A sobering thought..............or two

[philpot 4,927]

Just before we came on holiday I had a retinal scan as part of my diabetics monitoring. I know since my scan last year, there has been a loss of clarity in my right eye and in fact it was confirmed that I have a cataract in my right eye. It is rather like having Vaseline smeared across the eye.

This is a bit boring but when I am right handed with a right master eye.....................shite.  

 

I brought my new HW110K on holiday with me to lead the barrel. Now I set zero at 25mt before coming down to Suffolk and didn't intend working out holdover as this gun is for closer range ratting and feral pigeon shooting. However as I have been using the Nitesite both in daylight and darkness which is a major help shooting as I am not releying then on my right eye through the scope.

Just as a test, a couple of days ago, I decided to take holdover readings out to 50mt but then the problem starts. My test target is always an 8mm black spot on a white card because I find a simple clear target is much better than all the targets I have bought over the years HOWEVER the nitesite can't pick up my black spot at 50mt. The only thing I can do is take the nitesite camera off and Look through the scope.

You guessed it, I cannot clearly see the black spot unless I take the mag up to x12 which I would not use in the field. Hmmm this bloody right eye is getting to be quite an issue which is going to get worse. I produced a rough group which gave me a reasonable holdover and although I am  not really happy about this  it until I get the cataract sorted, it is as good as it is going to get.

I thought a few more test shots with the gun firmly held in position was in order at both 35 and 50mt. This was fine with right groups so establishing a more accurate holdover settings. Late last night I went out on the veranda with the 110K and a few rabbits were to be seen but further out than I expected. I was pretty confident that 3mildots holdover would do the job. Hey presto, first one down and the second one closely followed the first. 64mt for the first and 66mt for the second so well pleased with the 110K and the JSB Exact RS pellets.

I used some empty 12  gauge cartridges laid on there side a few minutes ago to carry out some more tests and I am pleased to say with the nitesite, I was able to see the target well enough as they stood out like a rabbits eye.  I do all my ,so at 25mt including the Impact fac and it works for me but I guess I am going to have to wait until the eye specialist devices to sort the cataract before my eye is good enough to use only the scope.

 

We have been doing a lot of clay shooting this week and for the most part, my eye doesn't seem to create a problem although a few times when I missed a clay, I was aware that my left eye seemed to be dominant as I was looking down the left side of the barrels. I think I have been a very experienced clay shot for over 40+ years which gives me enough ability to still perform well but for now long.

I was thinking only today,  how much worse does my eye have to be before they decide to operate. Will I have to stop shooting for some time as the condition becomes worse. Not a great thought BUT there are a great many people out there with serious illnesses so I have no reason to be hacked off in fact our friend's 15 year old grandson is in recovery now after a 10 hour operation  to have a heart and lung transplant which puts my little issue into perspective.

 

Phil

[philpot 4,927]

Sorry predictive text on my tablet has caused a few errors and edit function is not available for some reason so I can't correct them.

[villaman 9,979]

Hope you get it sorted soon Phil 

When people say to me ,there is always somebody worse than you ,my reply is  , yes very true but there is always someone better off than me .

Doesn't matter how  small or how big the problem is but its a big problem to that person ether way 

[j j m 6,481]

good luck bud

[Phill-W68 547]

Good luck Phill, hope you get it sorted, but at least you can still shoot...  

[flynndog 543]

I'm right handed and have always shot right handed but when I was younger got bad hayfever as rubber my eyes a lot started getting a bit blurry vision in right eye few years ago now it's f****d  got diagnosed with keratoconus now waiting for a corneal transplant . The rubbing of eyes had weakened the keratin and caused cornea to bulge like a cone ....... Started shooting left handed and never looked back i can still shoot right but gotta squint like a chink ha

[tench 14]

hope you get it sorted chap

seems like money is short in the nhs 

[Underdog 2,337]

It's lousy getting old.

My right is terrible, a stigmatism or something.

If I look through my right eye alone it is dark.

It has really affected my shooting and one reason I gave up my centerfires.

Close range shooting is my thing now.

Ten years from now if I can still shoot I can see it being shotgun only!

Probably a 10g single for Charlie.

My airguns I have notice recently my mounting is paramount in aiding a good shot despite failing site. I know that means little to most but it kind of shows how the whole being is the shooting system not just the rifle.

[secretagentmole 1,701]

I am lucky, 40 years of insulin injections and still only background diabetic retinopathy...

[tench 14]

well chaps at least you keep cracking on. credit to you both

[The one 8,397]

Hope you get it fixed before too long mate