Rick W. has a thread or two on a mount that positions the optical sight on the frame. Another member has had the artillery mount for his red dot sight. So it has been done, with some success IIRC.
You mentioned an optical sight while you were in the military. Was it on your M9??? If it was on the M16 it still got affected, just not immediately. When I was in and qualified twice yearly, it was amusing to see how many shooters had their liquid crystal watch displays blown out from the accumulated recoil...
