Question for opticians/optometrists

[Featureless]

I'm 77, right handed and left eye dominant. Worn glasses all my life for nearsightedness. Cataract surgery awhile back gave me 20/20 (don't need glasses for driving, watching TV, etc.) in left eye. Right eye is whatever it is. Can't read **** close up without glasses.

I shoot handguns with both eyes open. Modified Weaver push/pull. I can see the target but the sights are blurred.

Long guns with iron sights are a real challenge. Long guns with scopes, I'll adjust the crosshairs for clarity with the ocular lens. But then I can't get the crosshairs to focus on the target with the objective lens.

I'm thinking of getting a contact lens for my right eye. Would that solve the problem?

[russ69]

It sometimes works like that you can't see both the target and the crosshairs clearly. In that case focus on the crosshairs and let the target be fuzzy.

[therealnickb]

Not a doctor but have similar issues OP. Rt. Hand Left eye. I learned to shoot everything with my right eye, but un corrected vision in that eye is very nearsighted.

I use two contacts in my right eye. One for distance ( which you don?t need ) like golf or shooting clays/birds. One for closer stuff like reading, working on projects when I don?t want to fuss with reading glasses, and shooting handguns at reasonable distances.

I find this combo works great for most things. However, neither lens works well for rifles with iron sights at distance. I can see either the sight or the target but not both.

I can use either lens with scopes. I just need to adjust the reticle focus for the lens I?m using.

The only other challenge I have shooting cross dominant is when both me and the target are moving. In this situation the distance lens works best. My dominant eye tries to take over, and it?s next to impossible for my brain to override if my right eye can?t see the target clearly.

Edit to add: overall I believe being able to see your target trumps everything else.

[russ69]

...Edit to add: overall I believe being able to see your target trumps everything else.

Just like when shooting irons, sight alignment is the most important. So for pistol shooting your front sight is critical, same when shooting a rifle. Your head and eye position needs to be the same for each shot and the front sight OR reticle needs to be lined up but the target does not need to be in sharp focus. Like we say: Just shoot for the center of the grey blob.

[therealnickb]

Just like when shooting irons, sight alignment is the most important. So for pistol shooting your front sight is critical, same when shooting a rifle. Your head and eye position needs to be the same for each shot and the front sight OR reticle needs to be lined up but the target does not need to be in sharp focus. Like we say: Just shoot for the center of the grey blob.

So, no need to be sure of your target and what lies beyond?

[alpha_romeo_XV]

So, no need to be sure of your target and what lies beyond?

(Always) be sure of your target and what lies behind it?

I posted this story a few years ago but worth repeating. I was at Camp Perry for the national matches shooting a service rifle prone rapid fire string with 100+ shooters on the line. I?m a couple of shots into my 10 shot string when I see a blur go across my target then another blur but I don?t hear anyone shout ? cease fire, cease fire? but hear people behind makes some grunts and groans, ohs and ahs. Did I stop pulling the trigger? No, I drove a long way from CA to OH to compete and without a cease fire command it was still green light to me.

It turned out a flock of Canadian geese decided to fly across the targets right as we were shooting. I think 3 or 4 got dropped like wet rags. Oh, and behind the targets at Camp Perry = Lake Erie (no dirt berm - bullets go through targets and hit the lake) Any boater disregarding the warning signs/buoys would get lit up biggly if they went in the impact zone with 1000+ rounds coming in 60 seconds.

[therealnickb]

^ that was my point. Not all shooting takes place at controlled indoor ranges.

There are only 4 rules necessary to use firearms safely.