Older eyes and magnification

DANCESWITHEMPTIES

DANCESWITHEMPTIES

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Got a weird problem. I use 1.5x cheaters now days & as age catches up to me, I'm becoming more far sighted. I'm putting together a 35 Whelen single shot for next fall & a low powered optic is a must. I've narrowed down the scope I'm going to install to either a Leupold VX3 1.5-5X 20mm or a Leica Ultravid 1.75-6x 32mm. I optimistically expect any shot to be within 300 yards (I won't shoot past that distance). Here are my problems: The focus of the scope with the glasses on or off dramatically change the view. I admit I should be looking at a prescription bifocals. But I figure I should just resolve myself to the fact I have to sight in the rifle with glasses on & slip them down the beak a bit to see at distance just like the old timers do LOL! The other truly bizarre fact is, I swear I can see better out of that 1" 20mm tube. Which makes no sense as the Leica has a 30mm tube & a 32mm objective. We're not talking a huge amount, but it's there. The glass on both these scopes is excellent & the Leica should be brighter. The reticle is a duplex on both I figure the f.o.v. is negligible between the two. At this point I'm not sure if I'm just b!tching about getting older or looking for real world solutions?.. Should be a nice hunting rig if I ever make up my mind on optics. -Dances
 
I haven't tried a Leica scope but I find those Leupolds to have excellent diopter adjustment for older eyes. It could be that the glass of the Leupold is better on that model compared to the Leica. I have found that in general a lot of older glass is actually easier to see through than the newer fancy stuff. One scope dealer/refurbisher told me the older glass was purer and ground better where as the newer glass often relies more on hi tech coatings. I don't know but I have noticed what you are talking about at times myself.
 
I have been shooting a Bushnell DMR 3.5-21X50 the
3G Reticle is a little heavier than others so it works well.

Also had a Leupold 8.5-25x50 with TMR reticle
but I could never focus at any distance .

Oh ya , I use 2 x cheeters.
 
Scarheart said:
I haven't tried a Leica scope but I find those Leupolds to have excellent diopter adjustment for older eyes. It could be that the glass of the Leupold is better on that model compared to the Leica. I have found that in general a lot of older glass is actually easier to see through than the newer fancy stuff. One scope dealer/refurbisher told me the older glass was purer and ground better where as the newer glass often relies more on hi tech coatings. I don't know but I have noticed what you are talking about at times myself.
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It's the weirdest G.D. thing in my books. I've mounted the Leica this afternoon & going to mess with the eye piece till I'm happy. Back in the day I got great deal on the 3 Leicas I own. I've used them on everything from .375 H&H down to .223, they are excellent scopes. Are they better than a VX 3 scope? That's a real hard question to answer...
 
DANCESWITHEMPTIES said:
Got a weird problem. I use 1.5x cheaters now days & as age catches up to me, I'm becoming more far sighted. I'm putting together a 35 Whelen single shot for next fall & a low powered optic is a must. I've narrowed down the scope I'm going to install to either a Leupold VX3 1.5-5X 20mm or a Leica Ultravid 1.75-6x 32mm. I optimistically expect any shot to be within 300 yards (I won't shoot past that distance). Here are my problems: The focus of the scope with the glasses on or off dramatically change the view. I admit I should be looking at a prescription bifocals. But I figure I should just resolve myself to the fact I have to sight in the rifle with glasses on & slip them down the beak a bit to see at distance just like the old timers do LOL! The other truly bizarre fact is, I swear I can see better out of that 1" 20mm tube. Which makes no sense as the Leica has a 30mm tube & a 32mm objective. We're not talking a huge amount, but it's there. The glass on both these scopes is excellent & the Leica should be brighter. The reticle is a duplex on both I figure the f.o.v. is negligible between the two. At this point I'm not sure if I'm just b!tching about getting older or looking for real world solutions?.. Should be a nice hunting rig if I ever make up my mind on optics. -Dances
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I am not an optics guy - but I am past age 65 - consider that your iris will no longer open as wide as it did when you were younger. Is perhaps true that the one scope puts through more light than the other - but perhaps it is your eye that can not take that in? Just a Wild Guess ...

I think I read somewhere that you take the magnification and divide by the front lens diameter - gives you an exit pupil diameter - young guys might have iris to open to 7 mm - old guys like me might not get 4 mm. So young guy can use all of a 6 mm exit pupil - I can not. I may have that muddled up ... Might not be related to "brightness" ...
 
Maybe a little off topic here, and it might sound strange, but eyes can get weaker from staring at a screen all day, or simply from getting older.
I've found that you can really improve your eyesight by consistently doing eye exercises. It makes sense when you think about it, but for whatever reason, doctors and optometrists don't promote this, maybe because they'll sell less glasses? Anyway, something like this is worth a try.
https://www.healthline.com/health/eye-health/eye-exercises
 
Get behind some modern ASIAN quality manf optics. These scopes tend to have massive diopter adjustments which may be enough to help you see with your reg glasses.

A scope should not need readers to work... maybe to read the dials but definitely not to see the image.

Jerry
 
My close range eye site started to go down hill at 41. Currently using 2 x glasses which let me see iron sites and the target well. I have also noticed some older scopes seem to be much clearer. I don’t use my glasses when using scopes. I adjust them so I have clear picture without my glasses. Of course with glasses it screws the scope up. I bought a rifle with an older steel Weaver on and had planned to buy a new scope for but found once adjusted the scope was very clear. Since I have bought two more steel Weavers. Leupolds I also find suit my eyes. Adjust the scope eye piece so you can see clearly through the scope without glasses. My long range vision is excellent. So I only need glasses for reading and shooting with iron sites.
 
Well the afternoon plan changed. Mounted the Leica & found at 1.75x had the front sight shooting not quite half way up from the bottom of the view. Mount put the lens about 1/2 inch over the bore. Adjusted the diopter & got a better clarity without the glasses, but the sight in the picture ticked me off. Got digging through the toy box & found a Zeiss 3-9x 40mm with a 1 inch tube. Mounted it and found it better & the 3x power setting is still acceptable for the lowest setting I think? Generous eye relief, so I don't think I'll get scoped at 9x if I ever use it? The Zeiss put the objective a little lower to the barrel as well. Good info on the iris and I will look into those exercises for my eyes. Putting off the inevitable is always a good thing. Had that Leica mounted on my 375 H&H & it was a great set up on that bolt gun. Probably haven't shot or hunted with it in for at least 15 years. Removed it from the rifle when I got transferred & never put it back on. Have to re install it on that gun & see if that combo still works for me... Early 50's now & it's starting to be a pain in the arse LOL! Thanks for all the advice.
 
I was in the same boat.

I set up to use my readers to see through the scopes. I can see 500 yards clearly without, but for me 6-10" in front of me is impossible all blurry. Right now I'm 1.25 transitioning to 1.5.

Same with Pistol. I need them to see the iron sights.

Play around and try it out. So you are comfortable with the idea. Is the best Advice. Good choice on scopes!

Another thing I have found, is 5 days at deer camp and not being in front or a phone/computer, my eyesight gets marginally better each day.
 
Also - do not be afraid of optometrist and legitimate eye exam. I have worn glasses since I was 12 years old. I think the multi-focal came in my mid-forties - took some getting used to, for sure, after 30 odd years of single prescription - I have never worn "bi-focals" - with the horizontal line through the middle. Last new glasses for me was within past 4 months - my prescription has not changed for years, the optometrist says. So, unless something has really changed - I can see deer or target as far out as it is - lift the rifle and shoot with both eyes open (I think) - scope image is "right on" - set the focus as per the instruction manual - while wearing my glasses. Is not as painful as it sounds - but might be more commotion, if you are just starting with glasses in your late forties, and have never worn them previously. So you also get to deal with fogging and smudges and all those other fun things ...
 
I find scopes with quick focus eye peice are great for my old eyes.
No lock rings just a quick turn to focus.
 
DANCESWITHEMPTIES said:
Got a weird problem. I use 1.5x cheaters now days & as age catches up to me, I'm becoming more far sighted. I'm putting together a 35 Whelen single shot for next fall & a low powered optic is a must. I've narrowed down the scope I'm going to install to either a Leupold VX3 1.5-5X 20mm or a Leica Ultravid 1.75-6x 32mm. I optimistically expect any shot to be within 300 yards (I won't shoot past that distance). Here are my problems: The focus of the scope with the glasses on or off dramatically change the view. I admit I should be looking at a prescription bifocals. But I figure I should just resolve myself to the fact I have to sight in the rifle with glasses on & slip them down the beak a bit to see at distance just like the old timers do LOL! The other truly bizarre fact is, I swear I can see better out of that 1" 20mm tube. Which makes no sense as the Leica has a 30mm tube & a 32mm objective. We're not talking a huge amount, but it's there. The glass on both these scopes is excellent & the Leica should be brighter. The reticle is a duplex on both I figure the f.o.v. is negligible between the two. At this point I'm not sure if I'm just b!tching about getting older or looking for real world solutions?.. Should be a nice hunting rig if I ever make up my mind on optics. -Dances
Click to expand...

What can happen as your vision fails with age is a disconnect between the clarity of reticle and the image. If you have 20-20 vision its easy enough to get everything sharp and clear, but the worse your eyes are the more difficult it can be, When you get the reticle and image clear, there will be parallax. When you get the parallax perfect, the image is not clear.

With any luck, you have cataracts and the surgery for that will fix you up.
 
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