Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Aging Eyes

At about 45yrs old I started to notice the degrading of my crisp vision. First thing I did was buy some good Binoculars to regain the clear view of my youth. Worked great, until 50yrs old. Then the next wall was hit. A higher quality scope was needed to get back that crisp view of the game or targets. At 55yrs the next wall was hit. I needed glasses to get enough clarity of vision to see what I needed to look at with the Binoculars. This is creating a conflict, Glasses on to get a good view while hunting, see something, glasses off, binoculars up to see the games detail. PITA to put it bluntly. You young guys with great vision, Get ready! The changes to your eyes are coming. You hunters who have been dealing with the glasses issue for years must have learned a few tricks. Can you give us newly disadvantaged some advise, On how to Regain some field hunting pleasure. Is a binocular out there that works better with glasses on? Is one scope better than others with glasses on? Or is the best process, Glasses on to see the overall terrain detail, glasses off for binoculars and scope use?

baltz526,

I put my glasses on in the morning and take them off before I go to bed. I use binoculars with about 17mm of eye relief. use scopes from Tasco to Swarovski. When you get the scope you set the A.O., or side focus, on infinite and the magnification on its highest setting. Aim at the sky, or other plain back ground, and adjust the crosshair till it is as sharp as you can get it. Lock it down. You are ready to go!

I wore glasses all the time from the 5th grade until I had cataract surgery a few years ago. I never had any trouble with scopes until I got bifocals and then I got a pair of glasses with one glass for hunting and watching TV. If I had to work on something, I had to change glasses. I would remove them for Binoculars and wore them on a chain while hunting, so I could just let them go while looking through the binoculars. This arrangement did not work well for open sights. When I got the cataract surgery, I had lens implants where I could see way off but have to wear glasses for working on something or reading. It really works out well for hunting. Before the cataract surgery I noticed that a 50mm scope really helped me in low light conditions. Not so much since the surgery. miles

I have worn glasses since I was 4. You need binoculars with long eye relief. Even at that, many do not give you a full FOV. If I am looking at something specific I leave the glasses on but if glassing for game and max FOV, I take them off.
Scopes have never been a problem. Set them for glasses and forget except you may need to re-focus them as your eyes change..

Contact lenses here since 1985

For one thing, in the context of thousands spent on bino's, scopes, glasses, etc., see if you are a candidate for LASIK surgery which may solve most of your problems. Notice I said, "see if you are a candidate,"; do this by going to your optometrist or MD eye doc.

LASIK surgery is like eye glasses in that it is covered to a degree by many health insurance plans and in the context of the above gear, as mentioned, and considering the importance of SEEING is not that expensive even if you have to foot the bill yourself. The global fee (including all follow-up care for awhile) is generally in the neighborhood of 3k for both eyes.

"Eyeball" here can probably give you more information.

Long Eye relief lets to much side light in, causing more eye strain. I think I'll prefer glasses off to this. Scope focus has not been an issue yet. I need to do more range practice with Glasses on. To get a better feel for that aspect. My Field Glasses are High quality insert in a lens change frame. I can use Clear-Yellow-Smoke-dark. All are UV and ballistic protection. I'll get used to all day wear eventually.

Contact lenses

The absolute least expensive way to correct simple near sight with 100% field of view

Contact lenses are not and option i'll use.

I tried contacts about thirty-five years ago and again a couple years ago. They just can't compete with glasses for the ability for me to see detail.

I can imagine what My eyes would be like with Contacts after 4-5 days hunting the Alkali at Summer lake in October. I have had guys Quit after a few hours wearing contacts on Windy days.

You are wearing the wrong contacts then

I'm a 27 year machinist and metal fabricator and work in a very harsh and dirty environment

I wear mine for 30 days and 30 nights 20/20 with zero issues

Glad glasses are my backup because when I do wear them I'm reminded of their shortcomings

I am farsighted with high + magnification and astigmatism to boot.At 58,I'm liking higher power scopes,usually 12-16 power on the top end.I just see so much better with them and can shoot quite well too.I have a pair of Nikon Action Series binos that are 16 x 50.Those things are great and will focus even as close as twenty yards.If your binos have the extended eye cups,just fold them flat and you can see real well with glasses.

Just be glad we have optical sights. I have rifles with peep sights and took one out the other day. With my glasses on I can't see the front sight and if I put non-prescription glasses on I can see the front sight but not the target.
This old age stuff aint for sissies!

Funny thing is my Optometrist who I trust, suggested Contacts where not a good idea for me.

I had LASIK surgery on my right eye for severe astigmatism. It was painless and the result amazing. It's something I should have done years ago.

From blurred vision to 20/20 vision in less than a week.

He said why? Nevermind........good luck........glasses would handicap me

Glasses and binocs work well together. One example is the Swaro 15s. Personally, I wear glasses for the best far vision, but no glasses with binos. Maybe I should try wearing them with binos and scopes to see if glasses make me shoot better with a scope.

Glasses and binocs can certainly be done without much hassle.

I became a bit near sighted at 23 and started wearing glasses then. As the decades wore on I had the glasses changed many times. Now I have tri-focals but don't really use the bifocal part unless I need to take out a splinter. Using the computer, reading, etc I take them off. Shooting and driving I have to have them on for 50 yards and beyond. Never had a problem with scopes or binoculars with the glasses on.

OP

You're old. Keep glasses on or contacts in. You've gotten lots of correct advice. (I've had lenses since 3rd grade.) Spend money on optics to make up the difference.

Barry