Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Scopes and Glasses Do Not Mix!

Contacts or glasses and Leupolds for the last 50 years, no issues.

I am legally blind without corrective lenses (20/220), and wear polycarb lenses for the lighter weight, and eye protection. No issue with scopes after I get head position, cheek weld, eye relief, and eye piece focus dialed in. But, I spend a lot of time getting scopes as low as possible on the rifle, and dinking / modifying mounts.

About ten years ago I found out by accident that I see better through my scopes without my glasses. I have had astigmatism and I’m not farsighted or nearsighted.

Odd, because a scope will not correct for astigmatism. Astigmatism is corrected by the curvature of ones eye glass lens. A scopes lens is not curved to correct for the many astigmatism variations.

This may be a small thing and not applicable in your case, but I have noticed a difference when looking through a scope with glasses with "progressive" lenses and those that just have a single prescription. Way better with the simple NON progressive prescription.

I've worn glasses for nearly 30 years, always managed to get the scope focused until this year. Bought a Super Chicken 6x MQ, with glasses on I can't get the hash marks focused, bold parts of the reticle are fine. When I take the glasses off, I can get the little devils sharp. I'm blaming it on growing cataracts, hopefully they'll get fixed next year.

I had a a similar problem appear about 17 years ago and had lasik surgery and VOILA all optic problems disappeared immediately.

Now I'm looking at cataract surgery in the next few years and expect my eyes to get even better with and without optics such as rifle scopes.

All in all lasik surgery saved me a BUNCH of problems and expense over the years.

Give up on spectacles.... They're so old school and expensive that I don't know hardly anyone that has stuck with them.

LDHunter,

After cataract surgery my left eye went to 20/15 and my right eye went to 20/20. Afterward I had an eye test and discovered I could improve on that with a little prescription so I went with it. I wear glasses all the time except when I hunt. They fog up when I hike so I go without and see very well anyway.

Now there are some lenses that work with your muscles so you don't need reading glasses! Outrageous.

My dad took his rifle to the optometrist.
Had a lens made that was put in a rubber cup, went over back of scope.
Years ago, not cheap, but not crazy expensive either.

Of course he was the last patient for the day LOL

I just got new glasses.
Had some back several yrs ago, light prescription.
Got second sight...........so not needed for a couple of yrs.
Back to decline, so got some.........Friday.

Only work with small area of lenses, in reg and close (bifocal).
Going back Tuesday to see WTF is going on. Most of the lens worthless.

Think whoever ground them really F'd up.
Blew a chunk o money..........for nothing.
Better to just get a cheap pair of readers.

Man I got a wicked headache from those pieces of chit.
Give em one chance to get em right.

Here's a lesson I learned. If you rely on any type of corrective lenses then your eyes quickly become dependent on them. The doctor that did my lasik hinted at that.

17 years post lasik and I still refuse to use reading glasses and I'm a good bit past 60. It is a really rare situation when I need any sort of magnification for close up work because my eyes are used to working hard to see at any distance I ask them to.

I think we all rely on our doctors and ophthalmologists way too much while forgetting that just like everyone else they're businessmen that need the money too and will merrily guide you down the path that profits them.

Been using scopes without glasses, just winding out the eyepiece. However I've been dinking around with some iron-sighted stuff lately and for that I need a bit of correction to see the sights and the target really clearly. Played around with some light reading glasses and finally settled on +1.5 as the best. Not only can I see my sights okay, my view at a distance is much sharper, like the good old days. Tried them out driving, and could see the signs better. Looks like I'm 1.) overdue at the optometrist and 2.) need to refocus my scopes for the new setup. Hate wearing glasses in the woods, but hate missing out on spotting game more.

Passed my DL vision test in 2017, mostly because my left eye is better, but suspect next time I'll need the specs. Drat!

I'm nearsighted and have worn either contacts or glasses since I was in middle school. Over the last 30 years my RX has changed very little...basically none... I've never had problems with glasses or contacts and scopes or iron sights. When I try either scopes or iron sights without my glasses/contacts it ain't pretty.