Contact lenses

[RED RAIDER]

Any have any experience with shooting with contact lenses? Pros/cons

3p smallbore both indoor & outdoor. Also 10m air rifle shooter.

Also what about shooting glasses small magnification with contacts?

[1813benny]

I have used contacts for small bore and air rifle competition for over 30 years. I have also, for a brief period, used adjustable frame shooting glasses.

IMHO, contacts are the way to go. You do not have to worry about the set up of the lens on glasses, you have your peripheral vision and you can easily focus with both eyes - important when you are outside and need to read wind flags.

With that said, I have a very strong correction in both eyes and that is what I am basing my experience and opinions. I first used soft contacts but now have the rigid type due to other issues.

Not everyone that normally wears contacts can use them for shooting. I know several people who have issues with their eyes becoming too dry and thus had to revert back to glasses.

[patriot]

When I used hard lenses they would slide down my eye. They would also dry out with the glare, wind, and not blinking. You need eye protection anyway so why have two lenses. Round shooting lenses can also be rotated if your astigmatism moves; target is no longer round. I check mine a few times a year. I also keep a couple of prescription increments in the kit; eyes have been improving the past 8 years.

Mark

[mtncwru]

It depends on your prescription; mine was bad enough that (pre-Lasik), I needed both, since I would have been blind in my left eye and unable to check my spotting scope, etc. If your eyes are functional enough that you can get away without using both, my vote is for a lens, especially now that ISSF rules let you mount direct to your rear sight. Contacts, by their inherent nature, float around on your eye, and if you have any astigmatism you want to be able to dial that in down to the degree.

Long term, I have become a huge fan of Lasik. Not everyone is a candidate, and there can be complications (just like any surgery), but it's certainly made my day to day life easier without dealing with glasses or contacts, and my shooting scores showed a huge jump with no change other than not having a -7.5 total correction in my right eye.

[patriot]

I tried the corrective lens version of the Gehmann iris; wasn't for me. Everyone's eyes are different. I should dig it out and offer it for sale.

Mark

[TenMetrePeter]

I need my full bifocals or I can't see the pellets or the channel to load them! I have a kids' sunglasses neoprene strap to hold them close to my face for rifle shooting.