Astigmatism and Red Dots

[@brandensoutdoorb-channel8084]

Astigmatism is annoying

[@embracethesuck1041]

It'll turn you gun amish.

[@blackpearl_z71]

LASIK!!!! Best thing i ever did for myself. I had an astigmatism and horrible vision. I couldn't use EoTech's, RDS's were ok but after LASIK I've had zero issues with RDS and 20/15 vision for over 6 years now. I know that isn't an option for everyone but I think everyone should at least look into it. Oh, and great video and info.

[@Taegashi]

LASIK doesn’t always work either. I had lasik and still have the same problem. Also you can’t escape the normal affects of aging. I’m back to wearing glasses again 10 years after my lasik procedure.

[@sethrich5998]

What’s funny is I’ve been shooting red dots at a decently high level (around USPSA B class) for a while and just recently realized I think I have a mild astigmatism. Mine is pretty uniform and just makes the dot look bigger than I think other people see it. Suddenly it makes sense why everyone else runs 5 - 8 MOA dots and I’m very comfortable with a 2.5, it probably looks about like 5 to me.

[@soaring16]

I have mild astigmatism and what I found in my case is lowering the brightness level. I'm using a Bushnell trs25 and can keep groups of 2" at 50 yds consistently just by lowering the brightness to the lowest level depending on conditions. I am using a Ruger 9mm carbine. Love this gun btw. The other point is everyone's astigmatism is different. Find what works for you.

[@robertvail6013]

Interesting, I never considered a smaller moa dot to tone down the starburst I normally see.. I’m shopping now and so that opened up some possibilities. Thank you

[@zachblakeslee4295]

Its all about that squint game yo

[@DaveSmith-cp5kj]

Being asian, I have an advantage in that department.

[@commiesarehorrible7622]

@@DaveSmith-cp5kj lol 😆

[@chaoticcaninejb]

100% correct, I have astigmatism and have same issues with RM07 and 06 but 09 not at all. And if I need a larger dot I just turn it up and it blooms enough to make it look larger for me.

[@kdworak4754]

This is the comment I needed to see.

[@vahanyazarian5582]

Nice to have others input on their astigmatism . Thank You all !

[@Tonyplat98]

What I end up with is not mickey mouse but rather a blurry dot. The bigger it is the bigger the blur but yes smaller dots like a 2moa or 1 moa is much better and don't have an issue with it. I have 20/20 vision otherwise but that red dot laser is a bit distorted through my eyes. I was contemplating on lasik surgery but then realized that a smaller dot is the answer and there's no need for an expensive surgery especially because otherwise there's nothing wrong with my vision.

[@MollyTheLag]

The drawing, and your solution to a problem was great!

[@jonborrego5484]

I use the RM02 on my pistol and I see just a huge dot with clusters of dots all around, the brighter the dot the more it clusters, I got my eyes checked and got some glasses, the dot is clean and round now. I think a smaller dot would of helped a little though.

[@Alpha_Donk]

I have astigmatism. And what I’ve found works for me is that popping up my rear M bus sight clears up the dot making it perfect, I believe it’s due to the amount of light that can come through the hole. That said it could then be argued that it’s no better than irons. Just mentioning it as it may help someone out.

[@thaik56]

I think it is better since you have to line up front and rear sights. It is maybe slower because you have locate the dot through the peep hole.

[@LeeDee779]

I have astigmatism also,and the a normal RDS flares when I look at it.But when I use Holosun circle dot no problem,so for my first RDS on a pistol I'm going with the 508T V2 and I'm more than likely going to sell my Vortrex that is on my Rifle and get a Holosun.

[@ryant5652]

LeonRidge I’m doing a 508T V2 for mainly this same reason. Not near as much burst

[@E57det7I]

Something that I just came here to clarify that I did not see any of the videos when I watched when I was very concerned about this and getting into red dots. If you wear corrective lenses, this one will not be an issue for you. Assuming your prescription is correct. This is specifically for people who have an astigmatism that is mild enough they do not wear glasses.

[@readyme]

Thanks for the info. My MRO and PRO both have equal looking starbursts...which is one of the reasons I have not considered a dot on my pistol.

[@tobyh3681]

Good stuff. Superbly explained. I'm passing this along to my buddy who has astigmatism.

[@BrandensOutdoorChannel]

Rifle dots don't reciprocate like they do on a pistol slide which is prob why people use them on rifles and not as much on pistols. polarized sunglasses help reduce the flare of a dot with astigmatism.

[@nicks1223]

I recently got rid of my Aimpoint T2 because of astigmatism. I wish at its worst it was a little 'Mickey Mouse' lol. mine was a fucking starburst with lines going in different directions like rays. It was fine outside on a bright day because my pupils contracted but indoors, lowlight, overcast...it was an issue. im going to try out the 1.5 Acogs and see if those are a good compromise for a light weight, red dot like, alternative. I know it won't be exactly the same though.

[@cheese0794]

When outside the dot doesnt go crazy for me. Indoors is a whole nother story. I think partially it has to do with target vs. dot focus. Just have started on the red dot pistol journey so the learning experience has been interesting. Need to get out to a class.

[@seanln5209]

I go to an optometrist who is a shooter. I bring my slide(s) with me and I hold the slide up in front of the optometry machine while he comes up with the prescription that works best. One for iron sights and one that corrects the astigmatism. Prescription shooting glasses are not cheap but is there anything cheap about shooting equipment?

[@bankamilliproductions6341]

I have a astigmatism and shooting with green dot ain’t as bad as shooting with a red dot (for me).

[@brucecook502]

I am a brand new Red Dot user and I also have astigmatism but I found it only effects the look of the reticle when I am tired and it makes it look like there's a couple little sticks sticking out of the Red Dot LOL but when I am not tired the dot looks the way it should. I remember the first time I noticed this I thought something was interfering with the emitter and I decided to look up how to fix it only to find videos like this and sure enough y'all were right about it being my eyesight and not the Red Dot. The same thing happens when I try to read small text when I'm tired.i use a holosun 407k x2 which I think is a 6 moa.

[@a.joegevara3519]

I'm right hand dominance, my astigmatism is in my left eye, but my glasses cause the dot to blur. So I just shoot without my glasses. But good tip!

[@yohanzeta]

That's interesting, I'll have to try that out and see how much that helps me get better hits at distance easier. Also, great run at the end there in that NVG drill!

[@geraldwalbeck8523]

Never thought I was going to have to research this until last week when I picked up my pistol and noticed the dot was a cluster.

[@marinefirstsarge509]

My man, Just got done with your class went to do a little research and look who had the first video that comes up!

[@justinm.791]

I've been using a RM06 and Eotech for several years now. If I'm wearing my glasses I get a pretty decent dot with my RMR, if not it looks like a clump of grapes. I took my time and developed a point of aim using the dot without my glasses so I can jump up at any bump in the night and be able to work it out. As for my rifle the Eotech has never given me any issues if I don't have my glasses on. I want to try out the Primary Arms Cyclops with its etched reticle and see what it does for me.

[@KineticConsulting]

The rm06 and the Eotech use different types of reticle projection. Trijicon uses a diode that reflects it off the inner lens to your eye and the Eotech is using a holographic projection. That's why the Eotech looks cleaner to your specific eyes. Pretty cool to see the differences.

[@morrisonadams9220]

Best thing about an astigmatism is all the hidden custom sights you’ll have. Depending on how bad the astigmatism is. For me I use as small as a dot I can get because at a certain distance it will be .50 to 1 Moa bigger.

[@dlam2864]

Its a less blurry outside

[@DanLaTour12]

Try living with astigmatism and brain birth defect that directly effects the inner workings of the eyes. On top of that I have a brain trauma from a slip and fall that makes them completely independent of each other because of the birth deflect reacting to the brain injury. Best thing I can use is iron sights or a scope with an eye closed to get the other eye to react properly. Right handed shooting with a left eye dominance doesn’t help either. But I still keep trying. Thanks for this video.

[@kevmoful]

I do this with rifles but I’ve found with pistol red dots the dot isn’t consistently one shape or the other. I guess it’s small difference in presentation. Haven’t looked at a 1moa dot . Hope I can find one locally to look at it

[@thaik56]

It still cause eye strain and it's distracting even if one could still aim with it.

[@k9millie1]

Great video this would help me a lot. Also where you get your shirt it’s bad ass

[@KineticConsulting]

That's an old 511 shirt. No clue if they have them any more

[@StephenB2]

Cool video I'm glad that someone is making it. I too have a astigmatism and I will say that the only inaccurate thing at least in my opinion and what my eye sees is the size of the blur. For me I don't get a Mickey Mouse I get kind of a larger Mickey Mouse with a slash through the middle as well so I have a lot more going on. And if a DOT Is a 1 MOA Dot I would guess that I have at least a 6 MOA dot When I look through it accounting for all the Mickey Mouse ears if you will. But that's probably just dependent from one person to another. Also holographic sights are supposed to stop this issue. In my opinion the EOTech is definitely better than say AimPoint or Trijicon but the dot is still fuzzy it doesn't quite have the same Mickey Mouse ears and slashes through it but the dot seems like it's out of focus. When I put a magnifier like a 3X or 4X behind it it becomes crystal clear. Also a trick that I've learned overtime is when I'm taking shots at long-range with a red dot site I will flip up my back iron site and look through my backup iron sight at the dot the dot Becomes crystal clear with no flares or Mickey Mouse ears. So obviously I have to have absolute Co witness sights and things of that nature. Great video thanks.

[@appliedperformance773]

Stephen B . Hey man I have done a lot of research into this and did a video about it last night ha. I will still upload it. This is an issue I have but very slightly compared to yours. Mine is just a little star that’s a little bigger than it should be. I didn’t know dots were even supposed to be perfect till I looked at mine with a camera. So my cousin is an optometrist and I’ve picked her brain. No two astigmatisms are the same. If it’s bad you can take your red dot to the optometrist and say hey I want to see this better. For competitive shooters I think this is an awesome thing because you can get a set of sunglasses or shooting glasses that almost completely cure the astigmatism. They aren’t full prescription either just different bends to the lens so less $. Also you can try different sunglasses to see if any help. I don’t tell people to zero using a feature of their star or Mickey Mouse. I tell them use the center because it’s the center all the time. This way if you are in a self defense encounter without your sunglasses you still perform. My astigmatism isn’t bad enough to worry about it but some are. Hope this can help. Everyone has astigmatism just to different degrees. At least try some different glasses. And the iron sight thing is for sure a help.

[@jamesalles139]

consider Holographic vs. prismatic vs. reflex

[@JensenAzotea]

Nice I’ll try it!

[@Whitehawkvisionfilms]

WOW! Great info!

[@capablegentleman144]

Thank you 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@MyLonewolf25]

A starburst is a fast and accurate starburst

[@orpheusepiphanes2797]

Good suggestions, thanks for the video. I have very severe astigmatism, dots look like a 60 moa constellation so the "reference" point trick doesnt really work since it obscures so much of what I see. For those who dont know, prism sights will work for people with this problem, and in my case I find that the dual-illuminated tritium/fiber sights tend to work better. Getting lasik just simply isnt happening. I have more important things to spend that kind of money on.

[@KineticConsulting]

Thanks for that man

[@lalalala3968]

good stuffs. thank you

[@chrispatriots]

I just want a new eyeball

[@CFairNH]

Great video, I'm in the middle of trying to choose a Dot Size to try out. Thank you for the advice, I was firmly in the 6.5 MOA but maybe now I'll try out a 3.25 instead.

[@Tonyplat98]

Go for 2 moa.

[@ejjohnson8100]

Thanks for the tips, I see a spur

[@reddottacticalfl]

Good info man! Keep it up 🤙🏼

[@billtaylor1656]

I like this video however I have a different situation. I just got a red dot I have astigmatism and I see the cluster with my glasses on. But see the dot fine without glasses. Should I zero with out glasses?

[@KineticConsulting]

Are you glasses for seeing near objects?

[@billtaylor1656]

@@KineticConsulting yes.

[@KineticConsulting]

@@billtaylor1656 I figured since the dot is meant to not be looked at close up and you should be focused on the target. Your glasses aren't needed unless you need to adjust the optic.

[@billtaylor1656]

@@KineticConsulting ok.i see. Thanks for that. Basically I'm looking at the target through the optic correct.

[@KineticConsulting]

@@billtaylor1656 yes

[@mojoe8005]

I’ve noticed that the flares coming off red dot change with my astigmatism when I blink depending on how much fluid on my eyeballs so that sucks if I squint or make an angry face 😠 with my eyebrows it makes the dot almost perfect very strange

[@GIO_RUBBLE]

awesome vid!!!!!! i always heard them say................ size matters? 😂...............so great your coming to okeechobee...thank you sir!

[@ssearl3231]

I see three dots in a star burst

[@itwiitchy342]

I have hurd green dots work better too

[@yadidimeanmaine]

Irons or crosshairs for now on...

[@randywatson8347]

Lol I guess I got it at a later age. But I don't notice it in normal day life.

[@stevepeterson9819]

I want an information I don't want to watch other people's shoot talk

[@ethan0145]

Without glasses my dot is a starburst with no point of reference.

[@vincentlr4129]

👍

[@davidihaim]

There is no one advise for everyone. I have posted it on an optic Facebook forum and some had the Green dot better, one had the larger MOA better, some said amber dot is better , my astigmatism is bad and for a compact pistol I am still looking for “the perfect one”. Already tested 5 kinds. On rifle I do well with the Holosun HS510C and recently I was shown an Etched radicle sight and that was by far the best! You can use it with or without light. No such thing for a pistol. The guy in the store also said that astigmatism also causes the dot to shake and bounce which is a whole other problem, people think the shake of from the hand and don’t realize it is the eyes.

[@charles17508]

Red is better for bad eyes