Do I Need Shooting Glasses?

Whether you’re a shooting enthusiast or a seasoned hunter, proper eye protection is paramount.

You see, 

Traditional ammo and rubber bullets can easily break your skin and, in extreme cases, break your facial bone anatomy. That’s where shooting glasses come in.

How important is eye protection during shooting? …incredibly essential.

Safety glasses are as crucial as earmuffs or earplugs you wear to protect your hearing.

An Elmhurst City Hospital Trauma Registry and Mount Sinai Data Warehouse survey found that 44 percent of shooters suffer long-term visual damage caused by ocular injuries. 

With such stats, you’ll need to carry your glasses next time you go out to hunt deer or local shooting range. Otherwise, you could be setting yourself up for a life-long injury. 

What Are Shooting Glasses?

Most hunters and shooters think prescription eyeglasses provide enough safety against flying projectiles.

But that’s not entirely true.

Prescription glasses come with lenses that can’t handle high impact. If you wear prescription glasses, a rubber bullet hits you, and the option will break and fall off your face, exposing you to injuries.

Good shooting safety glasses must meet the ANSI Z87.1 standards.

Even though shooting eyewear looks like traditional glasses, it has undergone a high mass impact test to protect users from fast-traveling materials and objects.

And the beauty of it is that shooting glasses come in a collection and colors and styles, including yellow glasses.

In addition, these glasses feature protective lenses and reinforced frames.

Most shooting glasses are made using polycarbonate, a lightweight, comfortable and robust material for increased safety.

Why You Need to Wear Shooting Glasses

Wearing protective eyewear offers many benefits on the hunting field and local range. 

Here’s why you should always protect your eyes.

Accidents are More Common Than You Think

If the stats by Elmhurst City Hospital Trauma Registry are anything to go by, hunters and shooters are more prone to eye accidents than they realize.

Let’s even forget about bullet-related accidents for a second. 

Excessive powder can blow back into your eyes, causing pain and injury. In addition, a flash from your rifle’s muzzle can hurt your eyes. 

Wearing Shooting Glasses Protects You from the Weather Elements 

Apart from fast-traveling spent cartridges, there are other hazards that can harm your eyes. 

For instance, leaves, twigs, and stray branches in the woodland can also damage your eyes. 

Besides, when cleaning a gun, it’d be best to wear safety glasses to safeguard your eyes from cleaning solvents and lubricants that may come into contact with your eyes. 

Colored Safety Glasses Can Help Improve Your Vision

Shooting glasses come in a variety of lens colors. Some of the most popular colors include yellow, amber, and gray.

Glasses with amber and yellow lenses are great for cloudy days. Meanwhile, blue and purple lenses allow you to pick out a target tucked against trees. 

Some long-range shooters say lens colors offer a great contrast, which goes a long way to improve accuracy. 

How About UV Protection?

Quality safety eyewear comes with polycarbonate lenses, which are great for UVB and UVA protection. 

How to Keep Your Eyes Safe at the Gun Range Using Glasses 

Accidents happen at any time. Whether you’re using a handgun, rifle, or shotgun, you’ll need to place them close to your eyes for an accurate shot. 

Here’s how to ensure you keep your eyes protected at all times. 

Ensure the Glasses Fit: Your eyewear should sit securely on your face, so you don’t have to readjust them repeatedly.

Ensures the Glasses are Comfortable: Target shooting and hunting sessions can last for hours. You won’t have a great time if your pair isn’t comfortable. 

Ensure the Glasses Have no Sharp Edges: The right pair of shooting glasses should have rounded edges for side protection. Still, the pair is too tight if the edges dig into your skin.

Side Note: Wear eye protection as soon as you arrive at the hunting ground or range. While you may not be looking down your firearm barrel, you can never predict wild shots, ricochets, or gun smoke. 

Factors to Consider When Choosing Shooting Glasses 

You’ll want to remember a few things as you purchase shooting glasses. These include:

• Check whether the lenses are strong enough to offer adequate impact resistance.
• Choose a pair with the color lenses of your preference.
• Ensure the contrast is ideal for your eyesight and vision.
• Buy prescription shooting glasses if you wear contacts or reading glasses. Still, most people prefer wearing safety glasses only for better protection and vision.

Side Note: It’d be best to read independent reviews before buying shooting safety glasses. The best should have positive customer feedback and high ratings. 

Shooting Glasses FAQs

Here is a rundown of common questions shooters and hunters ask about shooting glasses. 

What Color Is Best for Shooting Glasses?

The best color for shooting glasses boils down to personal preference. Here’s what you should know about different lens colors.

• Yellow/orange lenses: These are a standard for competition shooting because the tint can block blue light. They’re also good for viewing targets in cloudy, foggy, or hazy conditions.
• Red-colored lenses: These are great for sporting clays.
• Purple lenses: These are great for shooting in green backgrounds.
• Brown lenses: These are ideal for viewing orange targets and can enhance the field of view.

Do I Need Prescription Shooting Glasses?

Yes, you require prescription shooting glasses if you wear contacts or reading eyewear.

Go for an eye exam before buying prescription safety glasses. Depending on your current visual health, you want to ensure you’re getting the right pair.

What to Look for When Buying Shooting Glasses?

Here’s what you should evaluate when looking for shooting eyewear.

• Lens color
• Lens
• Frames
• Lens UV protection
• Lens Impact Resistance
• Frame coverage

You want a pair of glasses that offers top quality for all six factors.

The Bottom Line

Do you need shooting eyewear? 

Yes, you do. 

Eye protection is vital for any serious shooter or hunter and should be part of your firearm safety.

Remember to pick high-quality and comfortable shooting protection. You should protect your eyes as much as you safeguard your hearing.

Happy shooting.