[senior smoke]

Hello:
The older I get I find that my eyes are becoming very sensitive to sun light. Years ago I used Vermilion colored lenses in sunny conditions. Around ten years ago I switched to a dark bronze color due to squinting while shooting in sunny conditions. Lately I am having a hard time shooting without squinting, plus my eyes hurt as well as tear up. Conditions have been sunny days, and snow is on the ground, which seems to really make my eyes tear up and hurt more.

A friend of mine suggested gray lenses, but I always heard that gray was not a good lens color for trapshooting? I wear Post 4 shooting glasses. I have a purple type lens color in the glasses which seem to be to light under these above mentioned conditions.

What lens color do you suggest under sunny, snow on the ground conditions? I am so tired of having to squint, plus have my eyes tear up while I shoot.
Steve Balistreri

 

[dickgtax]

Steve,
Welcome to the cataract world. I shoot in Wisconsin in the snow on occasion and there is really nothing you can do to eliminate the glare. I get blinded by headlights at night, too.

 

[3357]

For bright days with snow background I use a pretty dark purple lens. It cuts the glare and the target stands out dramatically.

I cannot tell you the name or number of the color as I had the lens' dyed at a shoot to my preferance.

It sounds as if your purple lens may be too light.

Hope this helps, Jess in Northern Michigan.

 

[jdsfarms]

Steve I had Mike at Post4 grind me some progressive gray polarized lenses so I could also use them for fishing,they are awesome in bright snow conditions.Jerry

 

[senior smoke]

dickgtax:
That's not good news. I hope that's not next for me?
Steve

Jess:
I use the darkest purple lens that Post 4 offers??? I like the way they fit and feel in over cast conditions, but not dark enough especially with snow on the ground.
Steve

 

[senior smoke]

Rick:
I will try what you said about gray lens, but, Dick Bennett always told me not to use gray. I will see what happens.
Steve

 

[lbshootin]

Bright conditions, orange targets, I use the Dark Randollf purple...Target Orange lens for "not so bright" days...LarryB

 

[senior smoke]

LarryB:
I love the target orange lenses for over cast days too.
Steve

 

[halfmile]

I shot some poor scores in bright snow conditions, and one day When wifey dragged me to Wally World I was hiding in the sporting dept. there for 5 bucks was a pair of Berkely polarized fishing glasses. lightweight, easily broken, but worth 5 bucks for sure.

What a difference. I don't care what color you use (these were amber) but the polarization is the important thing.

The same glare that hits you on the water also bounces off the snow, only worse because of the whiteness.

Try the cheapies and if you become a believer, get a pair of polarized lenses.

HM

 

[shannon391]

The lightest you can wear without squinting. always..

 

[chipking]

I went to a polarized copper in my XLWs for snow and bright glaring light and I really like the way they have done for me. I normally use a dark purple on bright days but there were a couple of days where even those did not work and my eyes were squinting and watering. Switching to the polarized really helped and if you have color issues a grey polarized will not alter any of the colors.

--- Chip King ---

 

[Barry C. Roach]

Polarized lenses for snow.

 

[maka]

Last fall after 5yrs. I had to get new prescription glasses for every day use. Explained to 40yr. eye doc. that I shot trap and skeet. He said I should use Bronze tint polorized reflective coated lenses. I ask are you a clay shooter he said, "no". He stated he was in Reserves and was quite observant of things. To make a long story short. Wife pushed to get narrow small glasses like kids wear. I listened. Now with small bi-focals lenses following docs advice. No glare, sunny, snow, under night lites or driving. Just my experience. Good Luck!

 

[Shooting Sailor]

Polarisied lenses, for sure. It's up to you what color, but I use a dark green/gray lens. If it is a bright sunny day over snow, think about the reflected glare, as well. I found in my seagoing career that a huge amount of light came in the sides of my glasses, behind the lenses. Blinders on the temples of your glasses help, but what is really good is a set of polarised fishing glasses with thick temples with a polarised insert in the temple. You get the polarised blockage of the glare, but still have a full field of view with peripheral vision. Another thing to be aware of is the brim of your hat. A light colored brim will reflect light into your eyes, so a dark color is best.

 

[Stl Flyn]

Steve,

I have the same problems as you. I shot up in Hartford, north of you, this weekend in the sunlight and snowcover. If I looked out at the trap from the clubhouse with my regular glasses, my eyes were in pain. When I put on my Ranger RX Dark Purple lensed glasses it turned the brightness down to almost a grey look, but highlighted the target. Your eyes must be more sensitive to light than mine though. Jon

 

[senior smoke]

You have all given me some good advice and ideas. Late last night I met a friend of mine at a local restaurant for coffee. I told him about my eyes feeling pain and watering under the bright sunlight and snow cover. He pulls out the darkest pair of shooting glasses I ever saw. He put them on and they are so dark I asked him if he got them from Ray Charles? He said he had the lenses double dipped for exactly the same reason that I mentioned. They were to dark for me, as I told him that I could probably look directly at the sun and not squint.
Steve

 

[spitter]

Senior...

Wayne Morgan made up one of his Hi-Contrast Polarized Brown lenses for my Ranger XLs. Polarization is excellent and the brown highlights some red, cuts glare from bounce off snow... relaxes the eye - wore them all day hunting and for clays...

I'm sure Wayne could match them to your Rx and/or frames...

regards from Chi-Town,

Jay

 

[senior smoke]

Jay:
Thanks for the info. You are the second person who has mentioned added red to the lens color. I appreciate your response.
Steve

 

[luckyshot]

what about at night when its snowing? had a hard time picking up the target under the lights while shooting annies. didnt help they were throwing whites target lol. would there be another color that would help in those situations? my yellow lenses didnt help much .luckyshot

 

[scratcher]

Steve:

I would suggest you go to all black; totally opaque. Would work well for you and your coffee buddy....