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Posted: 4/20/2022 11:58:17 AM EDT
[#1]
I have never really thought about that and I am essentially blind without my contacts or glasses. I do have one tip to help us folks with vision problems.... Keep your old glasses and stash them in your go bags, bug out bags, get home bags, etc. The prescription may not be perfect but it's better than no glasses in a scenario where your primary set breaks. For most people vision gets worse slowly so the prescription change isn't very drastic.
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Posted: 4/20/2022 12:25:25 PM EDT
[#2]
and if you are of Medicare age and need cataract surgery... don't put off having it done... the difference is amazing
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Posted: 4/20/2022 12:37:46 PM EDT
[#3]
Quoted: So if you wear glasses and haven't explored an optic mounted handgun, it might be something to look into. I retired from the PD two years ago after failing the eye test without glasses two years in a row. Figured it was getting to that time. Since I was 40 I had been qualifying looking at the target and having blurry sights. I went through a few firearms instructor courses and shot expert on the qual courses but when it came time to shooting 6 inch plates at 25 yards my poor eye sight definitely showed. I wear readers and never shot with glasses as I figured I would never have them on if the shooting started. After I retired I decided to try the red dot. Total game changer for me. I work part time at a range now and get to shoot once a week. I generally practice shooting at a business card at 25 yards and have no problem keeping most of the rounds on the card. That is not something I have been able to do with iron sights in 15 years. I've got three handguns with red dots now and really appreciate the difference they make. David. |
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Posted: 4/20/2022 5:47:43 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted: and if you are of Medicare age and need cataract surgery... don't put off having it done... the difference is amazing +1 |
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Posted: 4/20/2022 6:10:24 PM EDT
[#5]
I love the accuracy-improvement a dot-sight offers on a handgun.
I've got one, and I'm a true believer. I also truly believe that if you are in a self-defense situation where your glasses are getting knocked off, you aint got time for aiming. Whoever shoots first wins. |
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Posted: 4/25/2022 1:56:10 PM EDT
[#6]
I guess it depends on exactly what your vision issues are. For me, I can clearly and crisply focus on the front sight. With an RMR, I generally see a blurry raggedy blob and shoot oval like groups.
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Posted: 4/25/2022 2:12:06 PM EDT
[#7]
Astigmatisms play a huge part in red dots. I have a bad astigmatism and for me Eotechs are what I found to work best for me. Even with glasses tube type red dots are more like a smashed starburst than dot for me, For pistol red dots I use a 2MOA dot because in reality my eyes are prob seeing 6MOA. I should get a laser eye surgery but I'm a bitch.
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Posted: 4/25/2022 3:00:32 PM EDT
[#8]
Big believer in the dot. I’ll add this the things I picked up and got from a formal class had me questioning why before it I was so comfortable with it. Not that I wasn’t doing well before but after the class I felt like I unlocked a lot more benefits and skills with it I’d not have gained on my own.
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Posted: 4/25/2022 3:25:33 PM EDT
[#9]
Quoted: Recently I was watching Paul Harrell's assessment of the Miami FBI shootout. And one of the things he discussed was how the top shooter/SWAT trained Agent had lost his glasses when the incident first went down. And his possible inability to deliver well aimed shots on target, as he probably couldn't see his sights. I wear glasses, but my prescription isn't that strong. Without my glasses, I can just make out a blurry orange area of my front sight. But I can definitely see my red dot (and target). Anyway, this got me thinking that in a SD situation, there's always a likelihood my glasses may get knocked off. Which has reiterated that I should probably be carrying one of my red dot optic guns more than irons. So if you wear glasses and haven't explored an optic mounted handgun, it might be something to look into. That said, and not to derail the topic since it is in the handgun discussions subforum, any reddot is pretty much a no-go for me anymore. It's because of this that I put a prismatic optic (PA GLX-2x) on my HD carbine... which is set up for my eyes WITHOUT glasses on. If I am wearing them, I can simply and easily look over the tops of my spectacles and regain a clean sight picture. And the 2x magnification doesn't hurt for suburban distances PID. 
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Posted: 4/26/2022 10:23:19 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Astigmatisms play a huge part in red dots. I have a bad astigmatism and for me Eotechs are what I found to work best for me. Even with glasses tube type red dots are more like a smashed starburst than dot for me, For pistol red dots I use a 2MOA dot because in reality my eyes are prob seeing 6MOA. I should get a laser eye surgery but I'm a bitch. For me a 6moa dot is much clearer than 2moa with my astigmatism. The smaller the dot the more it starbursts in an irregular pattern vs something that appears more like a round dot with 6moa. |
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Posted: 4/26/2022 10:42:06 AM EDT
[#11]
I did some work with the Holosun 65 MOA ring yesterday. I think I'm starting to lean towards that for SD close work. More comparison training is needed though. And I was skeptical at first, but this comp seemed to help with muzzle rise.
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Posted: 4/26/2022 11:06:27 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: For me a 6moa dot is much clearer than 2moa with my astigmatism. The smaller the dot the more it starbursts in an irregular pattern vs something that appears more like a round dot with 6moa. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Astigmatisms play a huge part in red dots. I have a bad astigmatism and for me Eotechs are what I found to work best for me. Even with glasses tube type red dots are more like a smashed starburst than dot for me, For pistol red dots I use a 2MOA dot because in reality my eyes are prob seeing 6MOA. I should get a laser eye surgery but I'm a bitch. For me a 6moa dot is much clearer than 2moa with my astigmatism. The smaller the dot the more it starbursts in an irregular pattern vs something that appears more like a round dot with 6moa. I should try a 6 MOA dot then. 1 and 2 MOA dots are pure starbusts for my eyes. I can still use them as there's always a bright center to use for precision work. Up close I just "paint the target with the starburst" and get very acceptable accuracy for defensive firearms use. |
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Posted: 4/26/2022 9:52:49 PM EDT
[#13]
I wear glasses and almost exclusively carry with an RDS these days. Not sure why I waited so long.
 I can see the RDS fine without my glasses.
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Posted: 4/26/2022 10:12:13 PM EDT
[#14]
Just an observation, I also have had eye surgery and red dots are unusable. (starburst effect that constantly changes shape and size)
However, a GREEN sight works perfectly well. Esp if it's a circle or crosshair instead of a just a dot. |
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Posted: 4/26/2022 10:23:21 PM EDT
[#15]
I've been setting up most of my guns with dots for years, and only recently realized it was cause of my eyes. (Just got my first bifocals a couple years ago) My Carry gun has a dot on it now as well.
Years back I thought about having to shoot without glasses, and if you haven't done it, you need to! Because in my example back then it was basically 'line up the Black Blob in my hand with the Bigger Black Blob down there" (Same with shooting your CCW in winter with your full heavy coat and gloves on. You'll learn pretty fast what works and what doesn't.) |
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Posted: 4/28/2022 6:56:26 PM EDT
[#16]
I recently got prescribed glasses to help see at distance. I noticed recently that while wearing my new glasses to shoot, my front sight is extremely blurry. No issues clearly seeing the dot and the target though. i will probably soon be transitioning to dots on all of my carry guns. I'm not ready for bifocals yet.
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Posted: 4/30/2022 7:58:36 AM EDT
[#17]
I wear glasses to read. Without my glasses there is no front iron sight for me to see.
I can see the target fine. Without my glasses I can see a blurry red/green/amber dot just fine. I can put a blurry dot on the target all day long. I've found the DI RMRs to have the best/sharpest dot for my eyes. The battery operated models/brands have a blurry dot even with my glasses. Problem with the DI RMRs, I've just realized, is that when they get old and the dot brightness in low light fades as the tritium source weakens, the light becomes pretty much unusable at night. Sent mine back to Trijicon for repairs after contacting them about the faintness of the dots and got them back with a no action needed note. Just ordered some Holoson pistol sights. (sorry, small rant) For all the reasons people come up with not to spend money on slide milling, red dot purchasing/installation and training with it those of us who follow through will be glad if we ever have to use that pistol to save ourselves or someone else. |
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Posted: 4/30/2022 9:33:27 AM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: For all the reasons people come up with not to spend money on slide milling, red dot purchasing/installation and training with it those of us who follow through will be glad if we ever have to use that pistol to save ourselves or someone else. Yeah, it's definitely a learning curve. I was never against RDS', I just didn't want to put in the reps needed to train & learn it. But over the last year, that's been mostly what I shoot. Now I'm at a point where I won't buy a pistol unless it's cut for an RDS. They all still come with irons sights whether I use an RDS or not. |
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Posted: 4/30/2022 5:26:41 PM EDT
[#19]
It's an issue, getting old sucks. RDS can help a lot. What blows is the RDS on my rifle is crap with glasses on, but I can't see the iron sights of my pistol w/o them, makes transitions lousy. I'm working up to the RDS on a carry pistol. Lucky I only need them for the computer/reading and shooting.
Quote HistoryQuoted: and if you are of Medicare age and need cataract surgery... don't put off having it done... the difference is amazing I was going to pay out of pocket to have the best lenses possible put in, just to get rid of the reading glasses except for close in, I didn't like the side effects. They have really reduced them, but they still exist, and it's dependent on the individual. Obviously if you have cataracts ANYTHING is an improvement. I see past 3' perfectly. Getting old sucks sometimes. |
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Posted: 5/4/2022 12:26:07 AM EDT
[#20]
Quoted: Astigmatisms play a huge part in red dots. I have a bad astigmatism and for me Eotechs are what I found to work best for me. Even with glasses tube type red dots are more like a smashed starburst than dot for me, For pistol red dots I use a 2MOA dot because in reality my eyes are prob seeing 6MOA. I should get a laser eye surgery but I'm a bitch. I also have astigmatism, a more complex red dot seems to help. My 6moa RMR is a 3 dot triangle  but the Bushnell Mini Cannon I just got is much clearer on the different reticle options. There's a duplex-ish mode that is pretty darn clear for me.
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Posted: 5/4/2022 12:06:21 PM EDT
[#21]
I've been shooting handguns for 36 years and can't quite seem to get along with a RDS. Truthfully I only really tried it with one gun but it felt weird. I've always shot w conventional iron sights and have sort of learned to adapt as my eyes aged.
I have astigmatism and wear progressive lenses, which means the sights are blurry but I can see the target clearly (opposite of what we want) yet I still seem to be able to print decent groups. A lifetime of shooting apparently has benefits.  Maybe I need to give a RDS handgun another try but at this time I can still work the irons just fine. |
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Posted: 5/4/2022 2:44:13 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I've been shooting handguns for 36 years and can't quite seem to get along with a RDS. Truthfully I only really tried it with one gun but it felt weird. I've always shot w conventional iron sights and have sort of learned to adapt as my eyes aged. I have astigmatism and wear progressive lenses, which means the sights are blurry but I can see the target clearly (opposite of what we want) yet I still seem to be able to print decent groups. A lifetime of shooting apparently has benefits. Maybe I need to give a RDS handgun another try but at this time I can still work the irons just fine. It's really just a training issue. Watch a few videos on acquiring the red dot & put in the work. I wasn't resistant to the Red Dot, just the work. But once I put in the training required, I won't buy another Pistol that isn't cut for a Red Dot. I'll still carry Irons from time to time, but the Red Dot is preferred. Here's some info. if you decide you want to go that route. Results of a 4 Year Handgun Red Dot Study by Sage Dynamics I recommend Modern Samurai Project & Sage Dynamics Videos  Can't Find The Red Dot When You Are Drawing?  Red Dot Zero w/ Modern Samurai  Making the Switch to Handgun RDS  Developing Point of Aim with a RDS handgun optic  RDS Handgun Fundamentals: Sight Picture |
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Posted: 5/4/2022 9:13:19 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It's really just a training issue. Watch a few videos on acquiring the red dot & put in the work. I wasn't resistant to the Red Dot, just the work. But once I put in the training required, I won't buy another Pistol that isn't cut for a Red Dot. I'll still carry Irons from time to time, but the Red Dot is preferred. Here's some info. if you decide you want to go that route. Results of a 4 Year Handgun Red Dot Study by Sage Dynamics I recommend Modern Samurai Project & Sage Dynamics Videos  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_opyuuMw1Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mudA-PZ_OiA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HloKf9WifJg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh9MC7O_CtA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1MKmFdFBBQQuote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I've been shooting handguns for 36 years and can't quite seem to get along with a RDS. Truthfully I only really tried it with one gun but it felt weird. I've always shot w conventional iron sights and have sort of learned to adapt as my eyes aged. I have astigmatism and wear progressive lenses, which means the sights are blurry but I can see the target clearly (opposite of what we want) yet I still seem to be able to print decent groups. A lifetime of shooting apparently has benefits. Maybe I need to give a RDS handgun another try but at this time I can still work the irons just fine. It's really just a training issue. Watch a few videos on acquiring the red dot & put in the work. I wasn't resistant to the Red Dot, just the work. But once I put in the training required, I won't buy another Pistol that isn't cut for a Red Dot. I'll still carry Irons from time to time, but the Red Dot is preferred. Here's some info. if you decide you want to go that route. Results of a 4 Year Handgun Red Dot Study by Sage Dynamics I recommend Modern Samurai Project & Sage Dynamics Videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_opyuuMw1Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mudA-PZ_OiA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HloKf9WifJg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh9MC7O_CtA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1MKmFdFBBQThis right here is solid advice |
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Posted: 5/5/2022 6:53:39 PM EDT
[#24]
I just recently switched over to a green dot sight on my handgun and I don't think I will ever go back to standard sights on them. I don't know why it took me so long to switch as I have been using red dots on rifles since the 90s.
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Posted: 5/5/2022 7:43:11 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I just recently switched over to a green dot sight on my handgun and I don't think I will ever go back to standard sights on them. I don't know why it took me so l9ng to switch as I have been using red dots on rifles since the 90s. I've thought about picking up a green dot next time I buy an optic to compare to red. Spoke to a buddy of mine earlier today that prefers green over red. |
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Posted: 5/5/2022 8:11:37 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I've thought about picking up a green dot next time I buy an optic to compare to red. Spoke to a buddy of mine earlier today that prefers green over red. I pick up the green much faster than I do the red and it helps with my astigmatism. |
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Posted: 5/6/2022 10:26:53 AM EDT
[#27]
I have an optic on a lever gun and find the green is brighter and easier to see in daylight
A friend is gonna let me try his red dot equipped G19 on the weekend. |
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Posted: 5/6/2022 1:22:58 PM EDT
[#28]
I wear glasses and have pretty bad eye sight. I get the full astigmatism bloom without my glasses. Without them, I can still get combat accuracy hits on target with my 3.5MOA dot. Might be a different story if the dot was 1 MOA.
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Posted: 5/6/2022 1:40:20 PM EDT
[#29]
I'm nearsighted and actually see the sights better without glasses.
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Posted: 5/7/2022 2:30:02 PM EDT
[#30]
I went to my LGS and spent some time looking at various sights, reticles and colours. I find the green to produce starburst pattern much more so than the red. I found a reasonably priced optic with good features and dot size.
I have borrowed a G19 with a Trijicon RDS from a friend to take to the range and try, before I spend $600 getting a RDS mounted to my Glock. Playing with the gun at home I find the dot much more difficult to acquire than iron sights. I will send some time at the range with the RDS to see if I can adapt but at this point I find the irons much easier to deal with. |
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Posted: 5/7/2022 5:59:15 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I went to my LGS and spent some time looking at various sights, reticles and colours. I find the green to produce starburst pattern much more so than the red. I found a reasonably priced optic with good features and dot size. I have borrowed a G19 with a Trijicon RDS from a friend to take to the range and try, before I spend $600 getting a RDS mounted to my Glock. Playing with the gun at home I find the dot much more difficult to acquire than iron sights. I will send some time at the range with the RDS to see if I can adapt but at this point I find the irons much easier to deal with. @SilencerMan One thing that will help in my experience is taping the front lens with painters tape it’ll force both eyes open and a target focused sight picture. Do some draws and shooting that way for a bit. Also start from drawn on target and reholster a few times then reverse it. A lot of folks tend to unconsciously dip and start following the front sight to the target rather then bringing the gun to there eye on target if that makes sense. ETA: the painters tape won’t leave glue residue I can’t vouch for any other tape. |
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Posted: 5/7/2022 7:22:41 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I oick up the green much faster than I do the red and it helps with my astigmatism. All my holosons are amber - up to today. I got my first green Holoson in the mail and the dot is way sharper for me with glasses on (right eye is sharper than left eye) than the amber dots. Without glasses I also see it better/sharper. It appears as a green circle with a small green dot in the center with my left eye and small green circle open between 2 and 4 o'clock with a vertical tail at 12 o'clock through the right eye. I'm thinking this green dot Holoson is going on my EDC P07 and the amber dot is going to the P09. Funny, I hated amber dot FO front sights but noticed with the CZ Tactical Sport the green FO front sight was much better (don't mind it at all). Just didn't go for a green dot Holoson till a week ago and thought I'd try one. Take a look at the green dot versions you guys that wear glasses - or need to wear glasses but don't most of the time. |
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Posted: 5/14/2022 9:50:42 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I oick up the green much faster than I do the red and it helps with my astigmatism. I have experienced this with ACOG's as well. Green is less blurry and more crisp. If I ever get an RDS on a pistol (have not taken that plunge yet) I will try to find green. |
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Posted: 5/20/2022 3:27:22 AM EDT
[#34]
I've got a touch of astigmatism and my uncorrected vision is 20/40. As I have gotten older, I finally had to give in and get progressive lenses. I can work a red dot (green actually) without my glasses, since I usually wear non-prescription sunglasses when shooting outdoors. The dot is still a bit of a blob for me, but even with glasses it is still a blob.
Dot sights (especially the Holosun green circle dot combo) work wonders for me. |
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Posted: 5/20/2022 4:04:56 AM EDT
[#35]
I have astigmatism, and a decent prescription. At SD distances, I can still point shoot and make good hits. I have also gravitated to pistols that I can close my eyes aim, and when I open my eyes, I'm on target.
At the (shooting) range I shoot at, I also have the opportunity to close my eyes and shoot without endangering anyone or sending a round off the property. |
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Posted: 5/20/2022 1:31:39 PM EDT
[#36]
I wish more companies would come out with green dots. I've never tried one, but the color green is definitely easier on my eyes than red.
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Posted: 7/19/2022 8:19:10 PM EDT
[#37]
I just built a sig and wound up putting a red circle dot on it instead of the green so now I can compare them as Hk has the green.. I have not had a chance to zero it yet, but looking forward to it.
 Attached File |
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Posted: 7/20/2022 3:47:06 PM EDT
[#38]
Not a guru but if the dot has too much "flare" you are probably still using front sight focus. The transition comes as you shoot with both eyes open and target focus. The target will just appear with a dot in the right place once you have your index down. It is a retraining of old habits to new.
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Posted: 7/20/2022 5:23:06 PM EDT
[#39]
I’m near sighted so not wearing glasses benefits me when shooting.
Everything at a distance is slightly blurry so it makes me naturally focus on the front sight, that said red dots are awesome. |
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Posted: 7/20/2022 7:26:42 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: and if you are of Medicare age and need cataract surgery... don't put off having it done... the difference is amazing +1 |
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