Prescription glasses with binoculars

Joined
Jun 17, 2019
Messages
97
So 2 weeks ago I thought my eyesight was perfect. 2 weeks later I’m wearing prescription glasses and looking through binoculars is driving me crazy. From what I can tell I’m nearsighted. With the glasses I can’t tell much of a difference less then 10 feet. But it’s night and day at 300 yards. I thought it was going to really help me behind the binoculars but I can’t tell a difference with them, its actually much worse since I feel like My FOV has decreased. Does anyone else have this problem? I’m looking to purchase some maven b2s very soon but I hate to make that big of a purchase if I can’t figure out my natural eyesight. Is it because I’m nearsighted and the binoculars is so close to me it doesn’t matter how far I’m looking? From what I can tell there isn’t a difference when I compare. I will say if you haven’t had your vision looked at recently and your a hunter then your potentially missing out on a big advantage.
 

greaseywater

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
122
I've always worn glasses with binos. The main thing that messes me up are the adjustable eyecups. Most binos I've tried need to be in their shortest position to be useable with glasses. But I don't feel like my FOV is reduced with that setting.
 
Joined
Dec 22, 2017
Messages
538
Location
Maryland
Anything more than a casual glance, and I take my glasses off. More than any eye relief issue, I hate that glasses preclude getting the cup of the eyepiece up into your eye socket. I get far too much stray light in from the back when trying to use binos with glasses. Same for any other optical piece (spotting scope, camera) with the exception of riflescopes.
 

NABG Hunter

Lil-Rokslider
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Mar 6, 2021
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247
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Michigan
I’ve worn prescription eyeglasses for almost 50 years. I take them off when using my binocs. If you know how to do it you can usually adjust them for your eyes without you prescription eyeglasses. When somebody else picks them up and tries to look through them though they can’t see a thing! LOL. It works great for me though.
 
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BBob

WKR
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Jun 29, 2020
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Southern AZ
I didn't need a correction until late in life. I'm about 5 years in now. My correction is small but in testing it does make a difference if I am using some form of correction over bare eyes through optics. I hate using glasses with optics ( mostly because of the FOV) and I haven't been able to make that transition and it drives me crazy so I wear contacts. Contacts are not optically as good as glasses but that difference is very small and to me almost unnoticeable between the two through optics. So my compromise is to wear contacts while hunting as they are better than no correction. Contacts at times are a pain in the a** but they have been a better solution overall for me.

Disclaimer: I hunt mostly sitting behind big glass for many hours of the day trying to find little grey things that don't want to be seen.
 
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Shraggs

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Jan 24, 2014
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Zeeland, MI
I've always worn glasses with binos. The main thing that messes me up are the adjustable eyecups. Most binos I've tried need to be in their shortest position to be useable with glasses. But I don't feel like my FOV is reduced with that setting.
This should be the case.

whatever you buy, be sure to know the mm eye relief and how far your glasses are from eyes. Me for example is 16mm.

if using a pair less than that I will/did lose fov unless I push Bino into my glasses and closer to my eye, and the fov returns, but it uncomfortable.

I ultimately bought the swar el 12x50 for its 19mm, and the cl companion 2 for 16mm.
 

Luckyrxc

FNG
Joined
May 13, 2017
Messages
86
I would add, the older I get the more my vision deteriorates and the better my optics need to be. Long ago I could get by with low end glass, but now I really need good stuff.
 

Rsnyder

FNG
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
25
Location
Melbourne, FL
I wear one contact in the right eye for distance. That allows me to read w/out corrective. Most binoculars have an adjustment called diopter I think is the term. Set it for the eye w correction and binoculars work great. Didn’t take long wearing glasses for me to figure out contacts were a more feasible option. After a short learning curve all good
 

Wheels

WKR
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Sep 22, 2016
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Missouri
I’ve worn glasses my entire adult life and have never had a problem with binos, I keep the eye pieces screwed all the way in and get full FOV. However, everyone’s eyes are different.
 

mxgust

Lil-Rokslider
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Feb 12, 2020
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Wyoming
This depends on your prescription more than anything else. If you are just nearsighted and your two eyes are roughly similar then take them off to glass and the adjustments on the focus wheel will account for your RX. If you have astigmatism its will not be corrected this way and you won't see as well without your glasses. The diopter adjustment on the binoculars can be adjusted to account for any difference between the power of your two eyes. I'm an optometrist and I take off my glasses in binos and all day at work in the microscope but I have a simple RX and its equal in both eyes. Usually I wear contacts when I'm outside. If you want PM me the numbers on your prescription and I can help more
 

mcr-85

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May 28, 2014
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Southern Utah
Glasses suck! I hate them when I'm hunting. They fog up, I hate trying to look through binoculars with them or taking them on and off to look through binoculars. I use contacts when I hunt or scout. I use the daily throw them away at the end of the day type.
 
Joined
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Messages
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GA
Glasses suck! I hate them when I'm hunting. They fog up, I hate trying to look through binoculars with them or taking them on and off to look through binoculars. I use contacts when I hunt or scout. I use the daily throw them away at the end of the day type.
Daily contacts, how do y’all like them?
I second your comment about glasses! Either I wear them or contacts or don’t see the detail I need to see because of being near sighted.
 

mxgust

Lil-Rokslider
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Feb 12, 2020
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Wyoming
Daily disposable contacts are the way to do it. It’s hard to use anything else once you get used to them. Even if you just use them during hunting season I’d look into it. They come in 30 or 90 packs. Dailies don’t have as large of a power range as other types of contacts but if it’s possible to do with your prescription it’s a lot easier to use when you’re out hunting. The only downside is that they are more expensive but they make things a lot easier and it’s a new sterile lens every day which is nice when it’s harder to wash your hands well
 
OP
Forkieslayer
Joined
Jun 17, 2019
Messages
97
Daily disposable contacts are the way to do it. It’s hard to use anything else once you get used to them. Even if you just use them during hunting season I’d look into it. They come in 30 or 90 packs. Dailies don’t have as large of a power range as other types of contacts but if it’s possible to do with your prescription it’s a lot easier to use when you’re out hunting. The only downside is that they are more expensive but they make things a lot easier and it’s a new sterile lens every day which is nice when it’s harder to wash your hands well
Having a optometrist is perfect on this forum! Thanks for all the help!
 

Elk2008

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
175
Location
Butte, MT
I’ve had glasses forever also. I just have the eye cups all the way down on binos and spotter and that works for me. Works even without glasses too and helps with digging in the cold.
 
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