Can recoil damage the eye?

[Kurt]

Back a couple years ago I was shooting at the Baker match during some high temperature and I woke up in the mornings early morning dawn and I could not see the light coming through the roof vent with my right eye. It was completely blacked out till I glanced by it and as the light brightens the black spot turned red. This made me to make the trip to Miles City Mt to look up an Optometrist to see what's going on.
I was told that I had some retina damage and was advised not to shoot anymore till this heals so I pulled out.

Well this happen again last week on Monday at the Q. I shot the .45-2.6 getting sight settings using the tang sight and I only fired 52 shells and later in the afternoon changed to the .38-50 Hepburn with the tang sights for finding the zero's for it. And I must say the little .38-50 held the 805 Buff in the switching breezes just as well as the big .45-2.6 and maybe even better with 14 hits without a miss.
Well Tuesday morning there was that black donut again looking at the window shade with the right eye. There was just a small hole of light in the center and it turned red as the light brightened and disappeared by the early sun rise so I ignored it and desired to shoot the .38 again.
\Well getting back on line when the range was open I could not see the Buffalo through the tang sight, just a dim glimpse of the white spot on it so I moved to the stop sign and the same went for that so I went back to camp and mounted the scope on the Hepburn and went back to the buffalo to get the sight settings. After a couple shots fired I was on it and Carolyn said that was a miss but I said I saw the strobe light flash and she said no it was a miss. I think this is when the left eye might got it's damage because the next morning both eyes had a donut bad enough that at 5 feet from the window shade there was about a 24" black spot I could not see the light through but it also disappeared during the day light but I could not see the smaller targets looking when the sun was in front.
I quit shooting but I wanted to stay and spot for my friend I been shooting with for the past 20 some years but I could not see well enough looking through the spotting scope to see hits. The left eye was better than the right.
This is tough watching shooters on line and not being able to join in so I desired to pull out and see my optometrist at home.
Well on Monday I had him look and he said I'm getting you an appointment with a retina specialist and have him look at this.
He didn't like the redness I'm seeing. Stop shooting till he looks at your eyes.

Right now I lost my center night vision in both eyes with the dim night lights on at a distance.

So you guys be careful as you age shooting these shoulder bumpers.

Kurt

[Don McDowell]

It would be interesting to know what your blood O2 level was. Sometimes the change in elevation can raise havoc, and some bp meds don’t react well to heat and sunlight.

[Kurt]

Don,

I just had a lab test before leaving and the O2 was 27 and this is normal and I only take one pill to keep the water running

I will see the Retina specialist on July 5th to see what's going on. And if he tells me to quit shooting I will ask him if he is an anti gunner

[Don McDowell]

If your O2 was that low there it’s was probably quite a bit lower out here that and dehydration can really reek havoc on a persons eyes

[beltfed]

Kurt,
I really feel for you.
I, too am in a situration regarding my eyesight.
Back in December, my eye doctor told me that I have early Age Related cataract formation
and age related macular degeneration. Besides, I am on a watch list for glaucoma.
Last couple years, I have a real struggle seeing small caliber bullet holes at the 200 yds Schuetzen matches.
This is using my Kowa 82M spotting scope with the 27x long eye relieve eyepiece.
Back when I was shooting Hi Power Service rifle matches, with this scope, I would usually see 22 cal holes at 200yds
Ageing Sucks.
Going forward, I am going to stay with the 38-50 or the 40-65, both of which I am shooting with 360 grain and 380 grain bullets.
Pussycats to shoot. I will have a couple of Brg BPCR 45-70s for sale now.
I will also limit my shooting my M86 45-70, except with light , 300 gr bullets for hunting.
Arnie

[Kurt]

Arnie,

I'm scheduled for cataract surgery the last week of October and again in November for the other eye and I also have early stages of macular degeneration but it's early and the doc gave me some Ared-2 pills that slows it. My Mother had Glaucoma but no signs for me.
This Doctor I will see in July also does laser work for floaters and I will talk to him about this. You know the problem I had with this issue.
But one step at a time for now.

Arnie I shot the .38-50 at 805 yards quite a bit at the Quigley and it did not take the back seat to the .45-100 Axtel at 800. I had the .40-65 along but I did not get to using it. If I can I will use the .38-50 Hepburn at Lodi this fall. I have not finished forming brass for the .38-50 CPA yet but from the few shots IO took using it at 200 yards with brass that fits it has kept the few 10 shot groups under a MOA.
I'm sure glad that you turned me onto this caliber.
I had some apprehensions using 62 grains of 1.5 Swiss that pushed the 358 gr PP bullet over 1400 fps because of the wind effect that far over sonic but it held very well in the mild switching winds at the Q. In fact it shot better than the .45-2.6 did at 800 yds.

[Kurt]

Don, 27 is in the middle of normal. Doc. Keith Lay put me on the water bottle stuff at the Q sure miss him and smokey not showing up there.

[Don McDowell]

The elevation change from your place to Baker or the Q is pretty significant , so the O2 levels could be part of the problem and something you should discuss with the medical folk.

[Kurt]

The elevation at the spot that I had the camper setup was 2677' I checked the elevation and here at home where I'm sitting it's 903'.

I don't know if 1774' feet higher would have that much effect. I cant tell by my breathing. Now it's a different story when we get up in the Bighorns there I notice it

I think it's the 83 years. Maybe it's time for a lead sled. LOL.

[beltfed]

Last weekend, I shot the 38-50 with a "shooter's friend" Gel type slip on recoil bad.
It made the rifle even more comfy to shoot.
Arnie