Contact Lenses vs Glasses for hunting

[Banjo]

In order to ensure i have the best vision while hunting i wear my glasses and it makes a huge difference. Lately I've been wondering if contact lenses might be a better choice in terms of general comfort, convenience, effectiveness etc..

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm also partially colorblind and have been told by my optometrist that glasses with a yellowish tint can help to pick out animal better. Any experience with this??

Cheers,


Jordan

[ellenbill]

After over 30 years of wearing glasses I too thought contacts would be nice for hunting. However I soon went back to glasses. I found I got gun shy about walking in thick brush for fear of getting poked in the eye. Also, lost one once (shooting eye). I recommend sticking with glasses. You could have them tinted yellow if it would help.

[Iron Glove]

I wear my glasses when hunting, contacts when playing hockey.
Hunting means dirt, dust, maybe blood and guts and it's easy to clean off glasses, not so easy to replace a contact lens in the woods.
Glasses also provide some protection for the eyes when shooting.
Downside is glasses get foggy, icy, etc.

[835]

My dad is always fighting his glasses from fogging up.... He used to wear contacts but his eyes cant take them any more. He has to wear glasses.

[BCHunterTV]

Contacts here, no hassle from few or rain etc.

[325]

Daily disposable contacts, with an extra pair in your pack.

[goatdancer]

I found that contacts dried out and caused eye irritation when there was any wind. Glasses, on the other hand, will fog up at the most inopportune time.

[jrjonesy]

I've worn contacts most of my life and I've never had an issue with them hunting. However it is never fun putting in contacts in the morning by headlamp in a tent.....

On the other hand I've know several people that tried to go to contacts for the sole purpose of hunting (or some other sport) and went back to glasses. They aren't something that a lot of people are comfortable only wearing part time.

[Farmer]

I've worn contacts most of my life and I've never had an issue with them hunting. However it is never fun putting in contacts in the morning by headlamp in a tent.....



I have worn contacts while hunting, but no longer use them as dust around the farm was too much of a bother. I do recall one goat hunt where I went to put my contacts in and found that the solution they were stored in was frozen. warm water solved the problem. Fogging up is sometimes an issue with glasses, but if you are sitting still or moving slowly it is not really an issue.
I have thought about laser eye surgery but my glasses provide protection when I am in the shop and forget (ignore) the use of goggles.
)

[Farmer001]

Hate my glasses but have saved my bacon too many times to give them up. Hiking I prefer contacts to avoid fogging issues. Have prescription sunglasses in a light brown color and really help for spotting.

[sapper]

At the risk of sounding like a commercial: Laser Eye Surgery (PRK) - my only regret, "not having done it earlier."

[Bear Chaser]

At the risk of sounding like a commercial: Laser Eye Surgery (PRK) - my only regret, "not having done it earlier."

Agreed. I was just going to say the same thing.

I had it done 4 years ago. Best money I ever spent.

[orion]

Agreed. I was just going to say the same thing.

I had it done 4 years ago. Best money I ever spent.

X3 - best money I've spent. Had it done 14 years ago so I've more than paid for it twice over with what I've saved from buying contacts and glasses.

[moosecamp]

At the risk of sounding like a commercial: Laser Eye Surgery (PRK) - my only regret, "not having done it earlier."

Me to, 18 years ago and still see perfect.

[375 ultramag]

Me also....Had glasses and contacts. Both a pain when I was hunting. Laser is the only way to go. No regrets Don't wait.

[.330 Dakota]

I have worn contacts for 30 years with no issues, great perifial vision and no glare, dont even own a pair of glasses

[Gateholio]

Whats the recovery time from surgery?

[.330 Dakota]

LAST TIME i CHECKED INTO IT ,,IT WAS 2-3 WEEKS ON AVERAGE

[shed-hunter1]

if it wasnt such a long recovery stage i would get laser eye surgry but for now i run hose dalie contacts for hunting work awsome also wear them while playing hockey they still work even with all the sweat etc

[moosecamp]

If you go with contacts you might want to check these out. Great if your doing over nights in the bush. I always hated having to deal with contacts when your in spike camp 15 or 20 k from main camp. I usually ended leaving them in for two or three days at a time. Wish they had these out at the time.

http://www.clearlycontacts.ca/contact-lenses/air-optix-night-and-day-

[2chodi]

I wear my contacts for hockey, but only occasionally for hunting. They are great when the weather is lousy or when strenuous hiking is involved. Not so great when riding ATVs. They are also good for waterfowl hunting - gets rid of the glare from glasses.

[Bear Chaser]

Whats the recovery time from surgery?

Depends on the method used and the patient.

With Lasik I could see perfectly the next day and was driving from then on. My eyes were definitely sore mostly due to the eyelid retractor used during the surgery.
I experienced the expected light sensitivity for about a month so I wore sunglasses. My eyes were also slightly drier for about the first year which required rewetting eye drops a few times a day. Not a problem now unless I get dehydrated.
I do find I'm a lot more conscious of protecting my eyes now. The flap they cut never really fully heals like skin does although I came through a puck directly to the eyeball without dislodging it a couple years ago. Unless you plan on a boxing or MMA career I wouldn't worry about it.

[nap]

I have worn glasses since I was just a young pup, when I do some of the out door stuff, snowmobiling,hunting,boating, contacts for me s the way to go. I have left the ones I buy through costco in for 3 weeks and have not had an issue. You can now buy progressive contacts and that is the ultimate, looking through a scope, reading a paper everything. I am looking into laser but not the the answer for me. Pricing the lense replacement right in the eye, real pricey but just may be worth it.

[Mark_S]

I am one of those lucky guys that has better than 20/20 vision with my contacts. I can see much better in low light situations with my contacts than I can with glasses. I wear glasses for normal daily use but hunting or driving in low light, contacts are far superior for me.

[325]

Whats the recovery time from surgery?

The new "lasik" is SBK or sub bowmans keratomileusis, which uses a femtosecond laser to create the flap rather than a blade. The visual recovery time is almost immediate, but it takes about one week for the flap edges to heal over. Some dryness, and glare around lights is to be expected for a few weeks. It's is an incredible technology and has replaced traditional lasik in all but the lower-end clinics.

The other common procedure is PRK or photorefractive keratectomy. It has a much longer recovery time and usually involves about three days of discomfort and visual stabilization can take several weeks. It is usually reserved for people with thin corneas or people involved in aggressive contact sports like boxing to avoid the remote possibility of a flap dislocation.

[sapper]

I had PRK and can agree with 325 above. For me recovery time was about 2-3weeks. I was driving after about a week. A little light sensitive for a while but all is good now. I do tend to just wear sunglasses a lot more now when outside and it is bright out (not that many days lately) but I think a lot of that is just me wanting to protect my investment. :)

[Singleshotneeded]

Bring your glasses always even if you're wearing contacts. If you're wearing contacts bring a back-up pair.
If you have a bit of amber added to your glasses they'll pick out animals a bit better.

[Vossie]

I wear glasses for the 18hr drive and load and packing because the cab of a truck dries my contacts out. During hunting I use contacts, I glass a lot and when I wear glasses I can never get the full FOV. Rain is your enemy as well as fog with glasess. Contacts are bad on the ATV if your in front for the bugs and dust if your in the rear. I use the 2 week disposable ones, put them in on day one and take them out on day 12, sleep with them and get up with them no problem. No real issues with packing and we pack heavy through thick bush some times. My contacts also gives me 20/20 vision.are good for. Long story short it is contacts for rain, glassing, gear on off and shooting, to be honest I never felt I had to wear eye protection for shooting while hunting, maybe because in most cases I am a one shot one kill hunter.

[kennyj]

I've worn contacts for most outdoor activities (especially hunting) for my whole adult life. They work fine for me. That said, I usually can't wait to get them out at the end of the day.
kenny

[hunter1947]

I have progressive glasses lucky I only need them for reading up close don't need the glasses for shooting I adjusted my scope to get a good view when looking at my target..

[Rhyla]

I found last fall that wearing the contacts was way better, especially in the rain when my glasses would get wet and I couldn't see anyways. I bring my glasses as back up just in case I lose the contacts though.

[JIL_24/7]

I agree that contacts remove the risk of losing a shot due to fog and rain in most circumstances. I lost an opportunity at a buck my very first hunt when I stopped a hard hike when I spotted him, and when I got into position to shoot my glasses were so fogged up I couldn't see to get a shot. I did find a solution, however, to the fog problem. A friend of mine works at one of the biggest lens manufacturing plants in Canada, and he was able to get me a trial pair of lenses in a pair of the same goggles used in the olympics. The lenses when paired with a simple solution will not fog up under any circumstance. The solution works for two weeks. I still prefer contacts to hunt in, but sometimes the eyes don't agree. It is really nice to have these goggles as a back-up. They're awesome for working out too. They just don't look to cool :).

[GRIZZEZE]

I used to cary both, I preferred contacts for most of the time but in winter the contacts and the solution will freeze. Glasses fogg up, so I ended up with laser eye surgery, and have never had a problem since.

[scottwh]

Untill I get laser surgery, contacts all the way. Carry a spare pair and some eye drops. If I sleep on the mountain for a few days, I just leave them in. Never had a problem. I dont even own glasses anymore.