Weird Question…. I have a lazy eye, Spotter vs Binos

[stevewes2004]

Prepping for my first western hunt next year, and I’m torn between 15x-18x binos vs spotter. I know the question has been asked a million times but my situation is a little different. I’m almost legally blind I’m my right eye (lazy eye). So I’m thinking eye fatigue looking through one lens (spotter) for longer periods of time may be a non issue?

I have a pair of Nikon HG 8x42 that I plan to use on a tripod also.

My thoughts were to skip the large binos…

Any other one eyed willys out there??


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[Blue72]

I’m almost legally blind in one of my eyes and I still ditched the spotter and primarily use binoculars these days. Your brain has an amazing ability to still use info from your bad eye even though you don’t see clearly

 

[PhotoHunter]

You are carrying dead weight with big binos if you are only using half.

 

[Browninglover1]

I’m almost legally blind in one of my eyes and I still ditched the spotter and primarily use binoculars these days. Your brain has an amazing ability to still use info from your bad eye even though you don’t see clearly

I saw this first hand as well. I had SMILE done to my eyes and my left eye was very blurry. With just my right eye (good eye) open I could see 20/20 but when I used both eyes I could read 20/15. It was very strange to me that a blurry eye provided benefit but it did.

With regards to the bino vs spotter for the OP's question I'm really not sure. With a nice wide angle spotter I can actually spend quite a bit of time behind one without glassing fatigue but it's still not as comfortable as binos. For the way I currently hunt I'd rather have 8x binos and a spotter but in years past I absolutely loved running just 15x binos and leaving the smaller binos and spotter at home.

 

[roughnecknine0]

@stevewes2004 maybe try the Maven demo program? Could snag a set of B5's, whichever spotter you like, and try them both out for yourself to see which works for you better. Sure you'll have to front the cash but in the end you'll only be out shipping.

 

[Fedster]

My *opinion* is that using both eyes is better for the lazy eye -- the less you use it the worse it becomes. Did I say it is an opinion? you can/should ask a professional. My left eye always make me feel it is not working as hard as the right, but I have never checked if I have a lazy eye officially. In my experience the more it works the less this feeling of difference between the eyes (I sometimes cover the right to give the left some work it must do).

Second thing, not really an opinion, it is far more tiring on the eye to use a spotter than a bino. There are tricks so you can spot with both eyes open covering one eye, etc, to manage the strain, but I have grown to prefer binos for the joy of using both eyes as they are meant to.

 

[stevewes2004]

@stevewes2004 maybe try the Maven demo program? Could snag a set of B5's, whichever spotter you like, and try them both out for yourself to see which works for you better. Sure you'll have to front the cash but in the end you'll only be out shipping.

This is a good idea….


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[stevewes2004]

My *opinion* is that using both eyes is better for the lazy eye -- the less you use it the worse it becomes. Did I say it is an opinion? you can/should ask a professional. My left eye always make me feel it is not working as hard as the right, but I have never checked if I have a lazy eye officially. In my experience the more it works the less this feeling of difference between the eyes (I sometimes cover the right to give the left some work it must do).

Second thing, not really an opinion, it is far more tiring on the eye to use a spotter than a bino. There are tricks so you can spot with both eyes open covering one eye, etc, to manage the strain, but I have grown to prefer binos for the joy of using both eyes as they are meant to.

Hadn’t really thought about that, but makes sense.

Ive never used a spotter for any length of time so I really don’t know how my eyes would react to it over long periods.


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[Shootinsurveyor]

I’ve got a lazy eye also that was treated when I was a small child. I don’t like binos. I never feel like i can quickly get dialed in with the binos and that’s because one eye is weaker than the other I’m guessing. I would go for a spotter. You will have less eye fatigue if you keep both eyes open while observing. Being a land surveyor for 20 years and spending a lot of time looking through a instrument I can tell you it works.

 

[stevewes2004]

I’ve got a lazy eye also that was treated when I was a small child. I don’t like binos. I never feel like i can quickly get dialed in with the binos and that’s because one eye is weaker than the other I’m guessing. I would go for a spotter. You will have less eye fatigue if you keep both eyes open while observing. Being a land surveyor for 20 years and spending a lot of time looking through a instrument I can tell you it works.

Yes, that's the way I was thinking! But have virtually no experience or long term use with them.

 

[Shootinsurveyor]

I will say that I am super comfortable spotting with my Vortex Razor Rangefinder braced on my knee if sitting. Its magnification is close to 8x binos. If you need to sit for hours looking across a valley, the spotter should be the way to go. I did buy some binos but haven't had them on a hunt and may leave them behind as they are much heavier than the rangefinder and don't really provide much benefit for me and my situation. We don't glass for long periods though.

 

[fatrascal]

8x binos are great but a spotter will provide you with the magnification you need for hunting out West. 8x is just not enough for long range glassing. Fatrascal

 

[peterk123]

Lazy eye all my life. I'm sure you can relate..... the lazy eye basically only helps with your peripheral vision. I cannot even make it who is standing 30 feet from me with the bad eye. I use a bino and that lazy eye helps with getting a wider FOV. Think about it this way; are you walking around with that lazy eye closed all day? I have no regrets getting the binos. Our brains have adjusted to the problem a long time ago. We may not see as well, but our brains treat a bino and a scope just like people with 20/20 vision. The scope will tire you out on long sits.


The scope/bino discussion has been beaten to death. The consensus is that binos do not tire you out as much, can be held with your hands and are spectacular when on a tripod. The scope is needed if you are trophy hunting. Your call on size, but I think most will tell you 10x42 so you you can use it freehand as well.

I am using a pair of Meopta 1-x42s with a tripod. Works amazingly well. It's low light effectiveness is excellent. I am not counting points though. I hunt for food so binos are more than enough for me.

 

[stevewes2004]

Lazy eye all my life. I'm sure you can relate..... the lazy eye basically only helps with your peripheral vision. I cannot even make it who is standing 30 feet from me with the bad eye. I use a bino and that lazy eye helps with getting a wider FOV. Think about it this way; are you walking around with that lazy eye closed all day? I have no regrets getting the binos. Our brains have adjusted to the problem a long time ago. We may not see as well, but our brains treat a bino and a scope just like people with 20/20 vision. The scope will tire you out on long sits.


The scope/bino discussion has been beaten to death. The consensus is that binos do not tire you out as much, can be held with your hands and are spectacular when on a tripod. The scope is needed if you are trophy hunting. Your call on size, but I think most will tell you 10x42 so you you can use it freehand as well.

I am using a pair of Meopta 1-x42s with a tripod. Works amazingly well. It's low light effectiveness is excellent. I am not counting points though. I hunt for food so binos are more than enough for me.

Absolutely sounds like my vision!


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