7 Best Eye Protection for Shooting [2024 Guide] Home / Pistol 101 / Eye Protection

7 Best Eye Protection for Shooting [2024 Guide]

Image of Bryan Hill, Founder of Pistol Wizard Bryan Hill / March 21 2024

If you fire a gun at the wrong thing, the bullet will explode or deflect on impact. The resulting shrapnel or ricochet can cause permanent blindness. How do we stop that? Eye protection (eyepro).

Why Wear Eye Protection when Shooting?

When you fire a gun, the bullet can create debris or shrapnel if it hits glass, metal, concrete, bricks, or dirt. Typical glasses don't stand a chance:

Debris in your eyes can sting and blind you for awhile. But if you get shrapnel in your eyes, you'll need surgery, like this poor guy:
A man being treated for a penetrating eye injury from a shard of metal. This can occur if you don't wear proper eye protection while shooting.
Your sight may be damaged or lost for the rest of your life.

What Makes Good Eye Protection?

So it's smart to wear eyepro when shooting. But not all eyepro is up to task. How do we tell?

Strong Eyeshields

Separate eyeshields on a set of eye protection.

Eyeshields are the lenses that protect your eyes. They're not created equal.
Common safety glasses (using the ANSI Z87 standard) won't help much:

Want eyepro you can trust? Look for these ballistic standards:

MIL-PRF-31013
MIL-PRF-32432

Those standards all protect against shrapnel, and are roughly the same. When in doubt, check the US Army's Authorized Protective Eyewear List (APEL®) . It lists all eyepro that meets the above standards and the needs of US Army Infantry. You can't go wrong with them.

Clarity

Cheaper eye shields distort your vision. This isn't an issue within 15 yards. For more precise shots, this can cause you to miss.

Comfort

The stems on this pair have a soft coating.

Soft stems. Hard stems hurt your ears and head after an hour of wear. Soft stems have a soft coating. It's hard to tell just by looking at a picture, so check reviews.

Earmuff Fit

Thin stems. Earmuffs must seal onto your head to protect your ears from gunshot noise. Thick stems break that seal. Avoid stems that are thicker at the end:
The stems on the top pair are thicker than those of the bottom pair, especially at the ends of the stems.

The stems on the top pair are thicker than those of the bottom pair, especially at the ends of the stems.

There's a balance between comfort and earmuff fit. Only the best eyepro does both.

Head/face Fit

If you wear a large hat, your eyepro is probably also size large.

Secure

Stays on your face when you jump, run, sweat, etc. Look for eyepro with an adjustable headband.

It'll have holes or divots at the ends of each stem:
Headstrap Holes

It may not look as cool, but you know what's even more uncool? Shrapnel in your eye.

Anti-fog

Anti-fog protection. Eye protection can fog up when you sweat. Anti-fog is a special coating to prevent that. Not all anti-fog coating is the same. The cheaper kind wears out after a few hours. What do you do?

FogAway anti-fog spray for glasses
Buy anti-fog solution and apply it to your eyepro as needed.

Maintenance

Eye shields don't last forever. Sunlight, heat, and humidity take their toll. You may have to replace eyeshields every 1-3 years of regular outdoor use. It depends on your climate, how much you sweat, and how quick you are to clean them. The good news is, eyepro lets you switch eyeshields out. Replacement eye shields cost $20-40. Replacing them should take no more than a few minutes. How do you find out how quick and easy that is? Check reviews.

Best Lens Color for Shooting

The best eyeshield color is sport-specific. For indoor shooting, max visual light transmission (VLT) is a good starting point. Indoor lighting can't match the brightness of the sun on a clear day, so you need all the light you can get.

For exact light transmission values and exact color enhancements, search in Google:
manufacturer + lens color guide

So "Oakley lens color guide", "ESS lens color guide", etc. There are small variations between companies. That said, here's a general guide:

Color	VLT	Uses
Clear	89-92%	Best VLT; common for indoor and low-light shooting.
Yellow	80-90%	Mutes blue backgrounds and helps orange targets or sights pop. Best for shooting clays in dimmer sunlight (fog, haze, etc.). Best VLT of any colored lens, also used for indoor shooting.
Orange	70-80%	Mutes blue backgrounds and helps orange targets or sights pop. Best for shooting clays in all but the brightest sunlight.
Red / Vermillion	50-60%	Mutes green and blue backgrounds and helps red and orange targets or sights pop. Best for shooting clays in brightest sunlight. Consider polarized lenses to block glare from bright light.
Purple	30-65%	Mutes green backgrounds.
Blue	45-55%	Mutes yellow backgrounds and helps green targets or sights pop.
Grey / Brown	12-40%	Good in bright sunlight. Consider polarized lenses to block glare from bright light.

Eye Protection for Shooting with Glasses

If you wear prescription (Rx) glasses, you have three options:

Rx Eyeshields
Over-spec Glasses
Rx Inserts

Prescription Eyeshields for Shooting

Rx eyepro with Rx lenses. They're the best, but cost the most.

Prescription eyeshields both correct your vision and protect it.

Most streamlined.
Most fashionable.
Most expensive.
Rx eyeshields wear down every 1-2 years of daily use. Replacements cost $180-650.

Over-spec Glasses for Shooting

Over-spec eye protection fits over prescrition glasses.

These are made to fit over prescription glasses you already own.

Use your prescription glasses, instead of buying lenses just for shooting.
Cheapest.
Most aren't ballistic rated. Make sure the protection standard is MIL-PRF-31013, MIL-PRF-32432, or GL-PD 10-12 MCEP.
Not one-size-fits-all. Check the max width of glasses it fits over.
Least fashionable.
Worst earmuff fit. Always use earplugs and earmuffs with these.

Prescription Inserts for Eye Protection

These feature a Universal Prescription Lens Carrier (UPLC). The UPLC holds separate Rx lenses to fit between your eyes and your eye protection. You'll need Rx-compatible eyepro, a Rx insert system, and some specially-fitted Rx lenses.

Eyeshields wear down every 1-3 years, but your Rx lenses don't.
Cheap maintenance ($20-40 for eyeshields).
UPLC is a major standard; no worry about finding lenses that fit.
Maintains earmuff fit.
Must work with your optician to make UPLC-compatible Rx lenses.
Clunkier than Rx Eyeshields.

7 Best Eye Protection for Shooting

Eyepro Selector

Best Shooting Eye Protection

Eyepro Selector

The best shooting eye protection for you depends on your needs. Take out the guesswork with our Eyepro Selector:

Your Recommended Eyepro

Updated hourly

	Champion Over-spec $ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price
Safety Cert	MIL-PRF-31013
Anti-fog	None
Clarity
Anti-glare	None
Comfortable
Earmuff Fit	None
Headband	None
	Fits over prescription glasses up to 1.80" high, 5.00" wide, and 5.50" long.

Your Recommended Eyepro

Updated hourly

When you have your inserts made, let your optometrist look at your eyepro. The curvature of the ESS Crossbow can get in the way of standard Rx lens inserts, but optometrists can work around it if they can analyze your eyepro first.

	ESS Crossbow $ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price	ESS Crossbow Polar One Check price
Rx Insert	Check price	Check price
Safety Cert	MIL-PRF-31013	MIL-PRF-31013
Anti-fog
Clarity
Anti-glare	None
Comfortable
Earmuff Fit	None
Headband
Lens Cost	$ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price	Check price

Your Recommended Eyepro

Updated hourly

	ESS Crossbow Polar One Check price
Safety Cert	MIL-PRF-31013
Anti-fog
Clarity
Anti-glare
Comfortable
Earmuff Fit
Headband
Lens Cost	Check price

Best Shooting eye Protection

If you'd rather browse, here's our roundup of the best shooting eye protection.

Best Standard Eye Protection for Shooting

Best Prescription Eye Protection for Shooting

Best Standard Eye Protection for Shooting

Best Eye Protection for $20 or less

Best Eye Protection for Use with Ear Muffs

Best Fashionable Eye Protection

Most Comfortable Eye Protection

Best Polarized Eye Protection

Best Shooting Eye Protection for $20 or less: Pyramex Itek

On a tight budget, or need some loaner eyepro? Get the Pyramex Itek. It gets the job done at a dirt cheap price. How? It skips all the "nice to have" features.

Updated hourly

	Pyramex Itek $ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price
Safety Cert	MIL-PRF 32432
Anti-fog	None
Clarity	None
Anti-glare	None
Comfort	None
Earmuff Fit
Headband
	Buy anti-fog solution and apply it to your eyepro as needed.

Best Shooting Eye Protection for Use with Ear Muffs

Value Pick: ESS Crossbow Suppressor

The ESS Crossbow Suppressor has super-thin ear stems, to give you the best fit possible with ear muffs. The better the muff fit, the more effective your ear protection.

And since it's in the ESS "Cross" series, it has a ton of aftermarket support. Need new lenses, a new frame, nose piece, etc.? No problem.

Maxing out your ear protection comes at a cost. Some find that the ESS Crossbow Suppressor fails to stay on when earmuffs are off. The workaround is to switch to a regular ESS Crossbow frame when not using earmuffs. The lenses are compatible, so you can buy a separate frame for around $5. But do you ever use eye protection without earmuffs?

Gucci Pick: Oakley M Frame 3.0

There's also the Oakley M Frame 3.0. They seal well with earmuffs, and are comfortable and secure whether muffs are on or off. What's the catch? They're pricey!

Updated hourly

	ESS Crossbow Suppressor $50.00 @ Compare Prices Check price $50.00 @	Oakley SI M Frame 3.0 $305.00 @ Compare Prices Check price $305.00 @
Safety Cert	MIL-PRF-31013	GL-PD 10-12 MCEP
Anti-fog
Clarity
Anti-glare	None	None
Comfort	None
Earmuff Fit
Headband
Easy Maintenance
Lens Cost	$ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price	$ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price
	Best fit with earmuffs. Uses ESS 740-0433 U-Rx insert	Works great with earmuffs.

Best Fashionable Shooting Eye Protection: ESS CDI

When you want eye protection you can wear outside of the shooting range, get the ESS CDI. They're the best combination of features and value among fashion-forward eyepro.

Fashion has its price:

Earmuff fit is good, but not as good as an ESS Suppressor or Oakley M Frame 3.0.
Peripheral vision isn't as good as eyepro with one big eye shield.

Is the ESS CDI the one eyepro to rule them all, or should you also get traditional eyepro for shooting? That's up to you.

Updated hourly

	ESS CDI $ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price
Safety Cert	MIL-PRF-31013
Anti-fog
Clarity
Anti-glare	None
Comfort
Earmuff Fit
Headband
Easy Maintenance
Lens Cost	$ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price

Most Comfortable Shooting Eye Protection

Value Pick: ESS Crossbow

The ESS Crossbow maxes out comfort in its design, with premium features for a fraction of the price. And if the fit isn't just right, you can try the other "Cross" series frames that all work with the same eyeshields:

Crossbow - standard
Suppressor - for earmuffs
Crossblade - standard size, compatible with Crossblade NARO nose pieces
Crossblade NARO - lenses and nose pieces for smaller faces

The downside? Wearing these with earmuffs can get uncomfortable after an hour or two. The workaround? Get a Crossbow Suppressor frame for around $20 and swap over your eyeshield when using muffs.

Gucci Pick: Oakley M Frame 3.0

The alternative: the Oakley M Frame 3.0. They're comfortable and secure whether earmuffs are on or off. The catch? They're pricey!

Updated hourly

	ESS Crossbow $ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price	Oakley SI M Frame 3.0 $305.00 @ Compare Prices Check price $305.00 @
Safety Cert	MIL-PRF-31013	GL-PD 10-12 MCEP
Anti-fog
Clarity
Anti-glare	None	None
Comfort
Earmuff Fit	None
Headband
Easy Maintenance
Lens Cost	$ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price	$ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price

Best Polarized Shooting Eye Protection: ESS Crossbow

The ESS Crossbow has polarized lenses you can buy on their own, or in a full package. It has frames for different fits (Crossbow, Crossbow Suppressor, Crossblade, and Crossblade NARO). If one doesn't work for you, for $5-20 you can get a frame that's just right.

Find earmuffs are uncomfortable? Switch frames to the Crossbow Suppressor.

Updated hourly

	ESS Crossbow Polar One Check price
Safety Cert	MIL-PRF-31013
Anti-fog
Clarity
Anti-glare
Comfort
Earmuff Fit
Headband
Easy Maintenance
Lens Cost	Check price

Best Prescription Eye Protection for Shooting

Best Rx Eye Protection for $20 or less

Best Rx Eye Protection for over $20

Best Rx Eye Protection for $20 or less: Champion Over-spec

If you have Rx glasses already, the Champion Over-spec is the cheapest way to protect your eyes. Just slip them over your glasses and you're good to go. They work with glasses up to 1.80" high, 5.00" wide, and 5.50" long.

Updated hourly

	Champion Over-spec $ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price
Rx Insert	Fits over prescription glasses up to 1.80" high, 5.00" wide, and 5.50" long.
Safety Cert	MIL-PRF-31013
Anti-fog	None
Clarity
Anti-glare	None
Comfort
Earmuff Fit	None
Headband	None
Easy Maintenance	N/A
Lens Cost	N/A

Best Rx Eye Protection for over $20: ESS Crossbow Inserts

For higher-quality eye protection, you need prescription inserts. The ESS Crossbow series has great support here. If you shoot outdoors, consider polarized lenses. For indoor shooting, save money with standard lenses.

When you have your inserts made, let your optometrist look at your eyepro. The curvature of the ESS Crossbow may get in the way of standard Rx lens inserts. Optometrists can work around it if they can analyze your eyepro first.

Updated hourly

	ESS Crossbow $ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price	ESS Crossbow Polar One Check price
Rx Insert	Check price	Check price
Safety Cert	MIL-PRF-31013	MIL-PRF-31013
Anti-fog
Clarity
Anti-glare	None
Comfort
Earmuff Fit	None
Headband
Easy Maintenance
Lens Cost	$ $9999.99 @ Compare Prices Check price	Check price

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Frame

Grip

Trigger

Rail

Ammo

Magazine

Mag Release

Manual Safety

Slide

Barrel

Recoil Spring

Slide Release

Iron Sights

Optic Mount

Red Dot

Laser

Recoil

Compensator

Ejection Port

Aftermarket

7 Best Eye Protection for Shooting [2024 Guide]

On this Page:

Why Wear Eye Protection when Shooting?

What Makes Good Eye Protection?

Strong Eyeshields

Clarity

Comfort

Earmuff Fit

Head/face Fit

Secure

Anti-fog

Maintenance

Best Lens Color for Shooting

Eye Protection for Shooting with Glasses

Prescription Eyeshields for Shooting

Over-spec Glasses for Shooting

Prescription Inserts for Eye Protection

7 Best Eye Protection for Shooting

Eyepro Selector

My Eyewear

-- Select Option -- Non-corrective glasses. Prescription (Rx) glasses.

My Prference

-- Select Option -- Under $20 Fashionable Works best with earmuffs Most Comfort Polarized shades

I want to:

-- Select Option -- Wear my Rx glasses under my eye protection. Attach Rx inserts to my eye protection.

My face is

Medium () Small ()

Your Recommended Eyepro

Best Deal Guarantee

Updated hourly

Compare Prices

Your Recommended Eyepro

Best Deal Guarantee

Updated hourly

Compare Prices

Your Recommended Eyepro

Best Deal Guarantee

Updated hourly

Compare Prices

Compare Prices

Your Recommended Eyepro

Best Deal Guarantee

Updated hourly

Compare Prices

Your Recommended Eyepro

Best Deal Guarantee

Updated hourly

Compare Prices

Compare Prices

Compare Prices

Compare Prices

Your Recommended Eyepro

Best Deal Guarantee

Updated hourly

Compare Prices

Compare Prices

Compare Prices

Compare Prices

Your Recommended Eyepro

Best Deal Guarantee

-- Select Option --

Non-corrective glasses.

Prescription (Rx) glasses.

-- Select Option --

Under $20

Fashionable

Works best with earmuffs

Most Comfort

Polarized shades

-- Select Option --

Wear my Rx glasses under my eye protection.

Attach Rx inserts to my eye protection.