I had the same problem. it turned out to be cataracts. had the surgery (recommend knife) and now I see things that I never saw months ago

 

As you found out, optics will vary with your eyes. You may have to trial and error in your
budget range, to see which works best for you.

You may go with a low MOA dot and use the halo blob.

If your blob is large, a busy reticle won't help.

 

As said above, try the smallest MOA red dot you can find. The smaller the dot, the smaller 'scatter' from the dot there will be.

Keep brightness as low as possible.

I'm not sure, but has anyone tried a green dot to see if it reacts any better with astigmatism? There is a TruGlo cheapy that has this ability.

You might also look for dot scopes or prism scopes that have etched reticles. The reticles should be more accurate to aim for targets further out. At close ranges the red dot would be faster and accurate enough with a 'blobby' dot. Etched reticle scopes tend to be more expensive though.

 

Astigmatism is unique to individuals. Large MOA might display best. Small MOA might display best. You will need to look through any options to find out what works for you. Internet opinions based on other people's eyes aren't going to help.

 

I suffer with astigmatism. My best result is from a Trijicon SRO in 1 MOA dot. I use a Surefire Turbo light and during low light or no light it back fills to where the eye isn’t affected. In low light without the Surefire on it’s still a slight starburst but is considerably smaller than my RMR type 2..

There is no starburst in normal lighting.

 

Thanks everyone. I am going to try to find a store that has a few different options. Since the small red dot on the Romeo 5 works much better than the green chevron I will start with similar options for handgun red dots.

 

look at the holosun EPS. They come in both green & red, for me the green is easier to see (67yrs) than red. But i've also had my lens replaced due to cataracts. Now rocking an artificial one which gives a fixed distance, so glasses are still needed to see close up.

 

If you’ve had a chance to check yet, do the regular cataract lenses for distance allow a clear sight picture with iron sights now?

I have my pre op on 1 Nov and have to tell them if I want single or multi issue lenses (latter at a significant out of pocket expense).

I‘ve completely adapted to my astigmatism (though it wouldn’t break my heart for it to be gone) and just use my burst of dots as bigger MOA…works great for defense type shooting. But I am curious if IOL lenses give a clear sight picture (like I haven’t seen in 10-15 years 😂).

 

Green tends not to flare like red for those of us with astigmatism. Check out a green dot.

 

Astigmatism solely is what's kept me from purchasing a red or green dot for my G40 if you find something tolerable that isn't the best money can buy let us know. Can't imagine anything other than the smallest moa the first to try.

 

@Dave Lively Are you sure the problem is entirely astigmatism? Could it be cataracts? I too have some pretty severe astigmatism. I know that at night I see halos from oncoming headlights. Fortunately I don't have any issues with my red dot. I don't know what an "inverted reticle" is but perhaps that too isn't the RD for you. I have recently got my first RD, a 507K x2 with the MRS options. For closer distances I have learned to use the reticle only, encircling the target. it seems I can estimate center within the reticle. For longer distances I like the 2 MOA dot only. I do not like them together. Also for me it is important not to make the dot or reticle too bright as it creates flaring.

The other thing that I find can be helpful in some situations, other than a red dot is a laser. It isn't perfect, but it can be fast and accurate without the need to have your firearm at eye level when you fire.

 

@Dave Lively Are you sure the problem is entirely astigmatism? Could it be cataracts?

I don't think so. I get an eye exam every year since my insurance pays for it. It's done by an optometrist, not an ophthalmologist but they check for glacoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and take a picture of the retina for reference later. Also, this is nothing new. I first realized I had developed astigmatism about 10 years ago when I first started looking at red dots for an AR.

But I will know for sure in a month or two when I go in for the next exam. Going to get a pair of prescription safety glasses too.

 

You may want to get a complete eye exam. Cataracts are a distinct possibility as mentioned above.
“Heard of astigmatism? Your eyes might be your own worst enemy when owning a red dot with this condition.”
Astigmatism & Red Dot Sights: Recognizing & Overcoming The Problem PLUS The Best Red Dots for Astigmatism

Astigmatism And Red Dot Sights: The Best Sights To Overcome It

Red Dots Sights & Astigmatism: 4 Steps To Confirm The Problem, 5 Steps To Overcome It & The Best AR & Pistol Red Dot Sights For Astigmatism.

www.targettamers.com

 

You want a bigger dot not a smaller dot.

smaller requires more brightness, causing the dot to flare up

while everyone’s eyes are different, for me it’s best to go with 6-8 MOA or bigger. It’s still smaller then your front sight post and it doesn’t effect my accuracy when I use a 6’ o’clock hold.

I also notice that green dots upsets my astigmatism more as well. Which makes sense considering the eye can tolerate more red light during scotopic vision but gets destroyed with green at the same lumens

Drive by a gas station that uses both red and green LED for prices on their signs. As you drive closer you will see the red pricing will be more clear sooner then the green pricing

 

i'm enjoying my green dot EPS Carry.

 

Trijicon RMR dual illuminated with triangle reticle (also no battery)

 

My friend with astigmatism says the larger dots work best. He recently bought the Holosun EPS Carry 6MOA dot and loves it, says it's crystal clear.

 

3.25 moa

 

For my astigmatic eyes some red and some green dots look good but most look like a sideways figure-8 or smear. Color doesn't matter to my eyes.

The best reticle I have seen and see clearly is my Swampfox Kingslayer green circle-dot reticle. The big outer ring draws the eye to the center 3 MOA dot and I think the ring keeps flare down.

 

You'll have to look through a bunch of red dots to determine which is best for you. Astigmatism is very individualized.

Some are worse that others for me but there is a work around. My astigmatism is relatively mild and streaks up and to the right a little and the shape doesn't change. When shooting, I use the lower left part of the dot and I hit just fine. It's just annoying that the dot's not nice and round....

 

Dave,
There is no single answer for red dots with astigmatisms. I recommend going to big gun stores and looking through every sight until you find what works best for you.

In my experience: green dots appear brighter on lower power settings and therefore have less star-burst. Also, the ring reticles are thinner than big dot reticles, producing less distortion. Holosun uses a different laser which works better for my eyes.

On rifles I’m running prism sights, I’ve been impressed with the Primary Arms Microprism.

Have you tried looking through a peep/ghost ring sight into a red dot? The eye focuses much better through a peep sight and the red dot becomes sharp.

Good luck on your search.

 

Have you tried looking through a peep/ghost ring sight into a red dot? The eye focuses much better through a peep sight and the red dot becomes sharp.

I have tried that with my AR and it does help a lot. Kind of like stopping down a mediocre lens on a camera. Not really an option on a handgun though.

 

I went to a store today and tried a few different sights. As many of you said, astigmatism is different for everyone. What worked best for me was a red 2 MOA dot, pretty much the exact opposite of what the internet recommended. I got a Holosun 507C which also has a 32 MOA ring that looks decent with and without glasses.

I do wish Holosun or some other company offered a sight with the 250 MOA ring that was on the 507 ACSS I tried. The big ring doesn't show up when the aiming point is centered but makes it much easier for someone new to red dots to find the dot while focusing on the target.

 

I have about as bad of an astigmatism as you can imagine. I know this because my mother worked for eye doctors for many years. While they have many flaws, the fiber optic pistol optics have the most crisp and defined borders.

 

I don't think so. I get an eye exam every year since my insurance pays for it. It's done by an optometrist, not an ophthalmologist but they check for glacoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and take a picture of the retina for reference later. Also, this is nothing new. I first realized I had developed astigmatism about 10 years ago when I first started looking at red dots for an AR.

But I will know for sure in a month or two when I go in for the next exam. Going to get a pair of prescription safety glasses too.

I feel ya. Due to an illness and medication my astigmatism changed by 25% in less than 2 years and I just got an exam and new glasses. BTW- I am a fan of Costco optometrists in my area. So cheap. They now have a retina scan device that no longer requires dilation. $139 if not fitted for contacts which is a bit extra.

Astigmatism is a curious thing. With iron sights I find that I have to push the rear off to the right more that I'd ever thought after months of people tell me it was my technique that caused me to shoot left. Red dot? There are different flavors of different manufacturers. I think I said earlier that I have solved the halo problem by keeping the brightness down. Green is supposed to work better for astigmatism, but also individuals have different sensitivities to different colors. While green is supposed to be better it might not be. There are a lot or RD's out there and I'm sure you'll find one that works best for you.