Curious how others in my...ahem...age range deal with progressive bifocals while shooting?

My anchor and sight line tends to push my vision into the progressive section which blurs the view. I had Lasik years ago, so my distance vision is still 20-20. Solution now is I just take my glasses off to shoot. While that's okay for practice its a pain if I need to see any Up close detail, like for fussing with a string nock, or to read in a tree stand, or see my phone etc. 
I was thinking I might get a second pair of glasses with a hard line bifocal?  Have them move that section of the lens down low so it would be usable, but not mess up my shoot'in eye!
Might just be a me issue?  Anybody else deal with this?

I hate them!!  but Im in a tree stand and with the bifocals which have the reading script on the lower glass everything down at the ground from the stand is blurry,, I have to remember to bring my second non bifocal pair.........  here where I am in the north east if its freezing out and i have any sort of face covering like a balaclava they fog up if I breathe out my mouth and my nose is always cold.....  my eyes dont work good any more, my ears are ringing all the time so I dont hear deer I only see them,  my left knee is always sore,  sometimes in the morning after leaning down and tying my shoes my back locks up,, i have a truck load of bows I once thought were easy to shoot but now their too heavy to pull,   getting old is a challenge thats for sure....   

I'm very near sighted (with astigmatism) and have progressive lenses.  I just focus on the target.    But I hve a very upright stance and that may make a difference.

When I wore glasses and needed bifocals I had issues like almost falling down stairs. Shooting was a guessing game as the line always got in the way at midranges. Tried progressives as well. Not much better. I gave up and got 2 pairs of glasses, one for close, one for far. In those days I was into competitive archery as well. I had a habit of "forgetting those close readers. So I was not trusted to keep score.

Last year I had cataract surgery and don't need long range eye ware. I got glasses with lines and it worked out well. I've always had bifocals with lines. 

I hate them! Luckily, I think, I have astigmatism and just don't wear to shoot. But unfortunately bifocals are good at ranges. And my last eye doctor is being replaced, because I asked for the "fiddle with something on my chest" distance and got jacked with the same old computer distance...I digress. I'm taking a look at my Dentist's setup, and a friend with a gunsmith business. Time to get used to either handheld, visor, or bench mounted options.  And praying g to God for the patience for a middle aged dog to learn  some new tricks.

I've been wearing bifocals for more years than I care to think about, but never wore them when shooting my bows. But 5-6 years ago I noticed that picking a spot was a bit more difficult because things were getting fuzzy at 15-20 yards and further.  I tried shooting with my glasses, I have progressives everything was crystal clear but the nose piece interfered with my line of site (I shoot with both eyes open) and I would occasionally bump the string with my glasses.  I'm sure it was just the way I anchored.  So short story long I talked with my eye doctor and decided to try contacts, I know they aren't for everybody, but they work great for me, the targets are clear with no fuzziness and I wear 1.5 power readers for anything up close when I have them in and the same where I work, my safety glasses have a 1.5 magnifier in them.I have been to Colorado 3 times elk hunting since getting them I take a small mirror with me and have had zero issues with putting them in or taking them out.


Jason

I've been wearing progressive lenses for years without problems, at least not the problem you describe.  I'm far sighted and the top section of the lenses don't have much correction, just a little to cleanup the vision. I don't think I tilt my head down inordinately to use this section of the lenses.

I do notice that I will get a blurry picture if I don't turn my head enough toward the target, in effect looking sideways thorough of the lenses rather than straight througn them.  I consider this a good thing.  It reminds me to turn my head more toward the target.   

I also had Lasik, so my distance vision is great - I have a cheap pair of reader bifocals with clear glass on top and my reading strength on the bottom. Works out OK in the tree stand if I need to read or see something up close.

Quote from: Orion on Today at 04:52:21 PMI've been wearing progressive lenses for years without problems, at least not the problem you describe.  I'm far sighted and the top section of the lenses don't have much correction, just a little to cleanup the vision. I don't think I tilt my head down inordinately to use this section of the lenses.

I do notice that I will get a blurry picture if I don't turn my head enough toward the target, in effect looking sideways thorough of the lenses rather than straight througn them.  I consider this a good thing.  It reminds me to turn my head more toward the target.

I believe you are on to something here. I can usually get a dozen arrows off wearing my glasses, without blurring. Pretty sure I'm not keeping my head down enough when things go blurry. My lenses are relatively small so they get into the progressive section quickly and a very small head move at distance makes a big difference. As you say, it might be a good thing and a reminder to keep my head right!

Now here is a thought.  When I was fitted for my eyeglasses I told the optician/fitter that I was a bowhunter/archer and showed him where I looked through the lens (upper left corner for my right eye) and he made some marks on the "try" lens and took some notes.  Perhaps that helped?  There is always a learning period with new lenses until your brain figures out whay the eyes send. 

About 20% of what you see is created in the brain and not what hits your eyes.  We all have blind spots where the optic nerve exits the eye that the brain fills in.  Amazing things, eyes.

Funny coincidence! Today I went to order my new glasses and found out that if I get old fashioned lenses with regular ole bifocals you can get just a sliver of reader at the bottom of the lenses.. The lady measured and drew a line across the bottom at 10mm.. the minimum size..all I want is a itty bitty area to read out of when hunting.. Mind you these aren't for everyone or all tasks or text book comfortable reading glasses..hunt all day and read roads on a map is what I'm hoping for..cant wait! Many years of toting around full size readers whilst wearing my distance glasses..I had tried progressives 10yrs ago and just couldn't get em right..

Quote from: M60gunner on January 12, 2026, 09:29:53 PMWhen I wore glasses and needed bifocals I had issues like almost falling down stairs. Shooting was a guessing game as the line always got in the way at midranges. Tried progressives as well. Not much better. I gave up and got 2 pairs of glasses, one for close, one for far. In those days I was into competitive archery as well. I had a habit of "forgetting those close readers. So I was not trusted to keep score.

Yep I regularly carry around two, sometimes three(if its sunny) pairs. Distance, full Rx readers and Rx sunglasses..just ordered lined bifocals this morning with just a sliver of reader hung on the bottom edge of the lenses..will see in a week if they are the bees knees or not..high hopes!