups.

Something the IDPA shooters have lost in the shoot n' spray games.

beeser wrote:Wow, that's a heap of reading but I'll go through it...

After you read through the articles, print out the BULLSEYE SHOOTERS' GUIDE FOR THE EYECARE PROFESSIONAL (first topic - there's a .pdf version linked within) and let your eye doctor see it prior to your next appointment.  He can probably fix you right up.

I have been using some mag-safe whole lens magnifying safety glasses. They are like the "readers" you can get at the bookstores except that they are ANSI safety glasses complete with side shields.  Go to Wal-Mart, Costco, etc. and see what strength of reader you need to clearly see something just beyond your reach. This will be the strength you need to clearly see the front sight. For me, the target is still too blurry. I add a home made diopter (5/64 hole drilled in a thin piece of sheet metal) taped to the glasses  to act as an aperture and increase the depth of field. Soda pop cans, shim stock, etc. will work just fine.

CFPlinker wrote:..............I add a home made diopter (5/64 hole drilled in a thin piece of sheet metal) taped to the glasses  to act as an aperture and increase the depth of field. Soda pop cans, shim stock, etc. will work just fine.

Heated drill bit (shank end) pushed through electrical tape works too.

- Dave

CFPlinker wrote:I have been using some mag-safe whole lens magnifying safety glasses. They are like the "readers" you can get at the bookstores except that they are ANSI safety glasses complete with side shields.  Go to Wal-Mart, Costco, etc. and see what strength of reader you need to clearly see something just beyond your reach. This will be the strength you need to clearly see the front sight. For me, the target is still too blurry. I add a home made diopter (5/64 hole drilled in a thin piece of sheet metal) taped to the glasses  to act as an aperture and increase the depth of field. Soda pop cans, shim stock, etc. will work just fine.

Thanks for a great tip!

The brain instinctively wants to see the target..Bullet holes pull the focus back to the target.. The shooter must train to recognize when the eye/brain is  not co operating.. In PPC we smoked our sights heavily. Then with a sharp instrument, like a needle, made a scratch on the smoked surface of the front sight. If the scratch is not in focus at all times, it alerts the brain to bring he focus back to the front sight. I always took a sharpy and marked a 1/4 inch dot on the web of my shooting/strong hand . If I found my focus going down range, I would focus on the dot and ease that focus back to the front sight. It's easy for the brain/eye to focus somewhere down range between the front sight and target in a comfortable position, trying to see both objects at once. It's a constant struggle. The best shooters are aware of the focus shift and have a plan in place to recognize and deal with it.

This may sound hard but I like to count the serrations on the front sight. The pistol usually goes off somewhere around the count of three. If you are not totally focused on the front sight you can't even see those ridges. I have done it that way since I started shooting and it is pretty much "spinal" as axe says.

Len

Eureka!  I hit the range again this afternoon to try out an uncorrected pair of shooting glasses and some plain reading glasses.  Both didn't help bring focus to the front sight.  I again tried my glasses with progressive lenses that I use for reading and computer work.  Still no help until bingo!  I was able to see the front sight very clearly when the gun was pointed down and then I realized why I was using progressive lenses.  The next time when I raised the gun up to fire I tilted my head back and the front sight magically came into focus.  I'm almost too embarrassed to mention all of this and display my stupidity but I think this is after all a major step forward.  A huge step forward.  Almost immediately my shots began to improve with the image of a clear front sight and a fuzzy target.  After doing a little more reading of the homework above, I plan to schedule another visit with my optometrist and work out details for a pair of prescription shooting glasses.

Spend $12 on a pair of full field readers like suggested and save $100's of $$ starting out.

james r chapman wrote:Spend $12 on a pair of full field readers like suggested and save $100's of $$ starting out.

Don't think that would help - astigmatism.

Champion's Choice used to sell flip down readers. These could be worn over your tennis lenses. +0.5 to +0.75 if available.

I have astigmatism, to a degree it's overrated......

james r chapman wrote:I have astigmatism, to a degree it's overrated......

I do too, the dot isn't round but it's the same shape every time, unless I move my head, so it's almost like an indicator.  I got use to it, I turn it down, focus on the target and when the dot gets to where it needs to be to get a 10/X the shot goes off - well that's the theory and it does work most of the time LOL.

- Dave