Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Aging eyes and open sights - any tricks?

I recently picked up a Ruger Blackhawk 3 Screw 357. When I took it out I was shocked at how much my eyes had changed from the last time I was shooting an open sighted handgun.......and not for the better. Anyone have any tricks to help clean up the sight picture? My vision is still good at distance but up close things get blurry without 1.25 readers.

I have a set of Rx “computer” glasses that work great. Found another use for them.

A bit slow to use, and takes a bit of practice. I have put a small piece of electrical tape with a small hole in it on my glasses. Think of a peep sight. It puts everything on the same focal plane and really sharpens the sight picture!


However, I cheated and put a red dot sight on my hunting pistol! memtb

I was amazed at how much a set of Dawson Precison fiber optic sights on my CZ 9mm improved my shooting. That was really apparent shooting indoors with subdued lighting vs. my .22 S&W with the factory sights. On that .22 I've thought about replacing the rear sight insert with a white outlined sight, but all the info here about the difficulty replacing that sight insert a week or so back had me buying a jar of white jig paint and I'll try my own insert paint job. Sure, the red dots are the cure all for aging eyes and handgun accuracy, but my handguns are close range only and open sights on those two are all I'm going to use.

In the past, I've successfully used reading glasses with a correction similar to the middle lens in my lined trifocals which is essentially the same as the computer glasses Rick mentioned. I'm wearing progressive lenses now and can make them work without needing the reading glasses, but reading glasses are still better. The ultimate solution for me is red dot sights...

I have Dawson FO front sights on several handguns and they do help a bunch...

Just do what I do..........




Squint

XS sights make a shallow "express" rear sight with a white stripe that works in conjunction with their front dot sight. I find it much easier to align than a typical notch rear sight and accurate enough for my needs.

I've quit trying to see black sights. As far as I'm concerned, ALL front sights should be fluorescent orange (or maybe a gold bead), and if at all possible, the rear is a Millett "longhorn" white outline... not so easy to do now, since they haven't been made in like 20 years or more. I can SEE these sights, even if I'm a little fuzzy.

I do like a gold bead (or dot) front sight with an "express" rear, but coming up with such a setup might not be so easy, depending on the gun.

Go see an optometrist, and bring a tape measure and a ruler.

Get in your preferred shooting stance, point your index finger at the optometrist, and tell them you want polycarbonate glasses w/ a focal point a barrel's length past the end of your finger.

My optometrist says she has trap-n-skeet shooters that bring in their shotguns.




GR

Wayne Morgan of Morgan Optical cut me a couple of lenses to go with my set of shooting glasses several years ago. I did only one lens in each of two color sets. One eye cut for longer range, one for the front sight. He recommended it, said a number of his military shooting teams’ members have done this quite successfully also. After using them a lot, I highly recommend it.

Also, all he needs is a current prescription and he can figure out the closer range lens.

https://www.morganoptical.net/

Definitely some glasses, I need them

I was talking with an optometrist about my issues, I see fine at mid and long distances, my problem is within arms reach. He told me there was a new eye drop on the market that would fix it! He then wrote me a script for it and I had it filled. Unfortunately I haven't tried them yet. I have since seen them advertised on TV and they are supposed to do exactly what we need. Aquity or something like that?

Open the rear sight blade with a file till the fuzz disappears.

Centershot: The answer to your quandary is.... - Red Dot Sights!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have central serous retinopathy in my right (formerly dominant) eye. No fix for it. Glasses do not help.

Always used both eyes with handguns. Havent really missed a beat as the left takes over.
Rifles are another matter.....peeps and anything that cancels the periphery make things worse.

Rick,
What are these pyooter glasses you speak of?

Yep. Either that or learn to only focus on the target. Or just the front sight.
The main reason people go to RDS is because they never learned how to use iron sights.
Imho of course.

This is just one of many factory made products of which I mentioned that I made with electrical tape (poor folks have poor ways). It’s most practical for target shooting…..but perhaps could be adapted for hunting!

A red dot is still probably the best option! memtb

I have been down the Red Dot road also. I have a Burris FF3 on my 686. They work, but sure take some getting used to..........at least in the way they look on a revolver. Not sure I could take a Red Dot on a Single Action. lol