Anyone suffer eye fatigue from sighting?

H

holypaper

New member
I shot my P239 for the first time today. It performed flawlessly, and I was very impressed by the DAK trigger. I've shot several guns, and never felt such a consistent trigger pull.

I did have a problem with sighting, though. I loaded two magazines and began shooting. At the beginning, I could see the front sight very clearly. By the end of the second magazine, however, the sight was looking blurry. Then I would reload, and I could see the front sight clearly again. My accuracy reflected this, with my earlier shots always being the best. Does anyone else have this problem? How do you work around it? Obviously I could take breaks more often, but I am wondering if there's a way to train to reduce the problem. Thanks.
 
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Start a dry-fire program. Every night make sure the gun is empty, then dry-fire at a thumbtack in the wall. Make a conscious effort to get the sharpest sight picture (focusing on the front sight) and the cleanest break you can manage.

You might find later that taking a black magic market to your front sight gives you a sharper sight picture. Dots, bars, and colors just makes the sight picure fuzzier.
 
I think one of the biggest problems shooters exhibt is tensing up to much. Being too stiff in your grip or shoulders being to rigid in your stance is detrimental to your accuracy. I think its the same with the eyes, you should try and be as relaxed as relaxed as possible. If your grip and stance are right, that front sight will fall right back on target everytime.
 
My front sight has been fuzzy for the last ten years.
In fact it disappears when I'm on the black.
I shoot brightly centered targets, then aim for the holes.
After a few shots the hole is plenty big enough.
Getting old is a bi#%h.
 
Try alternating your focus briefly to the rear sight when this begins to occur. You might be experiencing what's known as Troxler fading.
 
Try alternating your focus briefly to the rear sight when this begins to occur. You might be experiencing what's known as Troxler fading.
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I Googled Troxler fading, and I believe that is exactly what is going on, Casimer. Essentially, if you stare at a point for about twenty seconds or more, it starts to fade into the background. Thank you, sir!

Although, the general brain rot from spending too much time on internet forums, as described by 9mmPDX, may be a contributor!
 
The front sight is fuzzier as we age but, the thing I've noticed is, if I take too long, my contact lens gets a little dry and that makes the sight more fuzzy.

Hard to pick the "most" problem with the trigger squeeze - I'm thinking it's "trigger snatching" causing the low left point of impact. One writer gave what I thought was good advice - combine dry fire with range practice and, between magazines, balance an empty case on the front sight and see if you are "snatching" the trigger with dry fire. Then go back to real ammo and practice some more.

YMMV

:D
 
Learning to shoot with both eyes open also helps. Less strain on your shooting eye.
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I'll experiment with that. I have been closing an eye; I was told it was "easier". Easy is only good if it works.

Has anyone found one type of sight to be better at reducing this Troxler fading problem?
 
I have not had the problem with handguns, mostly just with rifles, staring at the front sight too long during long strings from the bench. You might need your eyes checked too, if it is just eye strain aggravating the problem. I assume if it is a nice sunny day, you wear a ball cap or something to shade your eyes. Or maybe some of the tinted shooting glasses might help things a little. Try a 6 o clock hold, the lack of contrast with black sights on a black bull is a strain too. Target shooters sight that way. Or try an orange dot sticker at the bottom of the black bullseye and aim at that. That usually tightens up my groups a bit.
 
I have been closing an eye; I was told it was "easier".
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It's "easier" because you don't have to figure out which gun is the ghost and which one is the real one. But it does strain the open eye. If I do the one eye thing for awhile, my shooting eyelid starts twitching and I lose the ability to focus. Here's a hint: the real gun is the one that is lined up, you will be able to see the side of the slide on the ghost. Also, if you shoot with your right eye, the gun on the right is the ghost.
 
I assume if it is a nice sunny day, you wear a ball cap or something to shade your eyes. Or maybe some of the tinted shooting glasses might help things a little.
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So far, I've always shot indoors. This is Greater Seattle, where guns rust to your hand outside :D.

It's "easier" because you don't have to figure out which gun is the ghost and which one is the real one.
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I'm right-handed, but left eye dominant. The way I have to tilt my head must reduce the ghosting, because it doesn't seem too bad. I'll definitely play around with this at my next session.

Thanks again to everyone for all the great tips!
 
How old are you? This does come with age.
What I would suggest is to start shooting with both eyes open.
The fact that you close one eye and concentrate the other will cause eye fatigue and once you train to shoot with both open this is reduced a great deal.
The way I teach others to shoot with both open is to use safety glasses and put a patch over the weak eye, this makes it easy to shoot with both open. Once you start shooting this way it becomes very easy and you gain so much from having both open.
 
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