Eyewear and Firearms: A Users Guide

You should always wear protective gear when shooting. In fact, eyewear is one of the most important parts of your gun safety gear. Not only can a 7mm rifle recoil enough to rip your eyebrow off, you’ve also got to be aware of firearm malfunction that can send shards of metal, gunpowder and a host of other harmful objects directly into your most powerful hunting tool: your eyes, causing irreparable damage and in many cases, complete loss of sight.

Here’s your guide for keeping your eyes protected, your vision clear and your firearm safely in hand.

Prescription Tips

If you wear bifocals, opt for a larger frame that makes the transition much more subtle. This will give you greater accuracy and less eye strain. The all-terrain blog Outdoorsman Time explains the strained relationships between any lenses and scopes. One scope may be completely useless in combination with your glasses, while another brand may work perfectly. Your experience will be as unique as your eyes and as specific as your personal prescription. Sign up for Amazon Prime to order a few scopes with free shipping. Amazon has a great return policy so only keep one if it works for you.

Fit is Everything

There’s nothing more frustrating than a pair of glasses that are constantly sliding off a sweaty nose or making your head and ears ache from a poor fit. Be sure that whatever frames you decide on are not just based on style or strength. Fit should be one of the main concerns for any experienced shooter because if you’re fiddling with your glasses you’re not scouting or ready to bag a trophy.

Wrap-around options are great for shielding your eyes from the elements in dusty terrain. And a sweat bar as well as added foam cushioning can greatly increase the comfort and stability of your shooting shades. Remember that bigger glasses may seem more cumbersome, but they are often much more effective.

Lens Options

There are so many ways to customize your lenses to serve you in different shooting environments. Polarized glasses are great for when you’re shooting in bright light conditions especially around the glare of large bodies of water. They increase clarity, contrast and reduce glare and eyestrain. Yellow- and orange-hued lenses are best for low-lighting situations like white tail hunting at dawn and dusk. Purple lenses will create a stark contrast with the color orange, enhancing your target and range shooting abilities. So if you’re an avid shooter who likes to hit the range and get out into the field, you might have to invest in multiple pairs to get optimal shooting vision.