Aging eyes and sighting.

I'm sure there are a lot of strings on this subject, but I did want to ask a few questions.   I'm coming back to BE after about 40 years.  57 year old eyes don't see things close without reading glasses.  Im using 2.0 d reading glasses.  For iron sights, I've have three diopters I'm using and trying: .75, 1.0, and 1.25.  The 1.25 gives the best front sight focus, but the target at 25 yards is just a blur.  Target is better with the lower numbers, but I loose front sight clarity.  So, go for the most focused front sight or best compromise?   I know the target wasn't in focus 40 years ago when I could focus the front sight with no correction, am I seeing the same picture now with correction?  And a thought I had: the brighter the light, the less correction is needed.  I see a lesser out of focus target with lower diopter glasses.  What about something like wearing a running headlamp, shining the light on the front sight?  I could use a lower diopter correction and see a little more defined target.  Thoughts?  I'm probably the dork of the range anyway, leaving 10 rounds of brass on the floor to most others' 100.
Someday I may go red dot, but not for a while anyway.
Thanks a lot, Kurt.

Relatively clear front sight (+1 should be correct), fuzzy target (shoot center of mass, not 6 o'clock).

Better yet, switch to red dot sights!

go for the sharp front sight. you can look at your target when you score those x's.

I have found that using an adjustable iris helps my old eye to focus on the front sight.

Thanks.  I'm aiming 6:00 presently.  I'll try CM and sub6 too,(just read about them).

I gave up (59 years old) and went with a red dot sight.  Made a huge difference for me.

Chip

Crisp front sight.  Just keep working on it.  Sub 6 might be the way to go if the black is extremely blurry.

My eyes are just a tad bit older, but I shoot irons as well as dots.  I moved to center hold for Sevice Pistol because you don't get sighters and the bull size will vary with lighting, which for me changed my vertical zero.  I also use both a 1.75 diopter ClearSight and an adjustable iris.  For matches that allow sighters and the distance and lighting are constant (International disciplines) I find that six o'clock gives me a clearer sight image.

Using a bug light i can get away with my regular prescription progressive glasses.  However, with irons i have recently been using a gismo that i got from Larry Carter called a Variolens. this is an adjustable diopter device with a range from -3 to +3 diopter.  i put it on a knoblok frame and added a second lens for astigmatism correction.  For me, it works perfectly for winter air gun and summer hardball.  Don't use it if ambient temps are below 60F as the oil gets sluggish.  Looks goofy but works and saves carrying around 10 pair of glasses.

Kurt,

The suggestions listed above are good. 

Having your focus at the front sight will leave everything else blurry. For me, if I have the front sight perfect, I cannot read the target numbers. 

An iris will crisp up a blurry bull. But, you only want an image you can aim at consistently. 

Holding center is the most consistent, but it temps the eye to focus on the target. Sub six is the next best. It can be tough to manage your zero from day to day. I find it can take a few clicks to have things perfect. The other sight pictures seem too inconsistent to me if you have vision issues. 

If you see a lot of light "bending" around the front, you likely need a larger rear notch for those conditions.

It only takes a couple of matches--or practice at ranges with similar conditions--to master how many clicks you need for the light conditions.  You click towards the sun.  "sun is up, sights go up" or if it's cloudy click it back down a couple of clicks.  Sun is coming from the left?  A couple to the left and so on.

I agree with your point. But I have seen people that needed lights up/ sights down. I don't understand why.

Hi KJ, I've got 73 year old eyes and I shoot all my pistols with Open Sights; Air pistol, Free pistol and Nra

conventional pistol.


This is a very popular subject(aging eyes).  STOP!!! using off the shelf reading glasses; instead go to

your favorite eye care professional and get your eyes tested(Refraction test) both for regular vision

and a shooting prescription. That is, the distance from your dominant eye to the front sight blade

while in your shooting stance. have them cut and place your shooting prescription lens in a new

or old glasses frame. Make sure that the shooting lens is a single focus lens, not a bifocal or gradient

lens. Your non-dominant lens can be your regular prescription.  The new shooting prescription should

correct for any vision aberrations like astigmatism/Cylinder correctons.    

Tony