Progressive Lenses or Distance only for New Prescription Shooting Glasses

Alan Afton · Nov 24, 2019

Distance only.

entropy · Nov 24, 2019

I am an optician, the guy who fits your glasses after the OD or MD writes out the Rx.
Distance only. and be sure to have the Optical center put up at least to the center of the pupil, or higher, though that makes the glasses useless for anything but shooting. Ideally you should be fit while holding the gun in your stance.

losclay · Nov 24, 2019

There are two methods for scrip glasses. The old method & the new blended method. I cant wear the new blendeds & have been told by my Optometrist that this is not uncommon. My regular glasses are progressive made the old way. For my shooting glasses I have bifocal lenses that enable me to both score & read my posted scores as well as shoot through the upper part of the lens. Distance only wouldn't work for me as everything within three feet would be blurry including the ground when walking around.
Dr Wayne at Morgan Optical built my Rangers & their performance is nothing short of awesome. I cant say enough good things about Wayne & Morgan Optical. I highly recommend giving Morgan a call. Wayne is himself a shooter & is happy to listen & help with whatever your shooting vision needs are. Seriously dont decide until you talk to Dr Wayne & dont be put off that their in NY the internet is a wonderful thing. Im in CA & will be updating my scrip with him soon.
Entropy is correct about optical center location, thats how Dr Wayne did mine.

Stephenk · Nov 24, 2019

Another thumps up for Morgan Optical.

Claypoppy · Nov 24, 2019

Another vote for "distance only".

Good Luck and Good Shooting!

entropy · Nov 24, 2019

losclay said:
There are two methods for scrip glasses.

Are you referring to writing the Rx in either plus or minus cylinder format? This RX, as an example is the same thing, just the plus one would usually be written by an opthalmologist, (MD) the minus one by an optometrist. (OD) Sometimes ODs in the employ of MDs often write them in plus format also.
Plus format: -2.00 +1.00 x 90

Minus format: -1.00 -1.00 x 180

losclay said:
The old method & the new blended method.

? A blended segment is a very old, almost never used lens in which a round segment has the edges blended into the surrounding lens. It was the precursor to the Progressive Addition Lens.

There are two (actually four) methods of producing Progressive lenses. The first method used was molding the PAL into the front of the lens blank; the Pt's distance Rx was then ground into the back side of the lens. These are still made, but are becoming less common.

The current method most Progressive lenses are with is digital surfacing, which is like CNC machining for lenses. The lens is mapped out in a computer, then cut with a diamond tip to such tolereances that it only needs to be polished to be finished.

A more advanced version of this is uses better mapping, (More mapping points) and surfaces both sides of the lenses. The state of the art lenses today are made this way.

When I was at Lenscrafters, we experimented with gluing the Progressive add portion to a finished base lens. I believe that was dropped not long after I left there, it had it problems.

losclay said:
I cant wear the new blendeds & have been told by my Optometrist that this is not uncommon.

Since I don't know what you mean by blendeds, I can't comment further here.

losclay said:
My regular glasses are progressive made the old way.

So, molded front surface, your distance Rx cut in back?

losclay said:
For my shooting glasses I have bifocal lenses that enable me to both score & read my posted scores as well as shoot through the upper part of the lens. Distance only wouldn't work for me as everything within three feet would be blurry including the ground when walking around.

Many guys just switch back to their regular glasses when they get back behind the line when done shooting.

I will add I have heard nothing but good about Morgan Optical.

HalfStop · Nov 24, 2019

Distance only is my vote, though I don't like the blurry vision when scoring in Sporting Clays. I have shot at times in my regular progressive bifocals and either didn't have a problem or didn't know I had a problem.

brent375hh · Nov 24, 2019

I have small bifocals in the bottom. I can use them to read, and they never get in the way of shooting.

Another vote for Wayne at Morgan.

Bob Jarvis · Nov 24, 2019

I normally wear progressive lenses. For shooting I have all the tinted lenses in my regular prescription and one set of clear in progressive.

Cliffz123z · Nov 24, 2019

I normally wear progressive glasses but for my shooting glasses I don’t. I have a nice set of Rangers that I love!

John Neal Davis · Nov 24, 2019

My shooting glasses are progressive and I don't have any problems. That said, if I had it to do over I would probably go with distance only. It would have been cheaper.

derbyacresbob · Nov 24, 2019

I went with a small bifocal after trying distance only. With distance only I felt off balance and couldn't see clearly loading my gun or looking at score sheets. Putting on glasses that I was not use to just for shooting did not work for me. When shooting I am looking way over the bifocal.

Red Birds · Nov 24, 2019

I had Morgan put a small Progresive on the bottom so you can't see it shooting.

losclay · Nov 25, 2019

entropy said:
Are you referring to writing the Rx in either plus or minus cylinder format? This RX, as an example is the same thing, just the plus one would usually be written by an opthalmologist, (MD) the minus one by an optometrist. (OD) Sometimes ODs in the employ of MDs often write them in plus format also.
Plus format: -2.00 +1.00 x 90

Minus format: -1.00 -1.00 x 180

? A blended segment is a very old, almost never used lens in which a round segment has the edges blended into the surrounding lens. It was the precursor to the Progressive Addition Lens.

There are two (actually four) methods of producing Progressive lenses. The first method used was molding the PAL into the front of the lens blank; the Pt's distance Rx was then ground into the back side of the lens. These are still made, but are becoming less common.

The current method most Progressive lenses are with is digital surfacing, which is like CNC machining for lenses. The lens is mapped out in a computer, then cut with a diamond tip to such tolereances that it only needs to be polished to be finished.

A more advanced version of this is uses better mapping, (More mapping points) and surfaces both sides of the lenses. The state of the art lenses today are made this way.

When I was at Lenscrafters, we experimented with gluing the Progressive add portion to a finished base lens. I believe that was dropped not long after I left there, it had it problems.

Since I don't know what you mean by blendeds, I can't comment further here.

So, molded front surface, your distance Rx cut in back?

Many guys just switch back to their regular glasses when they get back behind the line when done shooting.

I will add I have heard nothing but good about Morgan Optical.

Not a Optometrist I cant speak to the fine nuances your citing. I only know that my progressive glasses didn't work well for me & my optometrist very briefly explained how progressives were made & that the process used today doesn't work for some. (me)
He had my glasses re done & all was well. Morgan had to do the same & did so at no additional charge. Great customer service.
I couldn't imagine switching back & forth or carrying two pairs of glasses around the trap field especially after over & out is called & every one is crowding the scorer to check their score.
With the small bifocal I can easily see my score & I needn't switch glasses when dealing with my gun changing barrels or chokes or whatever needs to be done.

Cliffz123z · Nov 25, 2019

Morgan is great. One nice add on I recomend is the Zeiss drive safe lense.

entropy · Nov 25, 2019

Red Birds said:
I had Morgan put a small Progresive on the bottom so you can't see it shooting.

The shortest progressive segment height made is 13; anything lower than that and they are chopping off some or all of the full reading add power.

Because the prism reference point on a progressive is located 2-4 mm below the fitting cross, you are also inducing unprescribed prism into the lens. Depending on the Rx, this can cause problems. Add in the fact that almost all progressive lens designs today are aspheric, and you are sure to have some abberation in the lens when setting a progressive lens really low in the frame.
Lined bifocals can have the OC set anywhere on the lens. Proggressive lenses do not have that luxury.

Red Birds · Nov 25, 2019

Morgan suggested it I think they know what they are doing they’ve been at it for awhile. I don’t know all the specifics of it and don’t care it works

thunder · Nov 25, 2019

Distance only

MORGANOP · Nov 25, 2019

I was asked to reply to this today from a potential customer who contacted my self with many good questions.
When making glasses for shooting we often do tings differently that what we may do with your regular glasses. The discussion regarding progressive lenses vs single vision - if you need additional reading assistance (a bifocal) to see a score card, choke tubes, primer in the event of a miss-fire, anything within the normal reading distance there are options that will work.
Progressive lenses will work but not so well if they are made the traditional way, we dont want the seg height of the bifocal as high as the optician would normally make it for your dress glasses- for those who have had problems with progressive lenses one can assume they were not made specifically for shooting.
there are many types of progressive lenses - some are more adaptable for sports such as shooting compared to others that would be more recommended for day to day use
There are other options as well, we now offer a digital 40mm seg (width) of bifocal , this bifocal can be keep as low as one would want it (i usually try to keep it at 11-13 mm off the bottom of the lens, with this lens we have the option to place the optical center any place we would like. For example if you had a 68mm ranger or decot lens and you wanted bifocals we could make a pair of lenses that would have a reading area 40mm wide in each lens- placed 11-13 mm off the bottom of the lens and still keep the optical center 29mm high or any place you would want it. This is a polycarbonate or trivex material digitally ground capable of any tint one would like and also in a polarized option. This lens is also a great option for the golfer as well, bifocal is low enough it will not be in the way for a put, drive or chip.
There is no limit to the type of lens one could use, single vision, bifocal (progressive bifocal) blended, the list goes on..... there are many configurations available the key is to use the right frame, lens material and bifocal if you chose to use one
I appreciate the support we have received over the years and always glad to answer any/all questions for those who have possible had a bad experience most likely due to the way the lenses were set up, the size and frame chosen, the Rx its self,
Shooting glasses should not be a gamble - and if set up correctly should work with 100% satisfaction and any reputable dealer regardless if it is Decot, Ranger, Pilla, or any other frame used should never leave a patient with something they are not happy with- a happy customer will go to the club and tell 3-4 people a unhappy customer will go to the club and tell all..

Happy Thanksgiving and good shooting

entropy · Nov 26, 2019

MORGANOP said:
There are other options as well, we now offer a digital 40mm seg (width) of bifocal , this bifocal can be keep as low as one would want it (i usually try to keep it at 11-13 mm off the bottom of the lens, with this lens we have the option to place the optical center any place we would like. For example if you had a 68mm ranger or decot lens and you wanted bifocals we could make a pair of lenses that would have a reading area 40mm wide in each lens- placed 11-13 mm off the bottom of the lens and still keep the optical center 29mm high or any place you would want it. This is a polycarbonate or trivex material digitally ground capable of any tint one would like and also in a polarized option. This lens is also a great option for the golfer as well, bifocal is low enough it will not be in the way for a put, drive or chip.

I take it this is a lined bifocal? If it is a progressive with these properties, I would be very interested in hearing the Specific lens and Brand name. Because as you know the PRP on a progressive is below the fitting cross, and moving the fitting cross below the center of the pupil (where an SV OC is fit) creates unwanted prism. Using the Prentice Rule, you know that inducing unwanted prism creates abberations in all but the lightest Rx's. Setting it like a lined seg or round seg "Golfer seg" (@10mm or less) will induce intolerable prism. I know of no progressive lens on the market where the PRP can be set independent of the fitting cross. I would love to learn of such a lens, because I would be very interested in it for my own shooting.

Progressive Lenses or Distance only for New Prescription Shooting Glasses

Alan Afton

entropy

losclay

Stephenk

Claypoppy

entropy

HalfStop

brent375hh

Bob Jarvis

Cliffz123z

John Neal Davis

derbyacresbob

Red Birds

losclay

Cliffz123z

entropy

Red Birds

thunder

MORGANOP

entropy

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