Binoculars and glasses/contact lenses (1 Viewer)

[ReinierB]

Hello folks,

I am 39 years old and I already need glasses for reading. (So I am farsighted if I am right). I wonder how much I already have to take into account that I need glasses all the time in the future? So letting the binoculars with small eye relief going and maybe not even considering buying a swarovski habicht at all.

What is you experience? Did you take it into account? Did you take contact lenses only because you want to uses all the binoculars you want/have?

For example: I have the SLC 8x42 and the SLC 10x42. The eye relief of the 8s42 is generous, the eye relief of the 10x42 is tight. Should that be a reason letting the 10x42 go and keeping the 8x42?
Or should I not bother at all. I can always take contact lenses, keeping the 10x42 and buying an habicht? What did you do?

 

[Swedpat]

Hello folks,

I am 39 years old and I already need glasses for reading. (So I am farsighted if I am right). I wonder how much I already have to take into account that I need glasses all the time in the future? So letting the binoculars with small eye relief going and maybe not even considering buying a swarovski habicht at all.

What is you experience? Did you take it into account? Did you take contact lenses only because you want to uses all the binoculars you want/have?

For example: I have the SLC 8x42 and the SLC 10x42. The eye relief of the 8s42 is generous, the eye relief of the 10x42 is tight. Should that be a reason letting the 10x42 go and keeping the 8x42?
Or should I not bother at all. I can always take contact lenses, keeping the 10x42 and buying an habicht? What did you do?

I am in the opposite situation as you. I have problem to see at distance since I was around 10 years old. So I wear eyeglasses since around 45 years.
30 years ago not even the most 7x50 and 8x56s had long eye relief, so it was normal to take off the eyeglasses when using binoculars.
But around 20 years ago when more and more binoculars became available with long eye relief, I decided to get rid of my binos and only get models with fully sufficient eye relief for my eyeglasses use. As well for birding and astronomy there is a practical problem with aiming at an object and then need to take of the eyeglasses before you put the binoculars to the eyes. You need to directly put the binos to the eyes to not lose the orientation. Otherwise the object easily gets lost.

Now and then I feel frustrated because there are so many otherwise good binos I exclude because of my decision to only have eyeglasses-friendly models.
I have thought about contact lenses, who would solve the problem. But around 10 years ago I started to have problem with reading with eyeglasses at close distance. Now I need to take of the eyeglasses for reading, and with contact lenses I would need reading glasses or magnification glass for reading and close distance. So I choose not to get contact lenses.

But as well as in my case you should not need eyeglasses when using binoculars for the sake of getting image in focus, because the dioptri setting in the oculars usually can compensate for it.

 

[Maljunulo]

The diopter setting compensates for any refractive difference between your two eyes.

The focus knob is used to move the image onto your retinas, so you see it as being "in focus".

 

[Binastro]

ReinierB,

You only will need glasses with binoculars if you have astigmatism or possibly need prism correction.

I use 6 different glasses for general viewing, but no glasses with binoculars.

Astro glasses, distance glasses, T.V. glasses, computer glasses, reading glasses and cheap positive equal glasses for window shopping.

I am far sighted, but for wandering around I use no glasses and accept the non sharp images.
If I need to sharpen up I make a pinhole with my fingers.

Regards,
B.

 

[ArchStanton]

I wear contacts and never take them off when using binoculars. I've found I prefer 8x over 10x binoculars. I read that people can develop astigmatism as they age and have had slight astigmatism since young and am wondering if it has affected my viewing experience using binoculars.

 

[Maljunulo]

I wear contacts and never take them off when using binoculars. I've found I prefer 8x over 10x binoculars. I read that people can develop astigmatism as they age and have had slight astigmatism since young and am wondering if it has affected my viewing experience using binoculars.

Try this.

Astigmatism Test Online, Vision Check - EyeMyEye

Astigmatism is caused due to the imperfect curvature of either the lens of your eye or the front surface of your eye.

www.eyemyeye.com

 

[ArchStanton]

Try this.

Astigmatism Test Online, Vision Check - EyeMyEye

Astigmatism is caused due to the imperfect curvature of either the lens of your eye or the front surface of your eye.

www.eyemyeye.com

I just tried it and it seems like I have astigmatism in one eye. I went to new optometrist and he said the only difference in my previous prescription was astigmatism. When I'm out of contacts, I'm to have my eyes checked and inquire about contacts that can correct astigmatism. Thanks for the website recommendation. Have a great day!