While guns are considered dangerous, you can use different types of firearms for target practice and hunting, as well as marksmanship competitions. If you’re an experienced shooter, you’ll be aware of the importance of shooting glasses, which help protect your eyes from any impact during a shooting activity.
Let’s have a look at the importance of shooting glasses, as well as their usefulness.
Why Do You Need Eye Protection When Shooting?
Your eyes are delicate, and if you use prescription lenses, eye protection is all the more important for you. As mentioned above, eye protection keeps your eyes safe from all kinds of hazards involved while you’re handling and discharging a firearm. Moreover, if your eyesight is weak, you can get eye protection with durable prescription lenses.
In a nutshell, shooting a firearm without eye protection can be quite dangerous for you.
Why Do You Need Shooting Glasses When Shooting?
You can’t neglect the importance of shooting glasses when you’re performing a shooting activity, whether at the shooting range or in the field for hunting. Not only do they protect your eyes from any impact, but they also protect you from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Since you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors, your eyes should stay comfortable.
The use of shooting glasses also enables you to see your targets more clearly and since they also come with tinted lenses, you can get a better vision.
What Happens If You Shoot Without Shooting Glasses?
Whether you have a pistol or a rifle, there’s always a recoil involved. Recoil refers to the involuntary jerk that you experience when you pull the trigger. In some firearms, there is only a tiny jerk, whereas in others, the recoil can be significant and even cause the butt of your gun to collide against your face, injuring you in the process.
Most firearms release an empty shell casing when the trigger is pulled which can hit your face or eyes. By wearing shooting glasses, you shield the front and sides of your eyes completely. Even with recoil or flying shell casings, you’ll be protected from critical face or eye injuries.
Many people complain about getting hit in the face with an ejected shell casing when they pull the trigger. If you don’t wear shooting glasses, you expose yourself to recoil impact on or near your eyes, which can cause severe bruising and even a concussion that can render you unconscious.
Last but not least, if you’re out hunting the entire day, your eyes will get affected by the sunlight, which will also impair your ability to see properly and focus on the target. As you can see, choosing to not wear shooting glasses can result in unnecessary injuries. Therefore, it’s worth investing in a pair of premium quality shooting glasses which won’t be a wasted expenditure. Instead, it’ll prove to be beneficial and cost-effective in the long run.
How Shooting Glasses Keep You Safe at the Range
The shooting range is designed to help people practice their shooting skills and abilities on paper or cardboard targets. Ranges supply firearms with non-lethal or live ammunition. Non-lethal ammunition is a good option for beginners and people using a firearm for the very first time. They also provide you with training sessions to teach you all about using and shooting a gun.
You’re required to always wear shooting glasses at shooting ranges. Even if you’re shooting with rubber bullets, the gun will have recoil; helping you experience the natural feel of handling and discharging a firearm. By wearing shooting glasses, you protect your eyes from getting hurt due to the recoil, as well as from flying shell casings.
While the potential danger to you varies by bullet type, velocity, and the safety rating of your shooting glasses, shooting glasses may protect you to a certain extent if you are accidentally shot at by another person. However, it’s essential to understand the difference between shooting glasses and safety glasses designed for industrial or personal use. While they are helpful safety instruments, they might not protect against ballistic impact.
Competition Shooting Glasses
Competition shooting glasses are particular types of shooting glasses designed to protect your eyes if you participate in marksmanship and shooting competitions. You might’ve seen professional shooters wearing them in the Olympics, and they feature colored or tinted lenses, which increase your contrast and help you see better when aiming at a target.
You can find competition shooting glasses at stores that sell hunting or sporting gear, as well as online stores. Competitions require the use of such glasses for the safety of participants.
This concludes our article on the importance of shooting glasses and how they can protect your eyes in different shooting applications and scenarios. Make sure to always choose protective eyewear that fits properly on your face and covers the eyes, as well as the sides. If you have prescription lenses, you can get special shooting glasses for yourself.
