Astigmatism....red-dot selection

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Astigmatism....red-dot selection

Posted: 9/3/2005 10:14:38 PM EDT

I am one of the elite group

to be blessed with football shaped eyes that cannot focus well.

I am looking to get an Aimpoint or an Eotech. I have never personally seen an Aimpoint but I have played with a tacpoint. I was able to get the tacpoint to focus and be a sharp dot. When I can't focus it I saw a decent size rectangle. I think I could still shoot fairly accurately like this.

However the Eotech looks pretty bad. I haven't looked at one with my contacts in (I rarely wear them). I'm only 20/40 in my right eye and 20/100 (not so great) in my left eye.

With contacts in do you think both would seem clear? I am leaning towards the aimpoint because: it looks alittle clearer, battery life is great, and it looks badass. Plus if SHTF I really doubt I'll have time to put contacts in.

If you have astigmatism what is you experience with the aimpoint and eotech.

Posted: 9/3/2005 10:29:14 PM EDT

[#1]

I have a pretty bad astigmatism too and have found the following, keep in mind this is just anecdotal:

1. Sights with a fiberoptic light source (Propoints, etc.) produces what my eyes perceive
as a comma shaped blurred dot.

2. Sights with an LED light source (Aimpoint Comp M2, ML2, etc.) produce a nice round crisp dot.

Like I said, this is just what I see with my very screwed up eyes (-8.75 diopters) and may not apply to you if we have a different type of astigmatism.

Don't buy 'em till you try 'em!

Posted: 9/3/2005 10:40:48 PM EDT

[#2]

I'm an EOTech guy, but you should get what works best for you.

My eyesight is good/normal, like 20/.....something. 20 or 15. The last time I got a vision test was 2 years ago for MEPS, so I don't know what it's like to have eye problems.

Get what works for you, simple as that.

WIZZO

Posted: 9/4/2005 12:12:08 AM EDT

[#3]

For me like I've said before, the Aimpoint is more forgiving when you have astigmatism. I used to keep mine in a low setting and do not focus on the dot, just the target.
All this while using my specs. Without them I just see a blob.

Posted: 9/4/2005 12:37:21 AM EDT

[#4]

I have astigmatism and wear glasses

My Eotech looks fine when it's mounted on the rifle and I shoot with both eyes open. If I have the Eo in hand and look at the reticle it's fuzzy as hell. It really needs to be installed and you look through it to your target, when you're focusing on the target the Eo does pretty well even with football eyes.

I have no aimpoint nor have I used one. I cannot fairly comment on it, only played with em in the funshop.

Posted: 9/4/2005 12:58:23 AM EDT

[#5]

I also have mild astigmatism, and I'm right handed/left eye dominant with 20/20 Left eye and 20/40 right. I'm 52 and have poor close up vision, with the near vision worse in my left eye. I have used Aimpoint, Eotech, and CQ/T. The CQ/T was far and away best for me with no blurring. With astigmatism you will also find your vision is much worse at night as your pupil dilates, and light is coming in over a larger area of distorted cornea. While the Eotech is only mildly blurred for me during the day, at night I'm much worse with it, especially if there is any backlighting. I would try all three before buying, and try them both outside in bright light and in a dark room. Which unit is best varies for each individual depending on their particular set of eyeballs.

Posted: 9/4/2005 7:32:11 AM EDT

[#6]

I have no idea where I can get ahold of any of them to try again. Buddy had an Eotech on a Bushmaster but since sold the gun. And I have never even seen an Aimpoint. A tacpoint wasn't bad. So I can't see a aimpoint being worse.

Posted: 9/4/2005 3:45:25 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
I have no idea where I can get ahold of any of them to try again. Buddy had an Eotech on a Bushmaster but since sold the gun. And I have never even seen an Aimpoint. A tacpoint wasn't bad. So I can't see a aimpoint being worse.

I have the same problem the EoTech has fuzzy edges to me even with glasses on but not as bad without my glasses. The Aimpoint I have no problems with glasses or no glasses on.

Posted: 9/4/2005 6:11:18 PM EDT

[#8]

I have a bad astigmatism. WIth contacts reticles of dot sights are still blurred but reduced about 80%. Purely because the EOtech has more light out there as the reticle is becomes a nightmare if you have astigmatism. Just a blurry obscured mess. With an Aimpoint I can at least get a comet shaped reticle and know the head of the comet is the aiming point. If I squint it gets clear and its good enough for CQB type stuff without squinting. The 2 MOA M3/ML3 Aimpoint is a bit better than 4MOA but not tremendously so. Illuminated reticles on magnified optics are much less than dot sights. I would not select the CQT just becasue you have an astigmatism. Other 1-4X scopes will out perform the CQT like the Meopta Meostar for the same weight and money.

Posted: 9/4/2005 8:21:33 PM EDT

[#9]

Where can I get a Larue aimpoint mount? I have been looking for the old style straight aimpoint mount. I'd rather not have the QD either. If something happens I will have BUIS.

I am thinking hard about buying a good mount and a tacpoint. Until I decide if I want to spend the cash on the aimpoint. I'd hate to spend the cash and then not be able to see it correctly.

I wish some local place had aimpoints in stock. I have personally never seen an aimpoint. Just eotechs...which don't really impress me.

To me to much of the viewing window is covered up by that cary rectical. Plus it is pretty blurry. Like mentioned above...with the tacpoint the dot is blurred but still go enough to be on a torso in CQB work.

Posted: 9/5/2005 4:57:02 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Where can I get a Larue aimpoint mount? I have been looking for the old style straight aimpoint mount. I'd rather not have the QD either. If something happens I will have BUIS.

I am thinking hard about buying a good mount and a tacpoint. Until I decide if I want to spend the cash on the aimpoint. I'd hate to spend the cash and then not be able to see it correctly.

I wish some local place had aimpoints in stock. I have personally never seen an aimpoint. Just eotechs...which don't really impress me.

To me to much of the viewing window is covered up by that cary rectical. Plus it is pretty blurry. Like mentioned above...with the tacpoint the dot is blurred but still go enough to be on a torso in CQB work.

Check out here for great prices on Aimpoints. Wear corrective lenses when you shoot the blur should be gone with the Aimpoint. Tacpoint is cheap that means cheap parts in side and cheap glass. If you order from the website I linked for U, U can always return it for a refund, they are great people. Keep your eye out in the EE if you want, but it is hard to bet there prices for new stuff. I have three Aimpoints and one EoTech 512.

Posted: 9/5/2005 5:39:23 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Where can I get a Larue aimpoint mount? I have been looking for the old style straight aimpoint mount. I'd rather not have the QD either. If something happens I will have BUIS.

What if you fall in mud and obscure the rear of your Aimpoint with mud? Cant see through the Aimpoint. There are dozens of situations where you need QD capabilities to use the BUIS.

Posted: 9/5/2005 8:28:31 AM EDT

[#12]

I probably have one of the worst set of eyes on the forum. Mine are so bad I'm 4F. Astigmatism and all.

EOTech: I could not tell the dot from the ring.
Aimpoint: Crisp and clear
Trijicon Reflex II: Crisp and clear
ACOG: Crisp and clear.
One of those funky sites where it's a big thing circle, and that's all that's sticking up: Fuzzy, but not EOTech fuzzy.

Go with the Aimpoint, imo. Or a Trijicon of some kind.

Posted: 9/5/2005 9:54:49 AM EDT

[#13]

my experience is different from most of the posters here.
i am nearsighted with bad astigmatism. i always wear glasses, so i can't comment on how different reticles look without prescription, but WITH corrective lenses i've found the EOtech to work better. for me this is simply because the center dot is 1 MOA to begin with, so if it "blurs" due to poor vision, it is still smaller than a 4 MOA aimpoint. when the aimpoint blurs it is still fine for CQB but smears out too much for me to use for precision. outdoors/daytime use is not really a problem with either, but i do a lot of shooting on an indoor range.
my preferred optic overall is the ACOG. for 3 gun/outdoor shooting i tape off 1/2-3/4 of the fiber optic to keep the reticle sharp and not overly bright, and it works great.

Posted: 9/5/2005 5:34:15 PM EDT

[#14]

I'd love to have an ACOG but I definetly can't afford that right now. I only work about 25 hours a week because I have 16 hours at Marshall a week.

Just sold my ball python and cornsnake to help fund the eotech/aimpoint fund.

My right eye is only -.50 so it really isn't that bad. I can get a nice crisp dot from a tacpoint if I focus alittle. Other eye is -1.25...still not "bad" per say but definetly worse than my right eye. I rarely wear contacts so I don't want to rely on them for my red-dot to look clear.

Posted: 9/5/2005 5:46:59 PM EDT

[#15]

hey neighbor

Posted: 9/5/2005 6:48:32 PM EDT

[#16]

Add get a 2 MOA Aimpoint not a 4 MOA version.

Posted: 9/5/2005 7:59:57 PM EDT

[#17]

Hey jixxer...were in WV are you? Do you happen to have an aimpoint and/or Eotech?!

Posted: 9/5/2005 10:04:58 PM EDT

[#18]

Thought I'd chime in here.

I have bad astigmatism in my left eye, and am near sighted in the right, and wear glasses. I've debated which scope/optic would be best for quick/combat style shooting.

For precise target/varmit shooting I've always used scopes. My problem with scopes is that I see better throught them without my glasses on. For quick shots like in combat or three gun, I've used just iron sights and my glasses. Scopes and my glasses don't mix very well. I've tried various optics including ACOGS, EOTech, Aimpoints, ect. I've found the Bindon Aiming Concept (BAC) of the ACOGS don't work for my poor eyesight. Both the Aimpoint and the EOTech worked for me. I can use both with my glasses on, and both are quick on target. I ended up buying an EOTech mainly because of the 1 min dot.

I see Aimpoint now has a 2 min dot out. My M1A Scout may have a new optic on it soon.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Astigmatism....red-dot selection

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