Tinted glasses for pistol shooting

[ForceAwakens]

I participate in 10m and 25m ISSF pistol shooting events. Finally found an optician who understands shooting needs and took an appointment for tomorrow. He mentioned that they provide tinted glasses only in amber color. I wonder if the same tinted glasses can be used for both outdoor as well as indoor shooting. I don’t want to buy 2 sets at this time. Alternatively, I can just go for normal glasses. I have a pretty strong prescription in both eyes 6.5 diopter.
Any recommendations?

[Rover]

What benefit do you think you would derive from tinted lenses?

[ForceAwakens]

Might reduce the glare when outdoors and paper target is used for 25m. I am guessing, no experience with shades though

[David Levene]

He mentioned that they provide tinted glasses only in amber color. I wonder if the same tinted glasses can be used for both outdoor as well as indoor shooting. I don’t want to buy 2 sets at this time.

To me, that sounds like you are considering shotgun glasses rather than glasses for ISSF pistol shooting (Champion, Knobloch etc).

[-TT-]

they provide tinted glasses only in amber color.

You'll maybe like them for indoors (yellow improves contrast), but they'll do nothing for you outdoors (yellow blocks very little light). Also, if they're true "amber" that will likely be too dark for indoor.

I have an indoor pair with "light yellow" tint and a small arms-length bifocal at the bottom, which is perfect for 50' bullseye at the bench. But they come right off for pretty much any other activity.

Have them made in clear, and ask to borrow the tint sample which you can tape over the lens to test. If you like it, have them tint the lenses afterwards.

[40xguy]

you might want to check this out...
Dr. Toler has an impressive list of credentials.
http://customsightpicture.com/sight%20p ... intro.html

[ShootingSight]

I have done a bunch of research on this. I'm a shooter, and an engineer who studied optics, and an amateur photographer.

I have only found evidence for 2 colors that help.

UV light, which is just on the edge of blue, is not visible so it does not trigger pupilary constriction, but still irritates the retina, so it is bad, m'ok? Arbirarily, UV is defined as less than 400nm wavelength. Polycarbonate (ie everyday safetyglasses) are opaque below 390nm. So they block light from really short up to 390nm, but there is a little light that falls between 390 and 400nm that passes. As I said, the definition is a little arbitrary, as 401nm is technically not UV, but ain't far from it. So bottom line, PC lenses naturally block 99% of UV.

Now, yellow is the opposite of blue, so a yellow lens will block blue and any residual UV light. Yellow begins to get transparent at about 450nm. So you lose a little bit of blue, and total transmission is only 90% (so your sight picture is slightly dimmer), but you block out the fringe elements of UV, decreasing haze, improving contrast.

Net, pale amber is good.

The other color is rose / pale red / vermilion. Red is the opposite of green, so these lenses block green light. If you are a hunter, or shoot sporting clays, against a green foliage background, these lenses will make the foliage look more black, and will improve contrast versus targets, especially red targets, which is why they paint clays orange - to contrast with the green.

Other than that, I have found no evidence that any other color helps a shooter. There is preference, which I do not discount, but no theory to support it.

[10M_Stan]

As a bit of trivia, fluorescent lights (CFL's, 4' tubes, etc.) all produce UV light. There is a fluorescent coating that converts the UV light to visible (hence the name). However, they all leak a bit and emit UV light. LED lights do not emit UV. With the limited lighting in most indoor ranges, I've yet to see anyone use amber lenses. Trap shooting is another story and shooting outdoors (depending on the sunlight conditions) may benefit from a colored lens - but I don't know.

[Rover]

There you have it.

I have yet to see ANY top pistol shooter using tinted lenses, but some wannabees.

[Gwhite]

For many years, "shooting glasses" (for unspecified shooting, but primarily marketed to target shooters) were always yellow. In fact, there was a specific "kalichrome yellow" that was sold by Baush & Lomb under the Ray-Ban label for shooters. It was supposed to increase contract in low light, hazy or cloudy conditions. I think I still have a pair or two buried someplace. I mostly shoot indoors, where I've found that my eyes can use all the light they can get, so I haven't worn them in 30 years or more.

[Bret P]

Are tinted glasses actually allowed? I thought ISSF rules were that you are only allowed your normal prescription lenses, no other optical aids apart from a blinder and iris?

[David M]

In Australia we mainly shoot outdoors and in very high UV light.
I use two tints after having played with tints for years.
Light Yellow is used for low light/overcast conditions or targets under cover and dark.
10% Grey is used for shooting in full sunlight and full glare.
Clear glass anti glare coating is used for indoors.
Glasses are set up with two lens holders with the off eye occluded with Magic tape.