My girlfriend recently found out she has a genetic condition called Stargardt's Disease, which is a problem with the macula, in the retina of her eyes, and cannot be corrected with glasses. The doctor told her that she will be legally blind (20/200) or worse (up to 20/400) within 10 - 20 years. She absolutely loves target shooting, but the last time we went to the range, she had a very hard time lining up the sights with the target at 5 - 10 yards. Usually she's as good, if not sometimes better then me, but I've noticed her aiming has started to degrade over the past few months. I was thinking of buying a laser sight for my Walther P22 that I bought especially for her to try and help her with her aiming. I can buy one relatively cheap. I was wondering if anyone else here is, or knows anyone who is, visually impaired and what tips/tricks worked for them?
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Question for the visually impaired
- Thread starter rapture
- Start date
My mother is almost completely blind. I took her out with a red dot on my uncles target pistol. My mother is so blind that when I walk in to the house if I don't talk she doesn't know it's me. And using the red dot and putting it over the black in the back ground she was able to hit the target consistently when she didn't anticipate.
Sorry to hear that. It seems ever week or so I hear about new developments that help people who were sighted by have lost partial or all of their sight for whatever reason.
I think you are absolutely on the right track with the laser sight. I once had multiple operations on the retinas of both eyes, and while they were healing CONTRAST was my biggest enemy. I think the laser would work to highlight. I wasn't a shooter then, but I'm pretty sure it would have been the case. Best wishes.
I think you are absolutely on the right track with the laser sight. I once had multiple operations on the retinas of both eyes, and while they were healing CONTRAST was my biggest enemy. I think the laser would work to highlight. I wasn't a shooter then, but I'm pretty sure it would have been the case. Best wishes.
rapture, sorry to hear that. Without any experience I was also going to suggest a red dot scope.
With a laser she'll still have to be able to see the red dot on the paper which is down range.
With the red dot all of her focus will be at arms length. She'll see the red dot (especially if you get her a rifle, it'll be much closer to her face) and should be able to differentiate black from white in the background.
It must be difficult for her to deal with this, sounds like she's lucky to have you.![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
With a laser she'll still have to be able to see the red dot on the paper which is down range.
With the red dot all of her focus will be at arms length. She'll see the red dot (especially if you get her a rifle, it'll be much closer to her face) and should be able to differentiate black from white in the background.
It must be difficult for her to deal with this, sounds like she's lucky to have you.
I've had multiple eye surgeries I can see pistol sights but not rifle. I bought a red dot for my Ruger Redhamk and can see it wiyh out any problems and as I recall you can get them with either an adjustible dot or fixed.onky problem I have is to remember to turn the scope off.
I beleive I payed in the $100 range foe and was made by adco out of woburn
I beleive I payed in the $100 range foe and was made by adco out of woburn
![[rofl]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/013.gif "ROFL [rofl]")
I've been 20/400 or worse since high school. It's corrected with glasses in my case. But I do have trouble shifting focus easily. It didn't keep Uncle Sam from taking me back in 67, he just gave me a gas mask with corrective lenses built in !
We have a small sofa (2 1/2 person size - not much more tha a loveseat) in our living room. One night my wife sat at one end and I sat at the other. I took off my glasses to rub my eyes, looked at her and laughed. She said what's so funny? I replied, that with my glasses off, I could tell she was sitting there but if I didn't know it was her, I wouldn't be able to tell!
I shoot, sometimes have trouble making everything focus but I can still shoot minute of man.
I've never used a laser but I've seriously thought about it. I have used a red dot and it was great.
I can empathize with your girl friends situation, but try not to let it get her down. The term 'legally blind' is scarry but at 20/400 (or worse), it's still manageable...shooting wise anyway.
We have a small sofa (2 1/2 person size - not much more tha a loveseat) in our living room. One night my wife sat at one end and I sat at the other. I took off my glasses to rub my eyes, looked at her and laughed. She said what's so funny? I replied, that with my glasses off, I could tell she was sitting there but if I didn't know it was her, I wouldn't be able to tell!
I shoot, sometimes have trouble making everything focus but I can still shoot minute of man.
I've never used a laser but I've seriously thought about it. I have used a red dot and it was great.
I can empathize with your girl friends situation, but try not to let it get her down. The term 'legally blind' is scarry but at 20/400 (or worse), it's still manageable...shooting wise anyway.
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I really appreciate all the suggestions. Perhaps I'll see if the range can rent us a couple different pistols and rifles, both with either lasers or red-dot sights and see which one she prefers and which one seems to help. I'd really hate to see her get discouraged because she has to give up so many things she loves to do. I want to help her find the things she can still hold onto.
I was out training with Gabe Suarez yesterday, and at one point he had us firing five shot groups with our eyes closed. His point is shooting (except for really long range) is really about muscle memory, not sighting, and that we use the sights to check and train our muscles. Once that's that's tone well, you can hit your target consistently even if you can't see the sights. So there's no reason for her to give up on shooting; just develop really good habits and natural alignment with the target while she can still use the sights. Good luck.
Ken
Ken
rapture said:
Honestly this may not be an answer to your question, but a little over 2 weeks ago I was 20/300 in my good eye, 20/400 in the bad, and it was manageable, never interfeared with my shooting (though I wore glasses which made it better). So even if there is no "cure" she will do fine in day to day life at 20/400.
Now 2 weeks ago I got Lasik and am 20/20 in my bad, 20/25 in my good...may not (yet) be a answer surgicly for her, but there may be something for here in the future...
Unfortunately, most of the macula and retina problems result in degraded resolution and reduced light reception. As a result, neither lenses nor contacts nor lens surgeries like Lasix have any effect with them. Both my mother and my mother-in-law are having different types of problems in this area.
Ken
Ken
KMaurer said:
This is very true. If you picture the eye as a camera, the macula would be the film. You can correct focus problems with corrective lenses and surgeries, however you cannot (yet) fix the macula. The disease she has is causing the photoreceptor cells in her macula to die. Although she will not go completely blind, she will lose a substantial amount of vision, and towards the end of the cycle, all perception of color. No matter how good your camera is, you cannot take a picture with no film. Perhaps in the future with the advances in stem cell research (goddamn bush!), they will find a way to regrow the photoreceptor cells and her vision will return to normal.