Stick-On Bifocals to Cure Fuzzy Front Sights

[Charles L. Cotton]

There are a lot of fuzzy front sights running around these days. I've been wearing contact lenses (+2.25) for years. These days, I also use reading cheaters if I'm reading anything in volume, or if the print is small. I'm sure my definition of "small print" differs from the kids' with young eyes!

To give me a crisp front sight, I use the stick-on bifocals (+1.00) you can get from Hidalgo Supply and other places. I cut them to fit on the upper left portion of the right lens of my shooting glasses (my dominant eye) so that I'm only looking through it when I'm shooting with my head "ducked" slightly. This allows me to see a crisp front sight with my dominant eye, but the effect on the target (additional fuzziness) is minimal because the left eye is not looking through the additional magnification.

I actually learned about using only one stick-on bifocal by accident. I bought some new sunglasses and wanted to try them out before the new stick-on bifocals arrived. I took the bifocal off of the left lense of a pair of shooting glasses and tried it on the new glasses. I was amazed how much better it worked. The best things about this approach is that you can put the stick-ons on any glasses and you only have the extra magnification on the dominant eye, which prevents the target from being significantly more blurred.

Since I am farsighted and use a (+) prescription, I don't know if this method would work for someone who is nearsighted using a (-) prescription. If you are nearsighted and still use reading cheaters (all of them are (+) prescriptions), then this may work. It would be helpful if someone who wears a (-) prescription would try this and report their results.

I hope this helps.
Chas.

[57Coastie]

I never knew these existed, Chas., and my guess is that my eyes are much older than yours. I will have to look into them.

I have had a bad problem with astigmatism most of my life, and I learned many years ago of the little variable apertures to correct that situation where the front sight is concerned, and I have used one made by "Merit" in bullseye competition with both handguns and stock iron sights on long guns for at least 40 years. It sticks on the the lens (in my case the right one) with a small suction cup, and I put the aperture at the upper left-hand corner of the right lens, where the front sight falls naturally for me. This makes the front sight nice and crisp, leaving the target the fuzzy black ball many good shooters prefer, so as to avoid bouncing their focus back and forth between the front sight and the target, and overcoming any unhelpful distracting attempt to focus on the x-ring.

The variable aperture trick is of course of no value except in target shooting, which left me up to Mother Nature when practicing personal defense shooting, and a funny thing happened the other day. I had cataract surgery on my left eye (my "off" eye), and the lens implanted by the surgeon sharpened up my distance vision to 20/20 or better, but I still needed near vision correction for both eyes. I had always, having been a flier for many years, but no longer, used trifocals - one lens to see where I was going, another for the panel, and the third for the chart on my lap. After my cataract surgery my optometrist recommended, and prescribed, two pairs of bifocal glasses -- one for distance vision and reading, and the other for use at the computer and reading. They work as intended.

An unintended consequence is that wearing the "computer glasses" I find I can do away with the variable lens most of the time when handgun target shooting, and they work fine for personal defense practice -- for a simple reason: my computer monitor happens to sit a a distance from my eyes very close to the distance from my right eye to my front sight with a handgun at arm's length.

I am back to the variable aperture of course for iron-sight rifles, but all this reminded me that if money is not an object a competent optometrist can prescribe glasses which focus sharply for you at any distance you might desire.

I'm relatively new here on your forum, as contrasted with being a long-time CHL holder, and this, I think, is my first chance to say "Howdy," and compliment you on what has to be a time-consuming job for you, but so valuable to the rest of us.

All the best,

Jim

[Keith B]

FYI, Walgreen's is not carrying these any longer in regular stock. I found three pairs today in the close-out bin for $2.49 a set. They normally ran about $10 a set.

You might have to check a couple of locations to find your magnification power, but in Texas there is a Walgreen's on about every corner!

[bryang]

Thanks ya'll, this is great, I didn't know about these. For some strange reason my sight have gotten a lot fuzzier here lately... couldn't be, could it? ...nah, surly not age related.

[Mike1951]

Diabetes can do it!

[Roshi]

I tried these and like them for target shooting. I do spend a lot of my range time shooting without them because I'm concerned that since I don't have it available to me when I'm carrying concealed ( I wear contacts) I won't be prepared to shoot without them.

I used to hate white dot sights, always painted them black, but since I've gotten older (north side of 60) I find all black is tough to use. My eyes prefer Meprolight night sigths for day time shooting and recently I've tried those XS 7/24 Big Dot sights. Those work well but take some retraining to get pin point accuracy.

[HankB]

Found that WalMart carried these . . . about $7 and change. They were in the pharmacy area, on the display of reading glasses.

Local Walgreens does not carry them.

I believe Cabela's also carries them.

[davefrmmrfy]

Has anyone found a current source for these? I tried a set of +1.00d diving glass lenses by Optx2020 and they were too thick to curve nicely inside my protective glasses. +1.25 is too much correction, and the lenses carried by Wally-World start at +1.50 and go up in .50 increments.

I know Optx2020 makes them for for protective glasses in +1.00 diopter but don't know where to look in the Plano area. I'd like to be able to test them without having to worry about return shipping.

Tnx,
Dave

[TLE2]

Does anyone know where to get "full lens" stick-ons?

I have a couple of pair of the bifocals, but they're too small and the edge blur is distracting.

Thanks.

/mas

[Ross]

There are a lot of fuzzy front sights running around these days. I've been wearing contact lenses (+2.25) for years. These days, I also use reading cheaters if I'm reading anything in volume, or if the print is small. I'm sure my definition of "small print" differs from the kids' with young eyes!

To give me a crisp front sight, I use the stick-on bifocals (+1.00) you can get from Hidalgo Supply and other places. I cut them to fit on the right lense of my shooting glasses (my dominant eye) so that I'm only looking through it when I'm shooting with my head "ducked" slightly. This allows me to see a crisp front sight with my dominant eye, but the effect on the target (additional fuzziness) is minimal because the left eye is not looking through the additional magnification.

I hope this helps.
Chas.

Never heard of this before. I'm definately going to check it out.
Thanks,

[TEXASGIANT]

Walmart has safety glasses with "cheaters" built into the lower edge. Nothing to fancy just basic safety glasses with little style but the cheaters can be had from 1.00-2.50. About 6 bucks and they are on a rack up front by the eye doctor.

[TDDude]

Grainger has them with their safety glasses accessories.
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/safety ... ?op=search

[Keith B]

Hey, spammer. You can tell by the link in the signature line. Member will be going bye bye.

[Jumping Frog]

I don't see no steekin' spammer ......


Good job mods, thanks!