Safety glasses are now mandatory on any clay shooting ground you care to mention. Shooting without them risks you being asked to leave as they are an integral part of the risk assessment. But can we as game shooters learn anything from the professionals in the clay shooting scene, or is the recent trend towards glasses that cost the price of a good days shooting merely competitive spending? I spoke to Ed Lyons, widely regarded as the specialist vision consultant for shooting sports for some insight into what represents sensible options for game shooters.

Safety glasses are now almost universally worn in grouse shooting but one of the many choices we face as shooters is what colour is best to pick out heather coloured birds against a heather-covered hill? I have always wondered if there were easily recommended colours for different game shooting situations (blue sky/overcast) or if it is purely personal preference. Ed was able to offer some insight into the kaleidoscope of colours available. "When working with a client I aim to boost Visual Acuity (the level of high contrast detail one can perceive and also contrast sensitivity) vital for picking out heather coloured birds from heather-covered hills! Generally speaking, a low light pair such as a 90% transmission Rose or Yellow (or even totally clear) is a must, a full sun product can be very handy, and then a good all-rounder such as a circa 50% Bronze, Rose, Orange or Purple would be a very well balanced set.”

These days you will rarely see a top clay shot without a pair of Pilla coloured glasses but at £600 a pair they are expensive. Some models can look a little like a fighter pilots visor and this puts many game shooters (although not all) off. But is that sort of outlay really necessary? The all-round protection offered by such a big lens is clear. Ed explained that the cheaper options may be not be the best route. Because of the gaudy design Ed together with Ed Solomons, well known clay and game coach and former World Champion, put their heads together to try to address the issue.

He explained: “we at Edwards Eyewear chose to team up with Zeiss because of their pedigree within the sports eyewear industry. Historically, safety lenses for shooting have been made from polycarbonate which is impact resistant, lightweight and inexpensive. The downside is that optically polycarbonate is not particularly impressive as the material can create distortions reducing the clarity of the lens. Vision and shooting are intrinsically linked, after all, you can't hit what you can't see so scrimping on lens quality is a false economy.

This it seems is a little like the choice facing the deer stalker spending more on the scope than the rifle to ensure that extra time at twilight when things start to move and quality glass proves its worth.

Charlie Stewart-Wood, AA class clay shot, game shot and former director of Atkin Grant & Lang Shooting Ground said. “With Pilla your get the reassurance they are the best and will fully protect your eyes. They also give you flexibility in the UK’s changing weather conditions. The ability to control the glare of a low winter sun is certainly as asset when game shooting. For some clay shots the reassurance of being able to change lenses gives them more confidence in their shooting. It’s a little like multichokes – some like to change, others just get on with what they have.”

Those who have to wear spectacles to shoot will be familiar with the fact that rain is an issue and we may well be shooting in inclement weather. There is little more irritating than the dreaded wipe and smear interfering with your vision. Thankfully modern optics can help as Ed outlined: "When creating our range, we chose to use Zeiss's premium material - a derivative of nylon - which has all the impact resistance but far superior optical properties. We also use Zeiss's best lens coatings to offer antiglare properties in addition to oil and water repellent features to help reduce pooling on the lenses from rainwater.”

Ed went onto explain that as we get older, our eyes tend to become less efficient at focussing at different distances; the lenses within our eyes begin to stiffen and the muscles that control them also lose some of their capability. We are also more prone to developing age-related issues such as Cataract, Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration. Whilst the more costly shooting glasses will not offer any solutions in themselves over their less expensive counterparts, good quality optics will always perform better so will assist one's ageing eyes to see to their full potential.

Prescription lenses for those who require them, are available across a range of brands. Vision is one variable that we can control and optimise. If you need prescription glasses for driving or television, it does make sense to invest in a good quality pair of prescription shooting glasses and there are many options across brands such as Pilla, Oakley, Ranger and Edwards Eyewear.

Many of us (myself included) have just worn an ordinary pair of dark glasses as the need arises but Ed believes this could be a costly error if the worst comes to the worst.

"You must always ensure that the lenses are impact resistant - regular plastic "optical lenses" simply will not do as they can shatter when struck with enough force from a piece of broken clay, a stray pellet, or a steel ricochet. Here I am speaking from experience having had to prise a piece of shot from a client's eye after he rather ill-advisedly went on a grouse moor wearing some £7.99 sunglasses from the local petrol station! Being a light-sensitive individual, I tend to wear my darker lenses most of the time and love a polarised lens for very bright days; the myth about polarised lenses being detrimental to depth perception is just that - a myth. Everyone's visual system and colour preferences are different so whilst the above is a useful guide, much like having a stock fitted, there is no substitute for seeking one-to-one advice.”

If you want to get the best out of your eyes, a trip to your local opticians may not be enough and many times Ed has had contact from shooters whose glasses are perfect in the "straight ahead" position, but as soon as the gun is mounted the vision goes haywire inducing eye dominance problems - he explained this is even more problematic for those who use varifocals as the periphery of the lens is less sharp. "Whilst we are now open again for in-practice assessments, the COVID situation necessitated some flexible thinking so my online consultations were set up to help clients that could not travel. When selecting eyewear for shooting, one must take into account both aesthetic and practical factors such as face shape, gun mount and the position of the optical centres.”

Game shooting is as social occasion but a heavy night before the day is not the best recipe for straight shooting. Not only will your reactions be impaired but you vision may also be compromised. "Eye dominance is an issue that is often misunderstood and hydration can certainly play a part. Like any muscle system in the body, our eyes can be affected by stress, dehydration, fatigue, medication, hormone levels and even blood sugar, the latter being very important for those of us who may be diabetic. We're best to think of our eyes like a pair of video cameras, each of which has to be pointed accurately at the target. To achieve this, we have six pairs of muscles for lateral, vertical and even torsional movement. All it takes is for a momentary lapse of ‘eye teamwork’ for an issue to surface and frustration to set in.”

Our eyes are key to what we do with a shotgun - it's worth giving them every chance to work properly and protecting them with the best we can afford.