Old eyes

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Martin Catley
Posts: 170
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:19 am
Location: New Zealand
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Old eyes

Post by Martin Catley »

Looking for ideas and advice. I am now in my seventies and have had Cataract surgery on both eyes with some success. Currently driving without glasses and using glasses for closeup.

I am using a lense attatched to the rearsight, something I have done for some years now. Lately I do not seem to be able to get a balance in the scripts I have. Currently I have a strong fore sight but the aiming mark disapears when shooting a few shots. Not good in 60 shot matches!

Has any one on the group had any experience with the newer peeps with astigmatism and correction combined? Probably interested in the newer ones without magnifacation, but could look at them. I haven't won Lotto but frustrated with what I am seeing. I am wondering also if one can increase or decrease the power as the shoot progresses.
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PeeWeeDaddy
Posts: 125
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2022 5:11 pm
Location: Fairfield, CA

Re: Old eyes

Post by PeeWeeDaddy »

I had cataract surgery.
I chose distant in both eyes.
I am 78 and shoot an FWB601 (peep and front aperture) and IZH46M (open and front post) ver well, thank you.
"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement."
GoodEnuf
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 11:25 pm

Re: Old eyes

Post by GoodEnuf »

74 yoa. Cataract surgery 5 years ago. I have been using the astigmatism/magnification rear sight optics since before COVID, attached to the FWB 800W, left hand, and an adjustable front sight. I have no problems as you describe, but without the hardware, sight definition is not so good, especially the problems associated with my astigmatism, corrected by the sight. My limitations are not visual deficiencies, but rather hold duration, and endurance. I do not compete, shooting only for personal gratification, and am sure my setup is not acceptable in any formal setting.

A couple suggestions before dumping a whole lot of money? Brighten up the target as much as you can tolerate, so as to allow a tighter rear aperature, maybe in the 1.2mm or less realm - tiny peephole, greater depth of field, but don't go too far, it will invite other optics problems. Play with the focus of what you have and move the focus around to better focus on the bull without losing the front sight definition. Be sure your eyes are not drying out; blink more often before settling in on final sight picture. Reset if necessary to prevent long attempts to fix a good sight picture/reasonable hold radius. Try using eye drops, either over the counter, or prescription. Old guys often suffer from treatable dry eyes, which affects vision; I do and use a prescription medication that works.

I know for sure next to nothing. The above comments are just suggestions, and you are getting what you paid for.


John E.
Reporting from the Cascade Subduction Zone...
GoodEnuf
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 11:25 pm

Re: Old eyes

Post by GoodEnuf »

Follow up on the above....use a translucent blinder on the non-shooting eye, to balance the light intensity and ease the concentration problem.
Reporting from the Cascade Subduction Zone...
Martin H
Posts: 153
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 2:01 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Old eyes

Post by Martin H »

Hi Martin
Sounds like your lens prescription is set up to focus on the front sight too much. Try a lens power which focuses your eye on the target more. Probably just needs an increase of -0.25 on your current prescription to help see the target better. But be prepared, you won't see the front sight quite as well.
And lots of good advice above, esp using eye drops to stop dry eye.
Cheers Martin H
Martin Catley
Posts: 170
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:19 am
Location: New Zealand
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Re: Old eyes

Post by Martin Catley »

Thanks everyone for the comments.
John I am doing most if not all of your recommendations thank you.

Martin you have hit it exactly I have been thinking along those lines for a while now! I have been seeing too good a fore sight and losing focus on the target, to a point where I have found myself almost snap shooting! I finally had a talk to my optometrist . For interest my script has changed quite a lot since the one done just after the op. He gave me 20/20 on my shooting eye and near enough on my left eye. I am hoping my new reduced lense will solve one problem! Congratulations on your shooting at our recent Nationals, some great scores.
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