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Old-Win
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Progressive lenses versus bifocals
May 23rd, 2025 at 1:33pm
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Cataract surgery coming up and my distance vision should be pretty good if everything works out okay. Have been using bifocals all these years and wondering when I get my new glasses if progressive lenses would be better. Seems like I'm always seeing the top of the bifocal in the scope when I'm trying to shoot. Has anybody switched from bifocals to progressives and had good results? Any problems using progressives while shooting with the scope?
  
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Jamey
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Re: Progressive lenses versus bifocals
Reply #1 - May 23rd, 2025 at 1:53pm
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Bifocal or progressive lenses, in my experience shooting bullseye pistol, both work imperfectly. Have to move my head around to get in position to get the correct focus. The positive aspect of progressive is that by moving your head around, you can vary the amount of magnification. I guess that I’ve had better luck using the progressive lenses.
  
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KFW
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Re: Progressive lenses versus bifocals
Reply #2 - May 23rd, 2025 at 1:54pm
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I have had progressives for 30 yrs or so. I find that the clear "target focus window" is very small and hard to maintain through tang sights as the sight aperture goes up and down, and of course shifting your head alignment position. I am thinking about getting shooting glasses for distance only where I hope the image stays more focused. My shooting game is long range 6-1200 yds so a lot of sight travel and head adjustment.
  
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Sure shot
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Re: Progressive lenses versus bifocals
Reply #3 - May 23rd, 2025 at 1:56pm
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I've had progressive lenses for 20 plus years. I haven't had any issues at all using my glasses with a scope. I'm having cataract surgery this fall in my right eye also. I hope that your surgery goes well. Iron sights are another matter.
  
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calledflyer
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Re: Progressive lenses versus bifocals
Reply #4 - May 23rd, 2025 at 1:57pm
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Years back I had a friend who got bifocal glasses and ruined his scores at handgun silhouette. The change was just about where he saw his sights and perpetually had difficulty. I eventually needed glasses and when bifocals were brought up, I declined. Now, some thirty years later I still have my vision glasses and carry a pair of cheaters. As a footnote, I can still actually read most print in decent light. So, the cheaters only see much use when I sit to read a novel for a longer time, or where the light is dim- like at the fancy restaurant you go to on your wife's birthday. Undecided
Anyhow, I'm suggesting that you consider a pair of 'regular' glasses without the bifocal for shooting, driving and sightseeing. Maybe you'd like that- and cheaters are inexpensive to loose and replace if needed. Just a thought
  
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GT
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Re: Progressive lenses versus bifocals
Reply #5 - May 23rd, 2025 at 2:05pm
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Bob, 
My 2¢...
I had a pair of safety glasses that I ordered with readers in them, progressive.  I didn't like them, but then it's what are you're used to?  Mine now all have definite lines in them and my pea brain realizes the definition, the gradual change - even as small as it was - messed with me.   One other feature I have in a set of glasses that I have adjusted to and really like, is a reader grind on the top side of the lense rather than the bottom...  Works well when working at the monitor at the CNC's, but keeps the bottom half of my lense clear for walking and looking through irons...
Greg
  

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Joe_S
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Re: Progressive lenses versus bifocals
Reply #6 - May 23rd, 2025 at 2:16pm
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I have had progressives for many years and never noticed a problem with them but perhaps I simply got used to them. 
Your mileage may vary but I think the progressives can work. I do need to tilt my head back a little when shooting handgun , which I hope to address the next time I need new glasses. I believe if you tell your eye doctor that you want to focus on the front sight of your rifle or pistol, he or she can take measurements and grind the lens to allow you to get the proper focus where you need it, with progressives or whatever. I think I even brought my rifle in once, years ago. Let us know what you decide and how you like it. 
Good luck, 
Joe S
  
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Al Aub
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Re: Progressive lenses versus bifocals
Reply #7 - May 23rd, 2025 at 2:23pm
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The problem that I have with the progressive is when I try to use a post front sight is that it always looks like it is bent.otherwise they are just fine.
  
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Longdistance1
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Re: Progressive lenses versus bifocals
Reply #8 - May 23rd, 2025 at 10:45pm
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The problem with progressive lenses is  that there is a narrow band with correction vertical in the lenses wider at the top where your eyeball is normally centered kinda like a Y with no correction on either side of the tail.
If you read print the size in this forum you will have to turn your head to follow every word or you will run out of correction very quickly, plus there is no correction in the lower corners of the lenses.
My eye Dr. Garented I would love them or he would replace with trifocals, I tried them for two weeks,  took them back and told him that he could stick them where the sun didn't shine
LD1
  
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bpjack
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Re: Progressive lenses versus bifocals
Reply #9 - May 23rd, 2025 at 11:06pm
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About a month ago, I got some prescription glasses to replace the $20 readers that I have been using.  I got a pair of progressives and asked the doc for computer only prescription as well.  Those stay in my shooting box and seem to work well at least for scope use.  I will be trying them with iron sights quite a bit at Spokane in a month.  For general use I guess I am getting used to the progressives.  Everything looks like it is slightly sloping down to the left.  Drives me crazy.
  

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