Glasses vs Contacts

[tcgoetz]

Is changing between glasses and contacts an issue for accuracy when using a scope? When I change between glasses and contacts there is difference in my depth perception and how I see things for a little while. Is there any issue that lasts beyond that little while in sighting in with one and then changing to the other?

[James Bond 007]

Shouldn't be as long as the prescription in your eyeglasses and contact lenses is the same.

[tcgoetz]

Thanks for the reply!

[jmdavis984]

I have found the opposite as Mr Bond.  Having an extra lense between your eye and the scope causes another entrace point for paralax.  I have found it to be MUCH worse with glasses, as the distance between your eye and the corrective lense is much greater than with contacts.  I found that I shot better with NO glasses than I did with them, even though I can't begin to read without them on.  So, I would recommend if you have the option, of wearing contacts or nothing while shooting.  My evidence is not scientific, and is only one person's experience, but that is my take on it.

[lizzie]

In my admittedly small amount of experience, I find that wearing contact lenses isn't a problem with using a scope, but it can be for using open sights. The scope seems to adjust for the near-sight vision, whereas my eyes can no longer do the same since I need reading glasses for close-up work.

[RedFeather]

You might have to refocus the scope.  Your eye glass prescription is not the same as for your contact lenses.  If you are using off the shelf contacts, the prescription will be close to exact but a little off.  It's the price you pay for not having totally custom contacts.

[3rd Ranger]

It depends I shoot with contacts 95% of the time but I'm limited to scopes w/ thick croshairs with or without mildots 100+yds and V/notch irons out to 10yds.  With thin croshairs I get a double horizontal line and with dot scopes & lasers I see double, oval/oblong & starburst shaped dots.  All this while using contacts.  If and when I do shoot with my RX glasses I can shoot any sights but still limited to 10-20yds when using irons.

[wrecktangle]

I have a pair of eyeglasses specifically ground for use at a computer. They don't work for close-up reading and they don't work for distance; more at slightly longer than arms length.

They work great for when I'm at the computer monitor, but not for much anything else.

I gave them a try with iron sights, specifically handgun sights. I significantly improved my score with those glasses. I also tried them with rifle sights and found improvement in my score.

For those that do a lot of shooting with iron sights, you might want to ask your optometrist next time you're getting new eyeglasses. While the sights are in perfect focus, of course the target down range, may not be. But I can see enough of the bull to accurately hit it more times than just wearing my regular specs.

[RedFeather]

If you have aberrations when using contacts and a scope, are the contacts the type which are adjusted for astigmatism?

[ac12]

Here are some of the issues

Glasses.   Most right handed shooters aim a rifle out of the upper left quadrant of the glasses.  This is NOT the best place to be aiming out of.   A standard glasses is designed for the proper Rx in the optical center of the glasses, not off in the corner of the lens.   The distortion in the image depends on your glasses, the Rx, lens design and the lens material.  Target shooting glasses are designed to put the lens DIRECTLY in front of the eye when it is aiming, so you are looking thru the optical center of the lens.

Contacts.  Would in theory be over your iris, so you won't have the same problem as glasses wearers aiming out of the corner of their glasses.  But contacts float on the eye, and when it floats off center, you have the same problem as the glasses wearers, you have a distorted image.

@wrecktangle
I have a special pair of glasses made for my 10m pistol shooting.  As you indicate, you have to work with the eye doc to determine the correct Rx to be able to see the front sight SHARP as well as be able to see the target well enough to aim at it.  A sharp in focus front sight and the target as clear as a fuzzy cloud won't work.