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Optics for the ageing eyes
- Thread starter Keeled Over
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Keeled Over, after you have made your decisions please let us know what you purchased and how you like it/them. Too often after an advice thread we don’t hear the rest of the story.
I will agree with Dagger and Turtle about magnification power with a compact monocular; it is everything I can do to hold the 10x monocular steady, and 8x or maybe even 6x, with a wider field of view, would have been plenty. Why that monocular has a 25x zoom is beyond me; it does have a tripod mount, but I have a small spotting scope for that kind of action.
EK_0006 by Mike McCrea, on FlickrAbout optical clarity, nothing I have purchased has come close to my old Leicas, but the 8x20 Ultravids Alan mentioned run $750. Out of curiosity I just looked at the current price for a Leica 10x42. Holy . . . .
https://www.sportoptics.com/leica-bi...QaArgbEALw_wcB
I wore cheap sunglasses for years before finally getting a moderately priced pair of Smiths with better quality lenses. No way could I go back to cheap Walmart fishermen’s shades, but that’s $5 vs $80.
I'm not trying to be funny here, but have you considered prescription glasses?
Sweet, you and my wife might be in cahoots on this one!
It makes no sense to anyone but me but I am trying to avoid them. Not a vanity thing. Quite some time ago I found out I was a Type 2 diabetic. Over time, as it began to impact my vision my Dr. did give me a script for reading glasses, which I do wear when I need to. I don't check my sugar with a meter any more - have not in years. I use my eye site as a tell-tale for when my sugar is high. When I am behaving I can often times read without my glasses. When I'm not, it is difficult/impossible to read then I exercise more and eat fewer carbs. My Dr. said use them as little as possible so my eyes don't get used to them. They are pretty much used to them now - this was 15 years ago - but there are still many times I can read without them.
My description of "incredible" came from my Dr. It has deteriorated but remains at a level that is still very good for someone of my age with my medical maladies. So I have this weird thing about delaying glasses full time as long as possible by using my vision to keep my sugar in check. It works for me - I have dropped down into the "pre diabetic" range some time ago and have been able to maintain it.
My Dr. RAILED against my not checking my sugar and the above process for monitoring it, but as time went on the script for meters/test strips was removed and the Doc says keep it going.
Weird, huh?
Sorry for the long reply, and it not having a single thing to do with optics!!!
It makes no sense to anyone but me but I am trying to avoid them. Not a vanity thing. Quite some time ago I found out I was a Type 2 diabetic. Over time, as it began to impact my vision my Dr. did give me a script for reading glasses, which I do wear when I need to. I don't check my sugar with a meter any more - have not in years. I use my eye site as a tell-tale for when my sugar is high. When I am behaving I can often times read without my glasses. When I'm not, it is difficult/impossible to read then I exercise more and eat fewer carbs. My Dr. said use them as little as possible so my eyes don't get used to them. They are pretty much used to them now - this was 15 years ago - but there are still many times I can read without them.
My description of "incredible" came from my Dr. It has deteriorated but remains at a level that is still very good for someone of my age with my medical maladies. So I have this weird thing about delaying glasses full time as long as possible by using my vision to keep my sugar in check. It works for me - I have dropped down into the "pre diabetic" range some time ago and have been able to maintain it.
My Dr. RAILED against my not checking my sugar and the above process for monitoring it, but as time went on the script for meters/test strips was removed and the Doc says keep it going.
Weird, huh?
Sorry for the long reply, and it not having a single thing to do with optics!!!
Good morning everyone,
Update - focusing on the monocular right now. My buddy reps a high end binocular company and I can get salesman's sample pricing, so I'll put those on hold for a bit. Although some of the recommendations on here have me thinking about foregoing his offer.
Thank you all for the websites. These will easily get me through spring.
The information on the magnification was very helpful. Without this info I would have gone in the wrong direction. (I'm always in the "more power" camp, which would not have been good here)
So I am thinking monocular, 8x or less, waterproof, tri-pod friendly, and I'll spend up to $150.
Do we like zoom functions on a monocular? Way back I had an inexpensive pair of binoculars with a zoom function and if memory serves it impacted the image quality when I zoomed, but they were cheap and I am sure the products have improved since then.
Vortex 8x25 Solo Compact Waterproof Monocular - any thoughts on Vortex products? I am checking with them on the tri-pod mount.
Update - focusing on the monocular right now. My buddy reps a high end binocular company and I can get salesman's sample pricing, so I'll put those on hold for a bit. Although some of the recommendations on here have me thinking about foregoing his offer.
Thank you all for the websites. These will easily get me through spring.
The information on the magnification was very helpful. Without this info I would have gone in the wrong direction. (I'm always in the "more power" camp, which would not have been good here)
So I am thinking monocular, 8x or less, waterproof, tri-pod friendly, and I'll spend up to $150.
Do we like zoom functions on a monocular? Way back I had an inexpensive pair of binoculars with a zoom function and if memory serves it impacted the image quality when I zoomed, but they were cheap and I am sure the products have improved since then.
Vortex 8x25 Solo Compact Waterproof Monocular - any thoughts on Vortex products? I am checking with them on the tri-pod mount.
Done - Vortex 8 x 36.
Thank you everyone.
Thank you everyone.
They sometimes don't help much or at all for some problems like cataracts or worse glaucoma or some other problems. I have probably about ready for cataract surgery myself and have relatives and friends with vision problems that can't be addressed with glasses or surgery. My issue is mostly with getting small print in the right part of my field of vision, but reading a printed page is unpleasant even with the correct prescription. I am kind of looking forward to the surgery since it will hopefully result in the ability to have uncorrected close vision and a mild distance prescription.
If glasses are a solution they are a no brainer IMO. Then again I did have a coworker who went through life pretty much blind because he couldn't deal with putting in contacts and the first day he wore glasses some one made a snide remark. He never wore them to work again. He still drove a car when he not only couldn't read the big signs on the interstate, but when I pointed and said can't you read that he claimed he didn't even see the sign. Weird guy...
Sounds like a great solution. Inexpensive, light weight, waterproof, and easy to take along. If I owned one I'd keep it in my dry bag or maybe my pfd pocket.
Pete S.... about cataract surgery, I had mine done during the summer and fall 2020 (they did only one eye at a time in case of a bad reaction or result). I had to sign waivers in case of permanent vision loss or <ack> even death which was on the consent form, so I wasn't exactly looking forward to it... however not being able to drive because of poor eyesight was not an option so...
The improvement in vision afterwards was really something, so I'm happy seeing the world in sharp detail and bright color once more. The downside is not being able to focus up close (I had good close-in vision before) which I now need reading glasses for.
You wrote...
I was told this can be an option but the usual procedure for most patients is to go with sharp distance vision (which is needed for driving) without the need for glasses there and then use reading glasses close up.
Or go with multifocal/accomodating lenses which can allow for focus at a variety of distances. This was not recommended for me since it isn't suitable for everyone and may result in poorer vision at distance, or color distortion or haze. When I returned for a post-surgery checkup, there was a patient there with complications after choosing the multifocal option.
I went with the more expensive toric astigmatism-correcting lenses which also were said to provide greater contrast and brightness for good resolution at distance than standard lenses, again recommended before the surgery. And that improvement did result afterwards, along with a much bluer-toned world outdoors since the old natural lenses hadn't been colorless (probably got used to the natural lenses being old and yellowed) maybe due to the cataract formation keeping out some blue skylight.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll go over all the options that need to be understood with the medical staff, best wishes and happy results.
The improvement in vision afterwards was really something, so I'm happy seeing the world in sharp detail and bright color once more. The downside is not being able to focus up close (I had good close-in vision before) which I now need reading glasses for.
You wrote...
I was told this can be an option but the usual procedure for most patients is to go with sharp distance vision (which is needed for driving) without the need for glasses there and then use reading glasses close up.
Or go with multifocal/accomodating lenses which can allow for focus at a variety of distances. This was not recommended for me since it isn't suitable for everyone and may result in poorer vision at distance, or color distortion or haze. When I returned for a post-surgery checkup, there was a patient there with complications after choosing the multifocal option.
I went with the more expensive toric astigmatism-correcting lenses which also were said to provide greater contrast and brightness for good resolution at distance than standard lenses, again recommended before the surgery. And that improvement did result afterwards, along with a much bluer-toned world outdoors since the old natural lenses hadn't been colorless (probably got used to the natural lenses being old and yellowed) maybe due to the cataract formation keeping out some blue skylight.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll go over all the options that need to be understood with the medical staff, best wishes and happy results.
Thanks. That all makes sense.
My correction has always been for reading and close up work. It got bad enough that I couldn't see clearly at any distance though. These days none of the non prescription reading glasses you see in the drug store are strong enough for me to read clearly with.
Everyone I know who got cataract surgery still wears or wore glasses pretty much all the time. I think they generally still had bifocals. I guess they are/were all geezers who are used to decades of wearing glasses and some probably have a zero diopter in one part of the range. I know that my mom and my oldest brother both seemed to be able to read fine print without their glasses after cataract surgery, but still wore glasses all the time any way. I never really talked to either of them about what kind of prescription they had in their glasses. I suspect maybe it was zero diopter in the reading portion, but I do not know.
I am told we should wear some UV protective lenses when we are outdoors any way so glasses when at distance may not be a bad idea. Then again the ability to wear non prescription sunglasses would be nice.
The mono has arrived. Feels very solid.
Played in the back yard a bit. It is an 8x, and is a bit shaky but not too bad. I had not planned on wearing my glasses while using them, but there seemed to be little difference between when I wear my glasses and when I don't. Not sure if that is good or bad. I will keep them, however knowing what I know now I would probably go for a 6x to cut down on the bounce.
Thanks again everyone!
Played in the back yard a bit. It is an 8x, and is a bit shaky but not too bad. I had not planned on wearing my glasses while using them, but there seemed to be little difference between when I wear my glasses and when I don't. Not sure if that is good or bad. I will keep them, however knowing what I know now I would probably go for a 6x to cut down on the bounce.
Thanks again everyone!
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