I had cataract surgery, both eyes, maybe 15 years ago. My vision remained perfect for maybe 10 years with very mild progressive correction glasses. No problems at all for the last few years EXCEPT at the shooting range, when I would lose focus or see blurry dots and bullseyes at times. I think I even griped about it in some shooting videos. Then we moved to central Texas and I tried to shoot in an indoor range. Impossible compared to outdoors. Double red dots, target not sharp in the low light. Last week I tried using my left eye instead of the right. Problem pretty much solved!! Looked at my right eye glasses lens and it was a little scratched up from the eyepiece on my still cameras, so I thought, OK, maybe all I need is a new replacement lens.
Today I went in for an examination. My prescription had changed by 2 steps in the left eye and 5 in the right. I explained my difficulty in shooting with a red dot and the optometrist confirmed that the correction change was the cause, not the scratches on the glasses. New lenses arrive next week. I can't wait. I've struggled with the vision problems off and on for several years. I have blamed medications, the red dot sights themselves, old age, everything EXCEPT the real cause which was a gradual change in correction simply due to time span...and perhaps age.
If I had not moved and tried to shoot in an indoor range, I probably would have just continued struggling and would have thought I was just stuck with more frequent vision problems until I had to quit shooting. So, my advice to other (senior) shooters--go get some professional help if you have even minor changes in vision, and do it when the symptoms first show up instead of assuming you just have to learn to live with it as you get older.
Joe
