Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Anyone shoot with Contact lenses?

I wear glasses which can be a pain at times hunting. Thinking about switching to contacts and was wondering if there was anyone out there who has experience shooting with contacts and the pros and cons of doing this?


Thanks.

Crank

My wife only shoots with contacts. Both archery and firearms...the glasses throw her off fairly badly.

I switched to contacts probably 8yrs ago and love them for shooting and hunting! I will admit though, I had my doubts the first year or so. I have very dry eyes, tear ducts don't produce enough moisture and this was a problem with contacts at first. I went through 3 or 4 makes/types of lenses before settling on some that I could get along well with. If my eyes are very tired they still dry out and then my lenses become blurred and I have a hard time seeing. I highly recommend giving contacts a try and don't get discouraged if the 1st set doesn't work out. It'll pay when you don't have to fool with glasses anymore.

What type of contacts did you settle on? Do you use one for distance and one for reading?

I've worn contacts for about 35 years now. I used to wear some very high dollar contacts that corrected my stigmatism and I kept a pair for as long as I could which was usually about 1.5 years, then replace. But now I wear the extended wear disposables type and these allow a lot more oxygen to the pupil which allows me to wear them for a few days without taking them out, if I so choose to, but for the most part I take them out daily. These newer contacts are much for comfortable, especially when worn for extended periods.

I have one in my left eye only for reading. I don't need it 100% but it makes reading easier as I get older. I do not wear one in my right eye. Since I shoot right eye dominant I guess I don't wear contacts for shooting. However it sure makes life easier to see the time on my watch and read the GPS or range finder!

I wear glasses and contacts. I have chronic dry eye and seasonal allergies, so wear glasses more often than contacts. But I wear contacts 95% of the time when I'm hunting. Glasses are a royal pain.

I wore them for several years (~16-18) prior to getting lasik. Shooting rifles or shotguns with prescription glasses was bad enough, really sucked with bows. I have dry eyes, just used drops frequently if needed.

LASIK has been awesome! I put half the money in a FSA one year, and the other half the next to spread out the cost. I now (44yrs old and 8yrs post lasik) need reading glasses for small print, working with small parts, etc. I'll take reading glasses 100 times out of 100 over needing glasses for shooting, hunting, etc.

How bad does ones eyes need to be in order to get LASIK? I would love to get it, but don't think my eyesight is bad enough to get it done.

Insurance will not pay, paid for it myself. Don't think there is a min vision loss to be a candidate, more based on if they can correct your vision, thickness of your cornea, etc. Mine went from about 20/100 to 20/15 (was actually 20/10 for a few weeks afterwards)! My vision is now probably 20/20 or slightly better, and that's 8yrs after having it done.

I would do it again and pay double if I had it to do over again, knowing what I know now! Have to admit it was pretty weird when they first cut the flap and flipped it over - looked like a kaleidoscope! Couldn't see anything except a spectrum of colors... Kinda weird! But 2-3hrs and a nap later and I could see perfectly!

What was the cost?

My experience exactly. Took me a couple of weeks to get used to it, but beats the hell out of looking for my "readers" all the time, and no issues with my bow's peep sight or rifle scopes. Mine are daylies, so just pitch them at night and a fresh one in the morning.

Don't remember exactly but around $4,000 - was able to put half in my FSA one year and half the next. The place I went had done it for several pro athletes, so I figured they must be one of the best.

I have for the past 18 years. Recently tried to shoot with glasses (Trifocals) and went back to the contacts. My only problem while hunting with them was being able to read up close. My eye doc set my new prescription up for reading with a little loss of far vision. My old prescription was for far vision only. While out in the woods I can't tell the difference between the two until distance gets out a few hundred yards. I don't have to worry about fogging either.

All-in-all, I think you will come to prefer the contacts.

I did the same as TXRam and paid out of pocket. Cost was about $4,700. Having said that now, I believe cost has come down greatly. If you consider it, I would go with a doctor that has considerable experience. I think the youngest doctors tend to offer the best prices. Also, be aware that the kind of equipment used matters. Make sure it has tracking. That accounts for any averse eye movement when the laser is shaping your lens. My flap was cut using a laser, not a blade. The difference is a blade cuts like you were taking a slice from the edge of an orange, and will have a flat mating surface to close the flap. With the laser, the depth of cut can be precisely controlled and cuts perpendicular to the eye. What that means, is the flap when closed will fit precisely back in the hole like a manhole cover or puzzle piece, if you will. The blade cut flap can possibly squish around and the scar is wider. It's been since about 2006 since I had my procedure done. Bottom line, thoroughly educate yourself on the methods, equipment and the physician you might consider using before doing it. My 2 cents.

All I've ever shot with was contacts. I started wearing them when I was 14 and they've been great ever since.

I switched to contacts last year and wonder why I waited so long. My shooting is almost back to when I was young and had good eyesight. My doctor told me I wasn't a good candidate for lasik, so this is the best I can hope for.