Problems with Vision, Blurry targets with Iron Sights

Will turn 67 in a few months, and the same problem. Kraig was correct, I went to see about glasses and have two cataracts. Will have them taken care of, but will take time.

In the mean time I will shoot with a blurry target. I do remember what it's supposed to look like. Getting old is hell.
 
BTW: I went in and had a pair of fixed-focus glasses made for 30" (rifle and pistol eye-to-blade) distance. That also helped.
 
Last edited:
Eagle0711. I had the same deal last year. I had both eyes fixed about six months ago...what a difference. Color is more vivid and it makes a huge difference on the range.
To the OP. Get checked for cataracts. My impression, from seeing the large numbers going for surgery, is they are more common than most people realise.
 
50' or 1000 yards, the target should be blurry and the only thing that should be in focus is your front sight. Get them eyes open and concentrate on that front post because that is the thing that needs to be centered in the rear sight notch or aperture. If you are shooting good you may not have as much problem as you think you do.

Do this. Stick your thumb up in the air at arms length and if you can focus on it, if you can see the little striations and the quick and the white and the little edge at the top of the nail clearly you can focus on the front sight because rifle or pistol that is where it is.

A lot of us need prescription glasses. A pair of glasses tinted with safety lenses ground for a 30" focus, + or - an inch or two, whatever your particular need is will serve you good. The target will never be in focus.
 
Pongo,

]Get checked for cataracts. My impression, from seeing the large numbers going for surgery, is they are more common than most people realise.


EVERYBODY gets cataracts eventually (if they live long enough:) Usually in the 60+ range, but not uncommon in the fifties. There are two types of cataracts, nuclear sclerotic cataracts that make colors dull and objects blurry, and cortical cataracts, that just make everything blurry. The surgeon can, and usually should, attempt to make you just a little bit nearsighted after cataract surgery. That gives you the best all-around vision, near and far, and also just happens to give you great vision on the front sights. Many people don't realize that cataract surgery puts a new lens into your eye and can do great things to decrease your need for eyeglasses.
 
RW,

One more buzzkill, you are describing a possible manifestation of onset type II diabetes. That was one of my symptoms. I found out early enough that meds corrected most of the problem.

Mike
 
Roadwarrior,

How old are you? Near problems usually start between 35-45 years of age. They happen on the earlier side if you are hyperopic (farsighted).
 
At age 70 the bullseye became blurred at 100 yards through the peep on my M1 Garrand. Had cataracts taken off and artificial lenses put on and bingo, clear bullseye. At age 73 blurred again. Doctor said film had grown over the artificial lense in right eye. Took him two minutes to laser it off. Again, the bullseye cleared. I am now 76 and it's still clear. Have your doctor check for cataracts.
 
There are different remedies for the target shooter, but for those of us who CCW we're stuck with what we have when going about our daily business.

Many of us shoot the fuzzy sights and it works reasonably well. The principle behind concentrating on the front sight is so that you don't anticipate noise and recoil and flinch, or lower the gun. That principle still works if the front sight you're focusing on isn't in focus. Concentrate on it, anyway. You can still see both the sight and target enough to get on it.

And, you have no choice-- it's always going to be out of focus. Except, as mentioned, for target shooting where you can wear special glasses or use different tools.:cool:
 
Hello, TheRoadWarrior. I purchased a Gheman diaopter clip on..adjustable pin holes, clips on glasses frame. I seem to be able to still shoot peep/tang sights with same precision..This helps with open sights. I'll never see 57 again. Best of luck!
 
Thread Closer

I know this thread is long dead, but I figured I would get closure on this issue.

I have done something strange in order to help my right eye astigmatism.
I take off my glasses the day before I have a qualification range, let my eyes adjust to not having corrective lenses. The morning of the range my eyes are adjusted to not wearing anything and I don't have to squint.

I placed all five of my zero and grouping shots directly within the inner circle of a 25meter M16 zeroing target first time.

I qualified my best ever score of 36/40, which is expert. My eyes were adjusted to not having anything correct them, I was able to actually see the 300meter target without the blur! I felt my misses, it was because I jerked the trigger, not because of blurry targets or anything visual.

I did this because I'm deployed and cannot wear contacts. When I go home I can try wearing them and I know that it will obviously help my astigmatism, but this is a fix for now!

Thank you to everyone for your help and advice!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top