August 28th, 2024
6minute read
You find yourself alone and sense that someone is watching you.
You look around, but cant identify an immediate threat.
But still, your senses are telling you that something is off.
Will myopia kill you in a deadly force confrontation? In this article, Robert Sadowski explores the unique problems associated with near-sightedness and shooting.
You venture to stay alert while continuing on your way.
You have your EDC, and you have trained to use it if you must.
But there is one thing that might just undermine all that training and effort.
Uncorrected myopia can prevent you from clearly seeing the target. What you may not realize is it can also make your front sight blurry.
Are you prepared to defend yourself if you face an unavoidable threat?
Is there one very important thing you might have overlooked?
You might have myopia if highway signs look fuzzy when you are driving.
A red dot sight may still allow you to put rounds on target if you can’t access your glasses during a personal defense shooting.
Or, when aiming a pistol, the front sight appears blurry.
Myopia does not have to be a big deal.
It can easily be corrected with contact lenses, eyeglasses or surgery.
The tritium front sight on a Springfield Armory Echelon has a photoluminescent ring that helps to make it more visible in all lighting conditions.
For those of us that are nearsighted, however, we see both fuzzy sights and a fuzzy target.
At 3 to 7 yards, that should not be a problem.
Increase the distance, you start squinting and youll Magoo the shot for sure.
This Springfield Armory Echelon is fitted with a Steiner MPS closed emitter red dot sight. With and without myopia, many shooters find red dot sights are easy to aim with.
How to Overcome Nearsightedness When Shooting
There are simple ways to fix nearsightedness when shooting.
A change to your pistols sighting system might just be your best option.
Large sights are the ticket.
A bright red dot sight may be useable to someone with uncorrected myopia. It is not a replacement for corrective lenses, but it can help in a fight for your life.
TheHellcats U-Dot sightsare a great example of this key in of system.
Sights that offer contrast are another important characteristic.
Three-dot combat sights are retro, but they work.
Connect the dots in the horizontal and fire.
Pistols like theXD gunsand theSpringfield Garrison, Loaded andSpringfield 1911 Mil-Specpistols use this tried and true three-dot sighting system.
Hey, if it aint broke, dont fix.
Sights that pop even more are fiber optic sights.
Another good sight option is a tritium front sight.
Just drop the front dot in the u-shaped cup and you are good to go.
Larger sights are designed to be aligned fast and recover more quickly after recoil.
It uses a dot the i sight picture system that is very fast.
Red dots for concealed carry are common and red dot optics have become smaller and lighter.
Their durability is not even a question.
Why Is a Red Dot Easier to Aim With?
(Be sure to catch this article aboutred dot vs. green dotsights.)
Find the dot in the optic, place it on the target and press the trigger.
Its that easy and simple.
[Dont miss Massad Ayoobs article onhow to find the red dot on a pistol.]
Springfield equips some Hellcat and Hellcat Pro variants withShield SMSc red dot.
It is also easier to get back on target for a follow-up shot.
My go-to red dot optic is aTrijicon RMR.
I have used this sight on the AR-15 platform as well as semi-automatic handguns.
Its currently on myEchelon, and the pistol and optic work in unison extremely well.
If you are in dirty environments, a closed-emitter red dot might be a good choice.
Close-emitter red dots encase and protect the LED diode inside the sight.
TheAimpoint ACROandSteiner MPSare two excellent examples of closed-emitter red dot optics.
The newTrijicon RCRis another great example.
Most current red dots, however, boast plenty of battery life.
It could also mean the difference between life and death.
You dont want myopia to kill you.
Go to forum thread
