Why Shooting Glasses are So Important

Posted on by

Whether you are on the shooting range or out hunting in the wild, it is very important to take into account proper safety practices when around firearms. One of the most overlooked is wearing proper eye protection that shooting glasses can provide. Here are three good reasons to wear proper shooting glasses when using your firearm.

Reduce Accidents

Every year there are thousands of accidents that occur with firearms from unexpected sources such as an errant ricochet which may come back at you to burning powder that may block back into your eyes. Shooting glasses can prevent many of these smaller accidents from occurring and provide some protection if buckshot or even a bullet should somehow come back at you. In addition, shooting glasses can provide protection against muzzle flash as well. So remember, your eyes needs as much protection as your ears when shooting firearms.

Protection from the Elements & Environment

When you are walking in the outdoors, there are many things that can get into your eyes from dust, pollen and larger objects like twigs, branches and leaves. So, wearing glasses can be a good idea when protecting yourself from the elements. In addition, when you are cleaning your weapon the glasses can help keep the solvent or the loose springs from contacting your eyes as well.

See Better

You may have noticed that many people wear shooting glasses that have a yellow tint. What this does is turn the white portion of the target yellow while leaving the black alone. This provides a stronger contrast in many lighting situations which means that you may improve your accuracy when wearing these glasses.

How to Select the Right Pair of Shooting Glasses

There are several elements to consider when purchasing a pair of shooting glasses. First, you will need to have lenses made from polycarbonate which is a very strong substance that will not shatter like standard glass which would otherwise put shards in your eye. You’ll want glasses that are rated by the ANSI Z87.1 standard to get the protection you need.
In addition, you’ll want to get the wrap-around glasses and not the standard aviator issue as they leave openings for materials to pass. The wrap-around glasses do not present such openings while still allowing in enough air to prevent the lenses from fogging up. You’ll also want to choose lightweight, yet durable frames made from titanium or simple plastic as they are very comfortable and will hold up under stress.

You can also choose the lens color itself which includes the following;

  • Amber
  • Gray
  • Purple
  • Yellow

There are also variations such as gray-green which greatly reduces glare while yellow and orange provide a better contrast and line of vision to the target. Amber is very well suited on cloudy days while purple or blue lenses work well to distinguish a target that is set against the trees.
Proper shooting glasses should be a part of your normal safety equipment for the times you are shooting firearms. In fact, those who are near people shooting firearms should wear safety glasses as well. Plus, a good pair of shooting glasses do not have to be expensive, so you can purchase two or three to have in reserve.