Kid will need glasses

[howl]

I reckon there are two paths for youngsters in shooting sports. One is enjoy it as a past time and set goals for personal development; basically to compete against yourself. The other is to set additional objectives to work toward goalposts of performance above other competitors.

So I've got a young shooter who is competitive in rifle now, but his doctor said he will need glasses. He actually could use glasses now, but his doctor says if they're not absolutely necessary he should wait as long as possible because glasses weaken eye muscles. Based on family history, he will be in glasses or contacts by adulthood.

So, I need some guidance on which path to encourage the young fella towards. Are there any top level shooters who have corrected vision? Or is this a hurdle too high? He's going to participate and compete in any discipline he likes regardless.

[lyoke3]

Mary Tucker, who won a silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics in women's air rifle, has an extreme correction for vision. And I mean extreme. There are a ton of products from glasses to irises to lenses to meet almost any need today. There is a lot of information on vision on these forums that can help guide you.

[jhmIII]

As someone who has been in glasses & contacts since I was 6 years old - get the vision fixed .... the quality of life goes way up. If he is going to need correction his whole life, why NOT start now? (snicker - now 61 years ago)

In terms of shooting - These are many sight mounted, glasses mounted, headband mounted lens holders. My own daughter (who has damn near 20/20 vision) use a VERY slight vision correction lens on her aiming eye to enhance vision in that eye.

A lot of the "skill" of shooting is dependent on the shooters vision. If it makes only a few tenths difference, that can (and does) get you into the finals.

[mus]

Being able to see (at least) the front sight razor sharp is a must in serious target shooting involving iron sights.

I totally second the previous poster's suggestions although I've only been in specs/contacts since I was 10 (now 44 years ago).

[Tim S]

Needing glasses as an adult should not be a bar to competing.

I'd add that a lens for shooting can be helpful even for those who don't yet wear glasses regularly; I'm long sighted and began using a shooting lens at 26, ten years before reading specs. Even with excellent acuity the need to consciously focus back on the foresight was tiring and distracting. A lens that gave me the focal distance I needed without thinking or straining.

[Mike M.]

You should be wearing glasses anyway as a safety measure, there's no reason not to make them prescription.

[atomicgale]

You should be wearing glasses anyway as a safety measure . . .

You'll shoot your eye out!

[BrazosbyNemo]

Just get a monocle for the rear sight.