Astigmatism and aim

[terrehautian]

So the age of needing glasses has reached me. A few years ago I was told I have astigmatism in my right eye. So far it is only for fine print but I remembered that close the one eye that is fine, would that cause me to shoot slightly left when using iron sights? I probably pull it left not knowing either.

I’m going to do some classes eventually on carrying and probably aim. Just wondering if eye issues could cause a slight issue also.

 

[kickbacked]

So the age of needing glasses has reached me. A few years ago I was told I have astigmatism in my right eye. So far it is only for fine print but I remembered that close the one eye that is fine, would that cause me to shoot slightly left when using iron sights? I probably pull it left not knowing either.

I’m going to do some classes eventually on carrying and probably aim. Just wondering if eye issues could cause a slight issue also.

I have astigmatism and from my understanding it means your eyes arent perfectly round. My contacts have some sort of weight system in them so that they dont rotate around and always sit in the correct spot. I dont believe theres anything required for eye glasses with astigmatism as your glasses dont spin around on your face.

I could be way off but thats what my eye dr's and staff have told me in the past.

 

[natdscott]

So the age of needing glasses has reached me. A few years ago I was told I have astigmatism in my right eye. So far it is only for fine print but I remembered that close the one eye that is fine, would that cause me to shoot slightly left when using iron sights? I probably pull it left not knowing either.

I’m going to do some classes eventually on carrying and probably aim. Just wondering if eye issues could cause a slight issue also.

Probably not yet. What's the power and axis of your astigmatism?

What kind of weapon and sights, and how good are you?

-Nate

 

[natdscott]

I have astigmatism and from my understanding it means your eyes arent perfectly round. My contacts have some sort of weight system in them so that they dont rotate around and always sit in the correct spot. I dont believe theres anything required for eye glasses with astigmatism as your glasses dont spin around on your face.

I could be way off but thats what my eye dr's and staff have told me in the past.

Basically correct. Your lenses are called "Toric".

 

[Max Volume]

Depends. I have astigmatism and wear bifocals. Best aim for me works with raising my eyeglasses so I am viewing the front sight through the bottom lens. I heard you can have shooting glasses made. I've tried contacts throughout the years. At first there was only hard contacts for astigmatism, then there were ones that had a cutout on the bottom so they wouldn't rotate and now they have the weighted ones. I did not like any of them. The hard ones were very uncomfortable and the other two would still rotate when blinking and take a few seconds to return to the normal position. https://www.drbarrynolt.com/shooting-glasses/shooting-glasses-for-pistol-rifle-and-archery/

 

[BoilerWes]

Your grip most likely.

I posted this in the red dot pistol thread. All kinds of nuggets in here.
Please watch!

 

[Chance]

Depends. I have astigmatism and wear bifocals. Best aim for me works with raising my eyeglasses so I am viewing the front sight through the bottom lens. I heard you can have shooting glasses made. I've tried contacts throughout the years. At first there was only hard contacts for astigmatism, then there were ones that had a cutout on the bottom so they wouldn't rotate and now they have the weighted ones. I did not like any of them. The hard ones were very uncomfortable and the other two would still rotate when blinking and take a few seconds to return to the normal position. https://www.drbarrynolt.com/shooting-glasses/shooting-glasses-for-pistol-rifle-and-archery/

You can have custom shooting glasses made. My son is an Optometrist in Avon and I had him make me a pair.

 

[92FSTech]

I have had astigmatism pretty much my whole life. I wear glasses, and it doesn't affect my shooting in the least (although I guess I could start using it as an excuse every time I miss, lol). If anything, it makes shooting easier as I've already got my eye protection on when I get to the range.

The one issue it can cause is that it can make some red dots appear more like a starburst than a clearly defined dot. Not a huge deal if you're using the optic properly...just a minor annoyance.

 

[russc2542]

Astigmatism won't affect your aim/shooting left. closing one eye and shooting with your non-dominant eye might.

Astigmatism doesn't affect reading (at least my major case didn't), that's presbypia (age related eye degradation). LIkewise bifocals help with focus but not astigmatism (though glasses in general can help astigmatism, iirc.

 

[terrehautian]

Thanks for the replies, it isn't a strong prescription (-.75) but it makes a ton of difference that I didn't realize it would on screens and print. I did some reading into the prescription and apparently I am very slightly near sighted I guess. I didn't plan on wearing the glasses all the time but think I am now. I did try to aim with my handgun with iron sights with both eyes open and I couldn't really get a solid aim versus closing my left eye. This might be something I might have to work on over time?

 

[Pepi]

Is this why my front iron sight on my AR15 looks bent LOL

 

[COOPADUP]

I like sporting clays and did a little experiment last time. With normal eyesight, you are supposed to keep both eyes open when tracking the clay. My eyesight is not good and besides that, I'm right eye dominant and a lefty.
I squinted my dominant right eye and forced my left eye to point the barrel. Otherwise I'm looking at a right side of the gun view.

 

[Chance]

I like sporting clays and did a little experiment last time. With normal eyesight, you are supposed to keep both eyes open when tracking the clay. My eyesight is not good and besides that, I'm right eye dominant and a lefty.
I squinted my dominant right eye and forced my left eye to point the barrel. Otherwise I'm looking at a right side of the gun view.

Place a small piece of scotch tape in the center of the lens of your dominant eye. You can keep both eyes open this way

 

[mmpsteve]

Not on topic, but this being INGO, I'll say this:

Not everybody sees sights in the same way, as in, the same center point.

Example: I was shooting with my brother one day at about 165 yards, onto 9x12 targets. I had sighted in the scope, and got a 2" group right in the center. My brother lines up, same rifle - everything the same, and is not on the paper thru four shots. His "center" was at least 5" different than mine, at that distance. He adjusted the scope and got on center - for him.

I just found it interesting that it could be that different for different eyeballs, looking thru a scope.

.

 

[Bstarkey_46947]

Left eye dominant, stigmatism in right eye, shoot right handed:
Shotgun/Sporting Clays: Both eyes open.
Open sight: Left eye only.
Scoped long guns: Left eye only.
Learned years ago I was left eye dominant and have adapted.

 

[russc2542]

Not on topic, but this being INGO, I'll say this:

Not everybody sees sights in the same way, as in, the same center point.

Example: I was shooting with my brother one day at about 165 yards, onto 9x12 targets. I had sighted in the scope, and got a 2" group right in the center. My brother lines up, same rifle - everything the same, and is not on the paper thru four shots. His "center" was at least 5" different than mine, at that distance. He adjusted the scope and got on center - for him.

I just found it interesting that it could be that different for different eyeballs, looking thru a scope.

.

That's not eyeballs, that's eyeball placement behind the scope - parallax resulting from posture, cheek weld, etc. but yes it happens.

 

[dyerwatcher]

I had astigmatism. My red and green dots looked like triangles. Had cataract surgery on bot eyes….. astigmatism solved. Vision is much better

 

[natdscott]

That's not eyeballs, that's eyeball placement behind the scope - parallax resulting from posture, cheek weld, etc. but yes it happens.

Nicely (gently) put.

In other ways of saying it:
1) You or your brother don't fit that rifle well, and/or...
2) One of you isn't particularly good at shooting scoped rifles, and/or...
3) You had a scope "generating" a lot of parallax.

 

[terrehautian]

Was just doing some reading and I think im cross eye dominant when it comes to shooting. I shoot right handed but when can’t aim just using my right eye. When just left eye open, aim looks clear.

Also on day five of full time wearing glasses and the headache I was almost getting everyday is gone. The current frames are being replaced by a completely different style.

 

[mmpsteve]

Nicely (gently) put.

In other ways of saying it:
1) You or your brother don't fit that rifle well, and/or...
2) One of you isn't particularly good at shooting scoped rifles, and/or...
3) You had a scope "generating" a lot of parallax.

I don't dispute what you say here, or russc up above, but both my brother and I can line up crosshairs on the target from a steady rest. We're not experts by any means, but it's not rocket surgery.

And I can see the possibility of parallax shift between shots if you don't line up the same way. But I shot 5 consistent holes at one POI, and he shot 5 consistent holes at a different POI, so no shot-to-shot parallax error.

One thing I can think of that may have changed was, I bet he had to focus the diopter for his eyeball. That might would do it?

.