Eye Protection for Hunting & Shooting

[BeeMaa]

I've seen several threads about hearing protection, but not one about covering up the peepers. Wondering what people are wearing for any manner of hunting or shooting, if wearing anything at all. The importance eye protection was impressed upon me at a young age. Learning at my grandfather's side, it was always "eyes and ears young man" and I've continued that ever since.

As a young adult, I will admit to having used gas station sunglasses that were probably not Z87.1* rated on occasion. Since then, I've wised up and and geared up properly. Now I'm looking for something a little better than just Oakley, Nike or whatever the latest tactical trend is. A lot of my shooting is shotgunning so I'm considering companies like Ranger, Pilla and SSP to name a few. Regular sunglasses obstruct the top of my sight picture and I'd like to change that.

So my question is two fold. First, when do you wear eye protection if at all? Secondly for those who do, what would you recommend?

*The American National Standard for eye and face protection is ANSI/ISEA Z87.1. This standard sets performance criteria, design, and marking requirements for safety eye and face products. Safety glasses that meet this standard will have a Z87 marking on them.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I wear prescription lenses so glasses are on all the time. Polycarbonate lenses offer plenty of protection and much lighter weight than glass lenses. I prefer old fashioned style with nose pads rather than new fangled wraparound. Those get fogged easily. Nose pads hold glasses away from my face and allow cold air to circulate behind the glasses and avoid fogging. Still provide enough protection for safety. I prefer to hunt without tinted lenses.

If you find you're looking at the top rim of your glasses when mounting the gun, there are two possible solutions. LOP may be too short. Try adding a slip-on recoil pad and see if that helps. Or you may need to throw the gun higher on your shoulder. That has been an issue for me in the past. Also, I cannot shoot with two eyes. My left eye has significant damage due to retina detachments. Shooting with both eyes open and the pattern flies up and to right. So I did thousands of reps at home mounting the gun quickly, throwing it high, and shutting left eye until it's become natural. My shotgun LOP is with slip-on when shooting in shirt sleeves or light jacket and then remove it as layers are added.

 

[TMac]

Always protect the eyes. Require the same of any I teach to shoot.

Recently had a primer blow a hole in it, got blow back in my face. Polycarbonate lenses worked well, my cheek had a few grains of powder in it and some blood. Freak failure with factory ammo.

 

[pilar]

I’m a huge fan of safety glasses ( real deal with side shields)
Keep the dirt and stuff from getting in my eyes
Wrap fishing glasses of high quality work good to , my connection at conneco safety department gives me the names of the best lens for the Dr to order

 

[Firebird]

Oakley-started using them at work and have had them save my eyes more than once. I only use glasses when shooting repetitively-not when hunting. So yes when doing load work up or breaking clays but rarely when hunting

 

[BeeMaa]

If you find you're looking at the top rim of your glasses when mounting the gun, there are two possible solutions. LOP may be too short. Try adding a slip-on recoil pad and see if that helps. Or you may need to throw the gun higher on your shoulder.

With all due respect, my problem is not gun fit or mount. When shooting the face position is slightly tilted forward which brings the top edge of the glasses into the line of sight.

Glasses made for shotgunning have the nose bridge set much lower compared to the lenses. This places the top rim above the line of sight, allowing the shooter to better pickup birds from the top. Typically the top edge of the glasses sit above the eyebrows. This keeps the eye centered in the lens, instead of being right at the top.

Compared that to regular safety or sunglasses where the top edges are at or below the eyebrows. This puts the eye in the top 1/3 of the lens. Most objects requiring safety glasses will be coming from below the eye, so they are designed to minimize the gap between the cheek and edge of the glasses.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

With all due respect, my problem is not gun fit or mount. When shooting the face position is slightly tilted forward which brings the top edge of the glasses into the line of sight.

Glasses made for shotgunning have the nose bridge set much lower compared to the lenses. This places the top rim above the line of sight, allowing the shooter to better pickup birds from the top. Typically the top edge of the glasses sit above the eyebrows. This keeps the eye centered in the lens, instead of being right at the top.
View attachment 646539
View attachment 646543

Compared that to regular safety or sunglasses where the top edges are at or below the eyebrows. This puts the eye in the top 1/3 of the lens. Most objects requiring safety glasses will be coming from below the eye, so they are designed to minimize the gap between the cheek and edge of the glasses.
View attachment 646540
View attachment 646545

Range glasses are not what I would shoot in the field. They are too easily fogged. I can wipe myself and/or glasses from station to station. Not practical in the field. I don't work up much of (if any) sweat shooting trap or skeet. I can count on working up a sweat hunting pheasants every outing, even in cold or windy conditions.

The chap in the second photo has a serious cheek weld and thumb almost in his nose. It's hard to see exactly where the butt is positioned on his shoulder but it does appear low. He may be able to shoot that way but I could not. One round of skeet and my cheek would be sore and maybe a bloody nose. If I was coaching someone who mounted the gun like that and he couldn't hit targets, I would advise longer LOP. Definitely. Now, some guys can shoot great mounting the shotgun in strange ways. And shooting high gun trap I can mold myself to just about any fit shotgun and do well enough. But that ain't low gun skeet or snap shooting pheasants unexpectadly flushed on the side of a draw off the wrong foot. If I am using the middle of the lenses on my glasses, then my head is positioned upright enough to keep my brow periphery out of field of view. If I'm looking at or over the top of frames, then my gun is too low on my shoulder. Short LOP will invariably put it too low on my shoulder. When I mount my shotgun, I want my cheek and stock to meet naturally. No leaning my head forward and into the gun to get onto it (like the second photo). The gun fits me. I don't fit the gun.

The top 1/3 of my prescription lenses see as well as the middle half. Bottom portion is reserved for bifocal. Yes, I ordered my first pair of amber tinted shooting glasses without bifocal. Never again! Can't see to write down scores for other teams or do any work on my gun if it malfunctions. My bifocals are also lined not transition, to reserve as much of the lens as possible for distance.

 

[KurtVH]

Glasses made for shotgunning have the nose bridge set much lower compared to the lenses. This places the top rim above the line of sight, allowing the shooter to better pickup birds from the top. Typically the top edge of the glasses sit above the eyebrows. This keeps the eye centered in the lens, instead of being right at the top.

Compared that to regular safety or sunglasses where the top edges are at or below the eyebrows. This puts the eye in the top 1/3 of the lens. Most objects requiring safety glasses will be coming from below the eye, so they are designed to minimize the gap between the cheek and edge of the glasses.

That's something I did not know and very interesting. Thank you.

I buy the Amazon Basics shooting glasses by the dozen every few months because I lose almost every pair I buy and I end up scratching the ones I don't lose. The ones I buy are made in China and are marked Z87+, but I don't know for sure that they are actually tested to that standard. They are a typical polycarbonate lens and supposedly have an anti-fog coating. They do seem fairly fog-resistant.

 

[HankBuck]

I've seen several threads about hearing protection, but not one about covering up the peepers. Wondering what people are wearing for any manner of hunting or shooting, if wearing anything at all. The importance eye protection was impressed upon me at a young age. Learning at my grandfather's side, it was always "eyes and ears young man" and I've continued that ever since.

As a young adult, I will admit to having used gas station sunglasses that were probably not Z87.1* rated on occasion. Since then, I've wised up and and geared up properly. Now I'm looking for something a little better than just Oakley, Nike or whatever the latest tactical trend is. A lot of my shooting is shotgunning so I'm considering companies like Ranger, Pilla and SSP to name a few. Regular sunglasses obstruct the top of my sight picture and I'd like to change that.

So my question is two fold. First, when do you wear eye protection if at all? Secondly for those who do, what would you recommend?

*The American National Standard for eye and face protection is ANSI/ISEA Z87.1. This standard sets performance criteria, design, and marking requirements for safety eye and face products. Safety glasses that meet this standard will have a Z87 marking on them.

@BeeMaa - until 5 years ago I wore any polycarbonate polarized sunglasses I had - usually Bolle or my regular prescription glasses. I noticed No difference in my scores, especially on skeet, wearing regular perscription glasses or my Non perscription sunglasses - I remained in the low 90s regardless and there were no “magic glasses” that was going to get me better then NSSA “B” class - I just didn’t have the talent. Now, I wear Ranger Shooting Glasses with their top level lens tinted in “light purple” - they have a high impact rating and also very good “clarity” - 2nd only to Pella in quality but the Pella was close to $1000 and mine are $500. Most Top Clays shooters are wearing Pella, I’m NOT a Top shooter and NOT going to become one. I can’t notice a clarity difference with the Pella lens but I will assume they are like Zeiss vs. Minolta binnoculars - slightly more clear and MUCH more expensive.
On another note - I don’t wear perscription glasses at all anymore because I had cataract surgery and artificial lens put in - now vision is 20/20. But, I will wear cheap clear Safety glasses when walking thru the woods, especially at night, to protect my eyes from branches - last Spring I walked into my stand to Turkey Hunt before sunrise and walked into a low branch - punctured my left eye, bled a bit and hurt like hell. I kept hunting for 1/2 hour only because I heard a Gobbler but thankfully he never came in —- so I decided to find my ONE EYED WAY out of the woods and got to an Eye Doctor. No permanent damage but I’m now paranoid about protecting my eyes and when walking thru the woods - look like Mr. McGoo.

 

[TSIBINDI]

...Back in the day, I did a lot of skeet shooting. My glasses of choice were Decot Hy-Wyd and Randolph Engineering. Each had three different shades of color lenses which were easily changed depending on sky/weather conditions.

 

[Bandera]

Hunters HD Gold!
They are available in prescription if you need it.
They are made in America.
The owner Brian Conley supports the shooting sports in a very big way. If I recall correctly it was over 2 million in donations last year.
So do they work?
Do they make a difference?
Yes! These where the first pair of shooting glasses I ever put on that I went wow! Like most folks I have and have had a bunch of shooting glasses over the years. These bad boys are the final pair / pairs. I bought a pair for driving at night. Yes they work great for that also.

Hunters HD Gold

Your Ultimate Destination for High-Definition Shooting Eyewear. Elevate your shooting experience with our advanced, safety-certified HD lenses, designed for hunters, shooters, and outdoor enthusiasts.

huntershdgold.com

 

[HankBuck]

That's something I did not know and very interesting. Thank you.

I buy the Amazon Basics shooting glasses by the dozen every few months because I lose almost every pair I buy and I end up scratching the ones I don't lose. The ones I buy are made in China and are marked Z87+, but I don't know for sure that they are actually tested to that standard. They are a typical polycarbonate lens and supposedly have an anti-fog coating. They do seem fairly fog-resistant.

@KurtVH - your shooting glasses are Made-in-China….CHINA ?? And you put them on your Face? Near your EYES? You, SIR, ARE A VERY BRAVE MAN !

 

[HankBuck]

@O

Range glasses are not what I would shoot in the field. They are too easily fogged. I can wipe myself and/or glasses from station to station. Not practical in the field. I don't work up much of (if any) sweat shooting trap or skeet. I can count on working up a sweat hunting pheasants every outing, even in cold or windy conditions.

The chap in the second photo has a serious cheek weld and thumb almost in his nose. It's hard to see exactly where the butt is positioned on his shoulder but it does appear low. He may be able to shoot that way but I could not. One round of skeet and my cheek would be sore and maybe a bloody nose. If I was coaching someone who mounted the gun like that and he couldn't hit targets, I would advise longer LOP. Definitely. Now, some guys can shoot great mounting the shotgun in strange ways. And shooting high gun trap I can mold myself to just about any fit shotgun and do well enough. But that ain't low gun skeet or snap shooting pheasants unexpectadly flushed on the side of a draw off the wrong foot. If I am using the middle of the lenses on my glasses, then my head is positioned upright enough to keep my brow periphery out of field of view. If I'm looking at or over the top of frames, then my gun is too low on my shoulder. Short LOP will invariably put it too low on my shoulder. When I mount my shotgun, I want my cheek and stock to meet naturally. No leaning my head forward and into the gun to get onto it (like the second photo). The gun fits me. I don't fit the gun.

The top 1/3 of my prescription lenses see as well as the middle half. Bottom portion is reserved for bifocal. Yes, I ordered my first pair of amber tinted shooting glasses without bifocal. Never again! Can't see to write down scores for other teams or do any work on my gun if it malfunctions. My bifocals are also lined not transition, to reserve as much of the lens as possible for distance.

@Ontario Hunter: If you shoot skeet or clays in the Summer - you’ll “sweat” and plenty….come on down to NJ, VA, or Florida for a few rounds

 

[skydiver386]

I used to love an old pair of Zeiss shooting glasses that I had when I worked as an RSO at an indoor range, but they haven't made those for years.

I wear Randolph's with the various colored lenses for outdoor shooting, like Sporting Clays, and clear or light yellow lenses for indoor or low light.

I wear contacts daily, and prescription lenses on occasion. I've looked at getting custom ground lenses from several companies to fit their shooting glasses, but the price and hassle are a bit much. The only custom shooting lenses I've found that were worth the time and money were ones I purchased from Freeland Sports in Utica, Ohio for 10 meter air rifle and pistol shooting. Laugh all you want, but if you've ever shot in this sport, you understand the extreme precision required.

 

[Hunter4752001]

I wear prescription glasses all the time. Some decades ago I had a 45 case rupture. My face received a peppering of brass and powder residue, the lens saved my eyes. From that time forward I have been very conscious of the need for eye protection.

A few years ago I had an in depth conversation with an optrician. In my country, the protection standard for the lens in prescrition glasses vs industrial safety glasses was the same, the only diference was that the safety glasses required side protection. This wasn't allways the case. At one time the lens for prescription glasses could be made from a type of glass. Those were liable to shatter if impacted.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I used to love an old pair of Zeiss shooting glasses that I had when I worked as an RSO at an indoor range, but they haven't made those for years.

I wear Randolph's with the various colored lenses for outdoor shooting, like Sporting Clays, and clear or light yellow lenses for indoor or low light.

I wear contacts daily, and prescription lenses on occasion. I've looked at getting custom ground lenses from several companies to fit their shooting glasses, but the price and hassle are a bit much. The only custom shooting lenses I've found that were worth the time and money were ones I purchased from Freeland Sports in Utica, Ohio for 10 meter air rifle and pistol shooting. Laugh all you want, but if you've ever shot in this sport, you understand the extreme precision required.
View attachment 646921

I like the cape. Psyches out the competition I'll bet.

Okay, okay ... must be your registration number?

 

[skydiver386]

Yes, much like Marathon runners have.

 

[Tra3]

3m safety glasses in the Solus series. They have clear, smoke, and darker tinted lenses. I buy multiple pairs and use them for shooting as well as woodwork. At around $16-20 a pair, they are great. The nosebridge works well for me.

I’ve taken around 8-10 pairs to Africa on each of my last two hunts and give them to trackers. It is an inexpensive gift that gets used on the back of a truck on dusty roads.

I really like Maui Jim or Costa sunglasses for daily use. But they are many times the cost of the 3m glasses. The lenses are superior and also ANSI certified.

 

[HankBuck]

3m safety glasses in the Solus series. They have clear, smoke, and darker tinted lenses. I buy multiple pairs and use them for shooting as well as woodwork. At around $16-20 a pair, they are great. The nosebridge works well for me.

I’ve taken around 8-10 pairs to Africa on each of my last two hunts and give them to trackers. It is an inexpensive gift that gets used on the back of a truck on dusty roads.

I really like Maui Jim or Costa sunglasses for daily use. But they are many times the cost of the 3m glasses. The lenses are superior and also ANSI certified.

@Tra3 - I also wears the cheap Safety Glasses, clear, wrap around design but “only” for chainsaw cutting or walking through the woods (to protect my eyes from branches) or occasionally if I forgot my better shooting glasses. The optical clarity is poor compared to even cheap shooting glasses. I would be hesitant to ever wear the “tinted” safety glasses because for $20 they certainly aren’t Polarized and just having a Dark tint is Not good for protecting you eyes from UVA rays.

 

[Boris11]

My wife mocks me for wearing my field pants in public. She doesn't know that my glasses are shatterproof.