Cataract surgery and sight picture

[keweenaw]

Greetings

Just went shooting for the first time after having surgery for cataracts. After the surgery the world became a much brighter place and things were much clearer and sharper.

However, in shooting yesterday, I noticed something peculiar. Shooting was done with Parker Hale M1858 rifle, with long range sight. The front sight was very clear and sharp. But in focusing on the front sight, the targets were VERY blurry, much more so than in the past.. Not looking through the sight, and just looking at the targets themselves, the targets were sharp and clear. But viewing through sight, targets were fuzzy.

Anyone had this experience, and if so, what was your remedy? Most of the guns I shoot (with the exception of those with tang peep sights) have sights located where the M1858 sight is located.

Vision, according to doc is about 20/20 and 20/30 now.

Your advice is appreciated.

[Greg Ogdan 110th OVI]

I,m assuming most of your guns are open sighted. Going to a rear peep will sharpen up your through sight target some. I shoot a Mississippi with a peep and this is whar I have done. FYI start out with a hole of .087" or so. I am 73 and have gone to .105".

[Muley Gil]

Greetings

Just went shooting for the first time after having surgery for cataracts. After the surgery the world became a much brighter place and things were much clearer and sharper.

However, in shooting yesterday, I noticed something peculiar. Shooting was done with Parker Hale M1858 rifle, with long range sight. The front sight was very clear and sharp. But in focusing on the front sight, the targets were VERY blurry, much more so than in the past.. Not looking through the sight, and just looking at the targets themselves, the targets were sharp and clear. But viewing through sight, targets were fuzzy.

Anyone had this experience, and if so, what was your remedy? Most of the guns I shoot (with the exception of those with tang peep sights) have sights located where the M1858 sight is located.

Vision, according to doc is about 20/20 and 20/30 now.

Your advice is appreciated.

We are only capable of focusing clearly on one thing at a time. When we were younger, it seemed like we could focus on rear sight, front sight and the target and all three were in focus. Not so; we were able to focus quickly on each of them and it seemed like we had all three in focus, but they weren't.

The important thing to concentrate on is the front sight; the target and the rear sight will both be fuzzy, but that is normal. Repeat after me: front sight, trigger squeeze-front sight- trigger squeeze, front sight, trigger squeeze....

[Michael T.]

I had cataract surgery last year, merit and lyman both sell eye pieces S&S sells them. They have helped me.
Try the lyman first, less exspensive. jmho

[keweenaw]

Thanks for the responses. What I noticed after the surgery was that when I focused on the front sight, which is what I always do, the targets were substantially more blurry than before the surgery. Actually, just looking at the target directly, they are crystal clear and sharp. Perhaps focal length differences with the new lenses???

[ChrisWBR]

I had cataract surgery last year, merit and lyman both sell eye pieces S&S sells them. They have helped me.
Try the lyman first, less exspensive. jmho

Merit I believe has stopped making the sights. Try the EyePal, it's really inexpensive and many people have said it works great. Much easier to use than the Lyman.

[PoorJack]

Sadly, Merit is no longer in production and the only ones still available are those still in inventories.

Here's a direct replacement for the Merit that works the exact same way-

https://gehmann.com/english/products.php?id=67&kategorie=31

I've found the only distributors for this are in Canada. That doesn't mean one of the vendors that caters to competition shooters won't pick it up though.

[ChrisWBR]

Sadly, Merit is no longer in production and the only ones still available are those still in inventories.

Here's a direct replacement for the Merit that works the exact same way-

https://gehmann.com/english/products.php?id=67&kategorie=31

I've found the only distributors for this are in Canada. That doesn't mean one of the vendors that caters to competition shooters won't pick it up though.

You might also try going to EyePalUSA.com. People who have used these say very good things about the product and the company. Inexpensive as well.

[keweenaw]

I have used peep sights in the past but they were on the tang and so close to the eye. They worked fine, but I dont particularly care for them. With the long range rear sight, it seems the peep is too far away. I know I can open it up, but I suspect that will not help much in accuracy or clarity. Before the surgery, my distance sighting was pretty good, but had an astigmatism. I opted for the for surgery by laser to correct the astigmatism, and things seem strangely different.

[Hal]

I've seen someone post the Gehmann product before, but for the life of me could not figure out how to order the dang thing. I have a Merit, but I'm gonna try the EyePal. My wife is getting to where she needs something too. I'm gonna let her use the other EyePal, as they come in pairs unless you order the one with both rifle and Handgun. Knock on wood, so far I don't have trouble with seeing the sights on handguns.

[singleshot]

Eye Pal does not stay on the lens like it should. I purchased the product and while using it the eye piece fell off and no where to be found (windy day). I started making my own using a gasket punch kit with different size punches using black electric tape, then using a leather punch (smallest one) for the aperture hole. I make several that i placed on a piece of plastic so when I am ready use them i just select one and peel it off the plastic and then install it on the eye glass lens. I found if u cut a small strip u can secure it to the piece and fold over to act as a piece that u can use it to pull it off the plastic and lens.

[Mike McDaniel]

They're out of stock at the moment, but Champion's Choice carries the Gehmann iris.

[keweenaw]

Does anyone have a recommendation for some quality clear or amber shooting glasses with no prescription? After cataract surgery recently, and having been on the range a bit, I think shooting glasses with no correct will work best for me. I find the distance shooting, the targets are very clear and distinct. The sights less so, but I think I can improve shooting accuracy with a good set of clear or amber lenses. Any recommendations? Thanks

[Michael T.]

SafetyglassesUSA.com found on line, states they are Veteran owned. Mike:o

[Bob Lintner]

A quick sight correction piece can be made by wearing a pair of shooting glasses and going into the shooting position. Have someone put a small dot on the glasses with a felt tip pen exactly where your eye is. This locates the hole in the dot. Get a small sticky dot or piece of tape and use a very small punch or hand held drill bit and put a tiny hole in it. You can enlarge the hole if needed. Center the hole where the felt dot is (where it was-clean it off first) and look through the hole. If it works for you get a EYEPRO or old stock Merit and have fun. Leave it on if you wish, it's almost free.
I gave this tip to many students when I was a Hunter Education Instructor and it was effective. Good shooting.

[Muley Gil]

Does anyone have a recommendation for some quality clear or amber shooting glasses with no prescription? After cataract surgery recently, and having been on the range a bit, I think shooting glasses with no correct will work best for me. I find the distance shooting, the targets are very clear and distinct. The sights less so, but I think I can improve shooting accuracy with a good set of clear or amber lenses. Any recommendations? Thanks

The human eye cannot focus on three planes at the same time. When we are young, it APPEARS that we can, but it is due to the eye is switching focus almost simultaneously from rear sight to front sight to the target and back. As we age, this ability goes away. You want to focus on your front sight, with both the rear sight and the target blurred. Back a few years ago, I had to qualify three times yearly for work and my scores were going down. I went to my eye doctor and explained where I needed my focal point to be. I got new glasses and my scores went back up.