Glasses and your anchor?

[Kevin Winkler]

I switched back to traditional this past spring and have been lurking and learning new things on this "Great Forum"

With my aging eyes I can't shoot anymore without my glasses. I have been shooting three fingers under. I have been playing around with different anchors and am still trying to refine it so it is consistent and repeatable. I have been placing the knuckle of my thumb behind my jaw just below my earlobe with the cock fletch touching my nose and my middle finger coming along my face close to the corner of my mouth.

With these multiple anchors the sting will be pushing against the lens of my glasses. I have tried several variations of this. It seems to work fairly well for me, except for the string pushes against my glasses and I sometimes seem to lose my  concentration and focus on the spot I am looking at. I also have tried slight variations in draw length ( I have been drawing to 28 1/4") to see if my alignment is better but I can't seem to increase my draw any farther or I am push my glasses off my nose and/or I start hitting my nose with the string.

I guess I am just looking for eyeglass wearers that can offer any ideas or experiences that they can share with me?

[Walt Francis]

First, I am not being sarcastic.  This is what worked for me: Lasik surgery.  I didn't need the glasses anymore, no more fogged, dirty, mis-aligned, or water spots to alter/hinder my sight picture.

[Friends call me Pac]

I shoot with glasses.  I use split fingers.  The tip of my index finger touches the corner of my mouth and my bottom thumb joint touches the back of my cheek bone.

Not sure what to say with a 3 under draw.

[Kevin Winkler]

Thanks Walt,

Lasik is not an option for me! I had an eye injury about 10yrs ago that makes that not one of the options.

[Joshua Grimshaw]

I shoot three under and have to use glasses. I anchor index finger to corner of my mouth and thumb nuckle behind my jaw bone. I do not have any problems. My glasses are what I would call normal size, but perhaps if your frames were more narrow that would help.

[dallas dave]

hi Kevin. I shoot with glasses when i am not wearing my contacts. i do not change anything. I shoot split with my top finger under my right nostril. I make sure I have good back tension and draw elbow square.....I am knew to trad and figuring it out. I have great support in the first post already. these guys are great and know there stuff. Good luck.

[Kevin Winkler]

Thanks for everyones input! I was using a mirror to look into while at full draw and anchored to see anything I was doing wrong.

Bradd, I believe your right! Consistency is the most important part.

[longbowguy]

Kevin:
The mirror is a good idea. It may help to hold your head back and your chin up a bit. - lbg

[Daddy Bear]

I do not need to wear glasses, but I have hawkeye 20/15 vision when I do. I've spent much of my hunting years bushwacking in wilderness areas and I've learned the importance of having eye protection regardless of needing prescription lenses.

From my years of shooting service rifle competition, I was introduced to Randolph Rangers as being an outstanding choice for prescription lenses for anyone involved in shooting sports and the outdoors. The Randolph Rangers have served me well by giving me an unrestricted full range of vision without any interference while shooting stickbows. I give them no added thought when outdoors with the single exception that I need to use normal precaustions to avoid any fogging under certain conditions. Even if I had 20/15 vision without glasses, I'd probably wear my Randolph Rangers while bushwacking to avoid eye injury. It may be a good idea to wear them when just shooting targets as I've had arrows come apart at loose w/ the business end of the shaft coming back around into my face.

later,
Daddy Bear

[Kevin Winkler]

Good advise, Daddy Bear!

I won't go into detail on how I injured my eye.....But I know that if I had been wearing some type of eye protection, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

I re-fletched some arrows with 4 fletch and have the top fletch positioned to touch my nose when I come to my normal anchor. It seems to be helping me keep my head in the proper position.
One of the reasons I decided to go back to traditional, was I have a blind spot in my dominate eye and when I shoot sights the sight pin disapears in the blind spot. When I shoot instinctive/Gap/Split Vision or whatever you call your style, I don't have to worry about any pins.

[LONGBOWKID]

I shoot three under and anchor with my index finger in the corner of my mouth and the string presses against my glasses lens every time, moving it and making me lose concentration. So when shooting at 3-d tournaments, or hunting, I use my contacts.

[Kevin Winkler]

Just an update on my progress. I have been trying several different things over the last few weeks.
I fletched up some 4 fletch shafts over the weekend and positioned the nocks so the top fletch was contacting my nose as a third reference point. I positioned the fletchings on the shaft so that my nose touches and the string is just missing my glasses. It seems to be working for me right now? But you know how archers are! I might decide different next week?

LOL

Have always worn glasses (since age 8). Shoot split finger, middle finger at incisor tooth for a marker. I had trouble for a while but then I realised my glasses frames were too big--smaller frames and it's no problems!

[KSdan]

I just came upon the thread. . . it may be too late to join in. . . The fletch idea is similar to my suggestion:  

Have you thought about using a clicker just to help train you?  

That way you can set your draw length and modify your anchor to work with your glasses, meanwhile always maintaining your true draw length.  One less thing to thnk about!

Once you get it dialed in and the anchor feels consistent you could remove the clicker if you do not need  it.

Just an idea. .  good shooting.

2c from KS

[Kevin Winkler]

KSdan, I do have a clicker on the shelf somewhere. I had thought about digging it out and trying that, now that you gave me a nug I think I'll put it on and give it a try.

Thanks,
Kevin