Shooting with only prescription eyeglasses

[AddyLO]

I'm a relatively new shooter. When I first began going to the range I asked several folks whether I needed more eye protection than just my prescription glasses. Most folks that I asked seemed to agree that these were "probably" enough. It was suggested that I might get a pair of clip on shades to cut glare and protect my regular glasses from dings.

I mostly shoot at indoor ranges. My favorite is a standard multi-lane range with dividing panels between each lane. I was at this particular range a couple of weeks ago. Patronage was light that day with only half the lanes in use. The lanes on either side of me were empty. Two lanes to my left was a guy with several handguns and an ammo box.

I was firing away when, "BOOM!", a cannon went off. I glanced over at the guy to my left and saw he was shooting a .44 magnum. Aw man! I snugged my ears a little tighter to my head and went on shooting.

When the next sonic boom happened I felt something hit my face. I always carry a mirror (compass, actually) in my range bag so I pulled it out and took a look.

Evidently a piece of shrapnel from his .44 nicked me UNDER MY GLASSES about 1/2 inch under my right eye. The cut under my eye was deep enough to draw blood and sting like the devil but I was more concerned about what COULD have happened.

There's also a permanent nick on the INSIDE of my right lens barely below my direct line of vision. Now I see a constant spot in front of me regardless of which direction I look. Gonna have to replace a pair of glasses.

Moral of the story: Prescription eyeglasses are NOT enough! Always wear a pair of "over-the-glasses" wrap-around protectors.

[Divided Attention]

I agree totally! I wear safety glasses that fit over my Rx glasses. I have to wear my Rx glasses or would not be able to see downrange well enough to do any good. Regarless of shrapnel, a piece of hot brass behind your glasses would be painful/damaging enough. Now, I can't wear the "cool" safety glasses that my daughter's wear, but I have a pair of clear and a pair of yellow, and even a pair of "sunglasses" safety glasses to keep my eyes safe.

[glbedd53]

True. The second part of that is, don't put yourself too close to an idiot with a cheap firearm.

[Divided Attention]

Not always a cheap firearm. When working drills in an indoor range, there is occasionally shrapnel. I even got popped in the neck by a copper jacket from who knows where at an outdoor range recently.

[AddyLO]

That's the dumb part. I've only been shooting for a little over a year but I've been hit in the neck by shrapnel on two separate occasions prior to this incident. You would think that would have been enough to teach me something.

[HankB]

I've got prescription safety glasses with side shields, provided by my employer. I wear them when shooting, using power tools, etc. I've been hit with things often enough to know that glasses have saved me from eye injuries.

[RECIT]

You only have one pair of eyes and glasses are cheap insurance.

[NTexas_V-Star]

I once took a .45 slug ( the whole slug) to the thigh once in an indoor range. Running drills, with blue plastic barrels as barriers to partially obscure targets. The best we can figure is that a shot hit a barrel, and it penetrated, and whizzed around the interior losing velocity. Then in a one-in-a-million chance, exited one of the many bullet holes on this thing, and hit the floor, then skipping into me.

It was an intense few seconds after I felt the impact. Didn't hit hard enough to even leave a bruise, but still a little scary.

[torolimon]

I will always wear safety goggles. This summer my uncle got a hot shell case to the eye while wearing his normal glasses. Scared the hell out of me because he just started yelling and holding his eye. I thought he had been shot.

[glbedd53]

I have 2 pair of Oakley prescription sunglasses that I wear for shooting and almost everything else. Oakley claims that their glasses are rated as safety glasses but I never checked it out.

[El_Tortuga]

I have a dry eye condition that encourages me to wraparound style all the time. Accordingly, a lot are safety glass frames. Not the style i'd prefer, but Z87.2 (prescription) rated glasses from Wiley X are my choice. Oakley and Pan-optix are couple more choices that are prescription and safety rated.

Even before the need cropped up, I always chafed with safety glasses over regular glasses. Too many reflections and increase in flare/glare.