shooting with bi- focals

[Recurve50 LBS]

I was welcomed to the over 40 club today.Just came home from my eye exam feeling a bit depressed because the Dr said that I need bi-focals.

Now this has me more than a bit concerned because I have never shot my bows better than I am right now. I'm worried that the bi-focals will mess up my bow shooting.

I'm sure that I'm not the only over 40 guy here. What are your shooting experiance wearing bi-focals? Is there any reason for my concerns?

[bolong]

I was concerned when I first got mine but now I can shoot the same with or without them. Just takes some time to get adjusted to them.

[Night Wing]

You'll be fine shooting with bifocals because you'll be aiming (looking) at your target with the top lens.

I shoot my bows using trifocals and no problems. I found it easier to shoot with the two visible lines in my trifocals instead of having the invisible "progressive lenses" that are shaped like an hour glass. I had progressive trifocals and couldn't stand them since I couldn't see the visible lines. Once I changed to where I could see the two lines, everything was perfect.

[Buckwheaties]

I shoot with the progressive bi-focal and have no problems, once you get use to them. Like said above, you are basically looking thru the far part of the lens when focusing on "the spot". Don't be concerned, it'll all work out.

[TooManyHobbies]

With traditional bifocals, I have no problem. With the progressive bifocals, I felt like I was looking under water.

[ron w]

Welcome to my world...lol. You'll be fine after a bit of time. Don't let it freak you out!!

[moebow]

Many of us in this club!!  I can shoot both progressive and standard bifocals but find that the distortion mentioned above IS an interference for me.  Any more I only use the lined tri/bifocal glasses -- I find I'm much more consistent.  Sometimes for me, the arrow just doesn't end up where I expect with the progressives.

[Hill Hunter]

I shoot fine in mine, but I don't like them to hunt in, because I have the no line and you have to be looking straight on at something for it to be in focus. so looking out of the side of your glasses does not work. My solution was to go the one of the buy one get one deals and order on pair just plain, I shoot and hunt in these. I also practice quite a bit in my bi-focals because of another factor of the over 40 club means that there will be several hunts that I forget to change glasses.

[Tom]

I have the standard bi-focals for about 15+ yrs. and don't have trouble shooting-other than my own brain blanks. No problem when hunting with them.

[Patrick55]

Welcome to the club. I will never see 40 again so speaking from experience; get yourself a pair of every day glasses and a pair for shooting. No bifocal on the shooting glasses. If you want or need bifocals for shooting RE: score keeping or whatever, get the shooting glasses with larger lenses than your everyday glasses. Most places have a buy one get one free deal going on most of the time. It is a pain to keep up with 2 pair but the benefits out weigh the inconvenience.

[Cootling]

I feel your pain.  I recently switched to progressive lenses.  Took me awhile to adjust, and my peripheral vision has suffered, but now I shoot fine... or as well as I did before, at any rate.  Good luck!

[Dick4bows]

Bifocals aren't the problem.  It's the danged reflection that bothers me.  Dick

[salemons]

I have trifocals now and take them off when shooting. Just need my daughter to write on the score card or put them back on, then off, then on, then off. Easier to not keep score.

[metsastaja]

You can always wait till after the season before you wear them to hunt.  I wear progressive bi focals and just have to remember to push them up.

[Bobaru]

You should be fine with bifocals.  

But, I would much rather have regular glasses for sports, especially hunting.  I like the increased field of view that they provide. Perhaps it's vanity.

Unfortunately, when I shoot a deer, that presents a problem with the tracking.  So, I have other glasses, usually in the car.

[DanB]

I've been using progressive lense glasses now for 20+ years.  Just had to get used to the "hour glass" part of the lense.  

Five years ago I got some distance vision only glasses and that worked, when I remembered to take them in my fanny pack!  This year I got fitted for distance only contacts because of fogging up during the late part of the deer season. So far I really love the contacts. I use a $4 pair of readers when necessary.

[jackthepointer]

You'll do fine once you get used to them as stated by many before me.I also gained something from this post.I used to shoot right handed,have macular degeneration in right eye so I switched to left hande shooting.I recently ordered shooting glasses that have a prescription insert,and by reading the post I have been convinced to get the prescription far my far distance.Thanks guys,I think that will work fine for me.The raeson I got the shooting glasses is because my requires safety glasses and I don,t like the idea of side sheilds.So keep shooting you,ll be as good as before the specs before you know it.

[canshooter]

I have progressive bi-focals and I cannot shoot with them on. Move my head a tiny bit and the target moves relative to the bow. I put them on to record scores if need be but even though the target is fuzzy I just aim for the part I want to hit.

[ksbowman]

I shot with bifocals for a while, but the glasses bothered me as I always felt like they gave off a glare for the aimals to see. Tried shooting without them for awhile, but had trouble concetrating and focusung on a spot. Then I got contacts for distance and wear reading glasses for up close work. They have worked out the best. I just never thought at 60 I'd be wearing contacts without a problem.

[Gene R]

I never thought i could shoot in my bifocals. I started to practice with them and it seems that I do better now with them on. I seem to tuck my chin down a little more and that brings my eye down over the arrow more. What seemed to be a problem acually became an asset!